Inductor Coil Loop Direction.

Thread Starter

ben sorenson

Joined Feb 28, 2022
181
If in a oscillating DC circuit 2 simple inductors were used in series and one inductor was wound to the right and the other was would to the left, does it have any affect on the circuit? Like, does it matter if they oppose one another ? Does it change the way they behave or have any affect whatsoever? Stupid Question, just curious.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
32,707
What is an "oscillating DC circuit"?

The orientation of the coils matters if the magnetic field of one coil cuts the other coil, in which case they have what is known as "mutual inductance" in which a change in current in one induces a voltage across the other. The orientation includes both the physical placement and the direction of winding (since this is simply a part of the physical placement).
 

DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,661
When the turns of both coils in series are in the same direction the inductance is approximately proportional to the number of turns squared. When is in the opposite direction the inductance will be proportional to the (N1-N2) squared.
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
11,466
When the turns of both coils in series are in the same direction the inductance is approximately proportional to the number of turns squared. When is in the opposite direction the inductance will be proportional to the (N1-N2) squared.
Only if the mutual inductance is 1, i.e. the coils are on the same core. I think “two simple inductors” does not imply that.
 
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DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,661
Only if the mutual inductance is 1, i.e. the coils are on the same core. I think “two simple inductors” does not imply that.
Then there is the possibility that one is the primary and the other is a secondary, as in a tickler coil in a regenerative receiver.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,193
A "DC" circuit does not oscillate by itself, something must cause some variation in the current to create an oscillation.
To have a continuing oscillation there must be enough amplification of the initial disturbance to cause some additional variation of the current. That is usually defined as "positive feedback." Otherwise there is a condition called "ringing" in which an osillation decays over a period of time.
 

Thread Starter

ben sorenson

Joined Feb 28, 2022
181
What is an "oscillating DC circuit"?

The orientation of the coils matters if the magnetic field of one coil cuts the other coil, in which case they have what is known as "mutual inductance" in which a change in current in one induces a voltage across the other. The orientation includes both the physical placement and the direction of winding (since this is simply a part of the physical placement).
So basically I'm wondering what would happen in scenario 1 (windings in opposition) and scenario 2 (winding in the same direction)

Both physically located side by side, almost touching, the long end of one in series with the beginning of another. (Think of like AA batteries in series.)
 

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DickCappels

Joined Aug 21, 2008
10,661
You drew the squiggles indicating the turns on your inductors differently in one image.
Using phasing dots does that more clearly:
1685981673660.png
Broadly speaking connecting opposing phases makes the transformer look like it is driving a dead short and the inductance tends toward zero, while connecting two windings in phase with one-another makes the total total inductance higher.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,193
Nothing happens once the initial inrush stops ringing. The magnetic field in the core will be greater in one instance and less in the other.
A circuit is not an oscillator if there is no active device and no feedback. Go back to the second semester electrical theory course, about the third week.
 
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