OK, that is a close enough size description. The suggestion for putting an incandescent light bulb in series with mains power is reasonable and 60, 75, or 100 watt bulb will work. I would put that in series with the mains power to terminals #5 and #6, and then use the AC voltage setting on your meter to read the voltages #1 to #2 and #3 to #4 and also the input voltage #5 to #6. That will allow you to calculate the voltage ratio and let us know what sort of transformer it is.

And once again, do you have access to that magnetize/demagnetize machine? Does that machine have a variable transformer? And what is the mains voltage for that machine.?

 

Where did the transformer come from?

Dick, see post#11

 

yes, you are correct. it came out of a magnetizer/de-magnetizer machine.

As a machinist/die maker I've used plenty of those over my years. I've never seen one that wasn't in some where between 12 and 24 volts. Not what you need.

Size in a transformer usually has to do with current output not voltage. There are small high voltage transformers and large low voltage transformers. With many sizes in those ranges. Size also has to do with what is called VA of the transformer. VA another thing to research.

You have to watch working with a micro wave transformer. They no matter what size are capable of killing you.

 

UPDATE: I tested continuity between 5 & 6 and on the 200 ohms setting it was 1.1; between 1& 2 it was .04 and between 3 & 4 it was .04 as well. there was no continuity between 1 & 3 or 4 and 2 & 3 & 4.

I'd suspect pins 5 & 6 to be the primary winding

Measure continuity between pins 1 & 2. Likely there is continuity. Then between 3 & 4. Likely there is continuity there as well. Then between 2 & 3. I suspect there may be no continuity.

Sounds like you found exactly what I suspected. And given the MUCH MUCH lower resistance of the two secondaries, it's definitely a step-down transformer. But we can only guess as the final output of each of the two secondaries. 12 to 24VAC sounds like a good estimate. But only testing and measuring will tell.

Just in case you're thinking you can use the secondaries as an input and the primary as an output - STOP! DON'T DO THAT. Not unless you like bright light and tons of excitement in an extremely brief period of time. Pumping 120VAC into a secondary coil designed for low voltage high amperage will likely be a near dead short. 0.04Ω (or 40mΩ) is damned near a dead short. And you may be lucky and just trip a breaker. Or maybe not so lucky and get to meet those brave fire fighters from the local fire station.

[edit] An additional thought: Your test leads can introduce a tiny amount of resistance to your reading. Usually it's too insignificant to have an affect on the reading, but when measuring that low an ohmage, you need to account for your test lead resistance. That's done by setting the meter to its lowest ohm setting and measuring the resistance when you touch the two test leads together. Some meters allow for nullifying that measure by using a delta button. You touch the leads together, and while holding them together you touch the button and it zero's the meter. That feature is not found on cheap meters. I think I have one of those somewhere in my arsenal of tools but rarely feel the need to use it. Still, you may have as yet even lower resistance between pins 1&2 and 3&4. So follow my warning. Don't try putting 120 VAC on either of those pin sets. Even if you jumper 2&3 together and connect 1&4 to house mains voltage you'll still end up with a regrettable set of circumstances.
[end edit]

 

It might also be a split primary (120/240V) with a single secondary.

The TS had an extremely low coil resistance across pins 1&2 and again on pins 3&4. To push that much voltage against such a low resistance would likely draw a whole lot of amperage. Probably exceed the breaker. If not tripping the breaker, the cord used to plug it in, likely 16 gauge, will probably smoke badly and quite possibly start a fire.

Using a small 12V transformer, or even an even lower voltage transformer, the TS could input a voltage on what I'm calling "secondary windings" and read the output at the other pins.

MY 120/240V capable transformer has a single center tap on the primary. On the PCB you set the voltage by moving a jumper soldered on the board. When using 120VAC only half the primary is powered. The other half of the primary can still have lethal potential voltage on it.

Making a HUGE assumption: Pins 1 & 3 may be the lead pin for each coil. If you were to parallel the two secondaries to get a low voltage high amperage you'd connect pins 1 & 3 together and pins 2 & 4 together to form a parallel inductor. Otherwise if you were to connect 1 & 4 together and 2 & 3 together - each secondary would cancel out the other and you'd get no voltage (except for a very minor voltage due to an imperfection in the number of windings).

 

@Tonyr1084:

What do you think the windings on a step up tansformer desiged to be wired for either 120 or 240 might look like?

 

That would depend on the VA. If it's a low VA then the windings can be quite small. If it's a high VA then it's going to be larger. And yes, I'll admit they can be similar to the 12V to 24V secondary windings of the TS transformer. But there are going to be more turns. The longer the run of wire the more resistance it will offer. And the larger number of turns - and depending on the type of core - the impedance will go up.

I think.

 

OK, that is a close enough size description. The suggestion for putting an incandescent light bulb in series with mains power is reasonable and 60, 75, or 100 watt bulb will work. I would put that in series with the mains power to terminals #5 and #6, and then use the AC voltage setting on your meter to read the voltages #1 to #2 and #3 to #4 and also the input voltage #5 to #6. That will allow you to calculate the voltage ratio and let us know what sort of transformer it is.

And once again, do you have access to that magnetize/demagnetize machine? Does that machine have a variable transformer? And what is the mains voltage for that machine.?

I'm working on getting the info on the machine it came from. I'll let you know asap. thanks

 

I just checked the primary resistance on a 12 volt supply transformer about 2/3 the size of the one being discussed, ansd it reads between 1 and 2 ohms on my Simpson VOM. So terminals #5 and #6 get the 120 volt mains power and check to see what the others deliver. Like Shorty said, it will be a low voltage, 12 or 24 probably.