Transformer/Motor Question

[TheFrog]

So I am just starting to get into transformers and electrical motors. And can either never remember to ask when I have the opportunity or just forget. But I was wondering

Can you hook up a transformer to a different system then the windings? Like having a wye power source but a delta primary transformer. Can this be done by just leaving out the neutral? And if so will it have any negative effects on the equipment or secondary side?

For motors, lets say you have a wye power source, but the motor wiring listed is for a delta configuration. Can you still hook this up this power source to the machine/motor?

 

[ActionDave]

So I am just starting to get into transformers and electrical motors. And can either never remember to ask when I have the opportunity or just forget. But I was wondering

Can you hook up a transformer to a different system then the windings? Like having a wye power source but a delta primary transformer.

Yes, absolutly.

Can this be done by just leaving out the neutral? And if so will it have any negative effects on the equipment or secondary side?

No, there will be no adverse effects. With some rare exceptions there should be no need for a neutral to the primary of a transformer.

For motors, lets say you have a wye power source, but the motor wiring listed is for a delta configuration. Can you still hook this up this power source to the machine/motor?

Motor windings only care if the voltage is too high or too low or just right. Motor windiings don't have any way of knowing what kind of source their electrons are coming from. There are different reasons a motor would be internally wired as star or delta. Don't confuse this with arranging the leads on certain motors in a star or delta configuration depending on if you are running it at 208/240V or 480V.

 

[winnie]

Can you hook up a transformer to a different system then the windings? Like having a wye power source but a delta primary transformer. Can this be done by just leaving out the neutral? And if so will it have any negative effects on the equipment or secondary side?

Remember that a delta primary transformer does not even have a primary neutral to connect to.

If you had a wye power source and a transformer with a delta primary that had a center tap on one of the coils, and you connected the wye neutral to the delta center tap, you would essentially have a short circuit and huge current flow.

-Jon