If you look up almost anywhere in the country, you will see poles and other immense structures carrying power lines. They stand tall all across the landscape. Today, some are located beneath the streetscape, hidden from view. These all carry a stunningly high amount of electric voltage. The ability to transport such large units of current could pose a problem for everyone concerned if it were not for the high voltage transformer.
Why Use High Voltages?
While we send the electric current off along thin wires at high voltage, we are faced with a conundrum at the end. The appliances we use do not consume nor can handle such high amounts of power. The amounts must be reduced to acceptable levels for the average apartment dweller, homeowner and commercial user to employ them without negative effects and injurious results. If this is the case, the natural question is “Why do they send the voltage off at such high levels in the first place?”
There are two basic reasons.
1. When the electricity sails along at such high currents it loses less energy along the way than if it were sent at lower voltage
2. Many industrial facilities require larger amounts of energy to run their various machinery and heavy-duty equipment. While, your home may need only a few hundred volts, a company can easily gobble up several thousand volts
Overall, running high amperage along the lines lowers the cost for everyone who uses it. By running it on high, suppliers can make certain all customers receive the right voltage they require without increasing the cost overall. It is far easier and more cost-effective to transform higher voltage sent in bulk amounts to lower voltage than to attempt to do the opposite.
The Role of the Transformer
Transformers reduce and increase electric voltage. A high voltage transformer easily handles higher levels of current while others are in place to reduce the amount so your appliance can operate. In most instances, it may be necessary to utilize several step-down transformers to arrive at the right level of power into your home, office, business or factory.
High voltage transformers relay power between high voltage networks. They are also in use in high voltage laboratories. Such labs test a variety of effects. Engineers also experiment on the effects of various insulation, wire type, core material and other factors that will impact upon the perceived efficiency and capabilities of the transformer to perform in its environment.
The High Voltage Transformer
These transformers rank among the largest. They also rate among the highest voltage. The major purpose is to transmit power or energy between networks that are also high-voltage. While it may seem incongruous to send high voltage along lines for low voltage use, it is because of the high voltage transformer everyone receives the amount of energy they require with the least loss than if low voltage sang along the lines instead.
