why is this transformer called an inductor?

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,338

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,645
Of course.
But that inductance is negligible compared to the inductance caused by a magnetic core.
It has nothing to do with the subject of this thread.
Where do you come up with that strange idea?
A capacitor stores a charge,
An inductor can "store" a current, but not charge.
For someone who seems rather pedantic about the definition of an inductor vs. a transformer, you certainly are imprecise about some of your other definitions. :rolleyes:

But at this point you seem to be acting more or less as a troll about the subject, so I will leave this Rabbit Hole to you, and others who may want to continue.
An inductor in a DC power supply stores energy during the rise in current caused by the rise in voltage. THEN it delivers current to reduce the variation during the cyclic variation. That is why they are called "filtrer inductors," and also called "filter chokes"
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
38,533
An inductor in a DC power supply stores energy during the rise in current caused by the rise in voltage. THEN it delivers current to reduce the variation during the cyclic variation. That is why they are called "filtrer inductors," and also called "filter chokes"
That seems to be a non-sequitur to my reply you quoted (?).
 
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ElectricSpidey

Joined Dec 2, 2017
3,336
I thank my lucky stars I never had to learn electricity by BoobTube.

That top video in post #38 shows the energy traveling only in the direction of the charged particles...wrong.

Then it also shows the energy loss in the resistors only during each half cycle...wrong.

I could go on, but I won't.
 

vandveuser16776

Joined Feb 21, 2026
230
I thank my lucky stars I never had to learn electricity by BoobTube.

That top video in post #38 shows the energy traveling only in the direction of the charged particles...wrong.

Then it also shows the energy loss in the resistors only during each half cycle...wrong.

I could go on, but I won't.
I watched for 33 seconds. That was more than enough. "if DC current passes thru, nothing happens...blah blah." Has +1M subscribers tho.
It is also one of those content creators that comments, pins it, and gives a thumbs-up to her own comment 1780416834901.png
 
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MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,645
That dude has a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering and several patents. This is his resume
Olin Lathrop, Electrical Engineer
Maybe he is bluffing???
Some folks get an EE degree AND THEN an MBA degree and never again look at a circuit. They become department managers or move to the marketing group, or just "administrators."
AND you never know about the topic of their masters thesis: was it "The effect of insulation color upon system losses in RS232 cables?? Or something equally exciting.
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,338
I thank my lucky stars I never had to learn electricity by BoobTube.

That top video in post #38 shows the energy traveling only in the direction of the charged particles...wrong.

Then it also shows the energy loss in the resistors only during each half cycle...wrong.

I could go on, but I won't.
I agree on that part. It's easier to put moving E blocks on Charge balls moving the same way.
 

vandveuser16776

Joined Feb 21, 2026
230
Didn't was it was wrong, just that it provides no definitive answer to the questions at hand. It mirrors the discussion here.
The answer is there and it made it crystal clear to me. I did not know or care to know the academically fit terminologies, but now I do know the reason why "transformer was marked wrong" and the professor was right to cross a red pen on it. But I do not need to know. I do not have tests to take. But someone who goes to college and wants a graduation with good grades, needs to get his technical terminologies right. Have a nice day
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,645
I am not wanting to benasty or anything close to that!! And I am not familiar with what you are discussing, so
BUt word meanings are important, ESPECIALLY in ENGINEERING!
Getting the correct meaning across in a "Life Critical" communication could be fatal for some poor innocent person!
So the engineers have a great responsibility to get the communications across correctly!!
THAT is why the communications writing classes in engineering schools are so important! Getting the correct information correctly understood is really important.
 

Thread Starter

tsmspace

Joined Mar 16, 2026
116
so I'm looking it up still, and it's definitely a transformer transferring current from one circuit to another without conduction.
 

Thread Starter

tsmspace

Joined Mar 16, 2026
116
here's a statement from one of those junk-pages that is made from scrapes. this statement doesn't make sense to me:
basically, how does a transformer not rely on 'inductive properties'? ,,, the way a transformer works, is that varying current passes through the transformer, producing a varying magnetic field, which induces a varying current in any other coils on the transformer. ... so the inductive properties are specifically what makes a transformer work. ?? right??
" In contrast to inductors, transformers do not rely on the inductive properties of an electric circuit to transfer energy. "
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
32,920
here's a statement from one of those junk-pages that is made from scrapes. this statement doesn't make sense to me:
basically, how does a transformer not rely on 'inductive properties'? ,,, the way a transformer works, is that varying current passes through the transformer, producing a varying magnetic field, which induces a varying current in any other coils on the transformer. ... so the inductive properties are specifically what makes a transformer work. ?? right??
" In contrast to inductors, transformers do not rely on the inductive properties of an electric circuit to transfer energy. "
So... what you seem to be saying is that bad information exists on the Internet????
 

meth

Joined May 21, 2016
304
Transformers aren't used only on 50/60Hz to shift from 220V to 12V.
Have you ever worked with tube amp output transformer? The bandwidth of the output signal and plenty of the "magic" (in the ears of the guitar players) is directly connected to the inductance and the Q-factor of the transformer.
 

Danko

Joined Nov 22, 2017
2,172
"3.1 Obtaining the Isolated Output(s)
As already introduced, isolated outputs can be obtained from a buck converter by adding coupled windings to the power inductor and a diode-capacitor rectifier circuit to each output. When doing so, one will be using what is commonly called a ‘coupled-inductor’ or ‘energy-storage transformer’ (a.k.a. Flyback transformer). Before moving forward, a small clarifying note is provided about the different and often confusing use of these two terms."

"3.2 Is it Coupled-Inductor or Transformer?
It is not rare to hear the terms ‘coupled-inductor’ and ‘energy-storage transformer’ (a.k.a. Flyback transformer) often used interchangeably while referring to the same component in industry. Such passive component is built with a magnetic core featuring an air-gap, allowing it to store energy (this air-gap can be discrete-gap like in solid ferrite cores or distributed like in powdered cores). It also has two or more separate, magnetically coupled windings."
- - - - -
Full text see HERE
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
27,645
Here I see what looks and smells like an argument about "weasle words", which are mostly utilized to confuse meanings of statements in business contracts. (That has been my obsrvation, at least)
so now we should go back to the TEXTBOOK DEFINITION of a "transformer": "A transformer is a device to transfer energy by means of electromagnetic induction."
Note that there is no discussion as to if energy is momentarily stored, or it it is instantaniously transferred.
That was in a textbook used for thr forst semester of the course in basic AC circuit theory.

My suggestion now is to limit the participation in this argument to those individuals gifted with the ability to actually see magnetic flux. ( That DOES NOT include me!!)
 
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