Isolating Transformer

[jddevel]

Any one experience of this make of isolating transformer please. I know you get what you pay for but there is quite a difference with say a Victron. Any idea of the reason please?

https://airlinktransformers.com/product/boating-transformer-bt3231

[rusty69]

I haven't got one, but they are often recommended on here. 

[WotEver]

Best value for money IT out there. Also, being in a plastic case there are no arguments about which earth should be connected to it. 

[jddevel]

Looks as if it`s the one to invest in as value for money. It`s what`s the reason behind the price difference or is the Victron for example one of those think of a number and charge it?

[rusty69]

Some good info here in a topic I think you started. You pays ya money and takes ya chances

 

 

[GUMPY]

52 minutes ago, jddevel said:

Any one experience of this make of isolating transformer please. I know you get what you pay for but there is quite a difference with say a Victron. Any idea of the reason please?

https://airlinktransformers.com/product/boating-transformer-bt3231

I have had mine for 11 years its actually one of the first they made for boats. I wouldn't waste my money on a victron one ......... there used to be a wiring problem with victron, the interwinding screen was connected to the boat earth and not the supply earth as it should be. This was done because its in a metal case but is bad practice.

Edited July 11, 2017 by Loddon

[jddevel]

18 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Some good info here in a topic I think you started. You pays ya money and takes ya chances

Keep telling my wife that it`s not being male and stupid but dementia!!!! 

[boots]

We've got, and been using it for about 7 years. No issues so far (that's done it now)

[Robbo]

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

I have had mine for 11 years its actually one of the first they made for boats. I wouldn't waste my money on a victron one ......... there used to be a wiring problem with victron, the interwinding screen was connected to the boat earth and not the supply earth as it should be. This was done because its in a metal case but is bad practice.

My airlink stopped working after a couple of years.  Got a Victron one now.

[NB Esk]

I use an airlink but it's the metal cased, permanently installed version.  The only problems were with the couriers they use.  The metal case of the first unit had clearly been dropped from a fair height, so much so that there was the imprint of the large internal coil in the cabinet base (sheet steel)

Needless to say it didn't work but the company were under the impression that the fault would lie with my boat electrics.  They soon sent a replacement though, it arrived banded to one of those miniature wooden pallets and it was smashed to bits.  Fortunately it had done its job in protecting the unit, which works perfectly.

Edited July 11, 2017 by NB Esk
Tried to delete unwanted image

[GUMPY]

14 hours ago, Robbo said:

My airlink stopped working after a couple of years.  Got a Victron one now.

Its very difficult to make a transformer stop working unless you excessively  overload it. Was it the transformer that malfunctioned or the soft start?

[GRLMK38]

Bought mine a year ago and it's been "fit and forget" so far.  I had to supply and fit glands (M20 size), wire (blue artic 3 core 2.5 sq mm rated at 25A) and 16A plug and socket.  None of these were supplied with the unit so some electrical skills or a competent electrician will be required, but that will be the same for the Victron.  A couple of things to bear in mind are the weight and size of the enclosure when choosing a home for it.

[Robbo]

1 hour ago, Loddon said:

Its very difficult to make a transformer stop working unless you excessively  overload it. Was it the transformer that malfunctioned or the soft start?

I wouldn’t have been able to overload it as my Combi wouldn’t allow more than 16amp via the shore power.  It may have been used a lot at high amps but, I don’t recall it actually getting very hot.  If it was this that killed it then I wouldn’t have said it was fit for purpose.

One of the reasons I would not go for the plastic version again would be lack of ventilation.  The metal box one looks better if installing in a boat if it has assististed cooling and over temperature protection. (I’ve not checked if it does)

 

hard to tell, as there it’s pretty much glued in the box and I don’t think you could remove without destroying it.  It was the “plastic” box version, not the metal one.

Edited July 12, 2017 by Robbo

[GUMPY]

Do you still have it and did you check the windings with a meter are they open circuit?   Normally if there is a failure it will be the varistor which is used as a soft start that fails resulting in no input to the transformer. 

[Robbo]

2 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Do you still have it and did you check the windings with a meter are they open circuit?   Normally if there is a failure it will be the varistor which is used as a soft start that fails resulting in no input to the transformer. 

I still have it somewhere as I know it’s it’s rare for them to completely fail so didn’t want to just chuck.  I’ve not done any tests on it yet.

Edited July 12, 2017 by Robbo

[GUMPY]

Providing its not teaching grandma to suck eggs and you want it I can do you a list of what to measure and expected results both power off and on.

[Robbo]

Just now, Loddon said:

Providing its not teaching grandma to suck eggs and you want it I can do you a list of what to measure and expected results both power off and on.

That would be useful, cheers.

[GUMPY]

OK will take me a day or so to write it up.

[Robbo]

20 minutes ago, Loddon said:

OK will take me a day or so to write it up.

No worries, the IT is at my parents so it’s not something I’ll be able to check/test for a while anyhow, but it would be nice to see what the issue is.

It sounds like a post worthy of pinning up, so would be good to start a new post with the info?

Edited July 12, 2017 by Robbo

[jddevel]

When researching the Airlink yesterday I some where on their website saw the name which led me to the link below.

https://toroid.com/Products/General-Isolation-Transformers

[WotEver]

12 minutes ago, jddevel said:

When researching the Airlink yesterday I some where on their website saw the name which led me to the link below.

https://toroid.com/Products/General-Isolation-Transformers

I think you're confused between the proper name of the manufacturer Toroid and the adjective toroid. 

A toroidal transformer is one which is wound around a circular core (a toroid) as opposed to a square core. Toroids are more compact than square transformers, don't rattle (no plates to come loose) and are usually far more efficient. 

The transformer in an Airlink IT is toroidal. 

Here's a link at random:

http://www.tortran.com/transformer_design_guide.html

[jddevel]

8 minutes ago, WotEver said:

I think you're confused between the proper name of the manufacturer Toroid and the adjective toroid. 

Everything about the electrics on a narrowboat confuses me so I`m not at all surprised.