Author Topic: Help with testing an RF Transformer  (Read 790 times)

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Offline CramboneTopic starter

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Help with testing an RF Transformer
« on: February 08, 2023, 12:38:58 am »
I have a TSO-4-2 RF Transformer I am trying to test. I pulled it from the board and used a continuity tester to see if short exist as I’m not sure of any other way to test it. I attached a datasheet, schematic of it in circuit and pic af the actual transformer.
I’m seeing all the pins connected except pins 3,4 & 5 that seem to be floating and not connected to anything.
 

Offline Kim Christensen

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Re: Help with testing an RF Transformer
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2023, 01:28:12 am »
Using an ohmmeter isn't going to tell you much beyond that you don't have a open winding. Hopefully your continuity tester didn't put much more than 30ma through the windings or you may have damaged it.
According to the datasheet it looks like a 1:4 RF transformer.
If you had 2 of them, you could put them back to back and test them with a standard 50 ohm RF sig gen and 50 ohm power meter @ 10Mhz. Or a VNA if you had one of those. (Split the insertion losses in half because there's two of them)
If you just have one transformer, since it's a 1:4 1:2 turns ratio with a primary impedance of 50 ohms. that means the secondary should be 800 ohms 200 ohms (RF impedance not DC resistance). So you could load the secondary with an 800 ohm 200 ohm resistor, generate an RF signal, measure the RF voltage (with an RF voltmeter) on the primary and secondary sides to see the 1:4 1:2 ratio to get a basic go/no-go test. Or use a VNA to check SWR on the 50 ohm side, and add/remove the 800 200 load on the secondary to verify functionality.

NOTE: Edited to correct my impedance ratio mistake as pointed out by Bud...
« Last Edit: February 08, 2023, 04:03:01 pm by Kim Christensen »
 

Offline srb1954

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Re: Help with testing an RF Transformer
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2023, 04:58:40 am »
If you have an LCR meter you could measure the inductance of each side of the transformer, with the other side OC. You will get better results with an LCR meter having a test frequency of 10kHz or higher - a test frequency less than that will yield poorer accuracy measurements considering the relatively small inductances expected in such a transformer.

You will probably see inductances in the range 10-100uH with the secondary having approximately 4x the inductance of the primary.
 

Offline Bud

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Re: Help with testing an RF Transformer
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2023, 07:11:29 am »
The datasheet specifies 1:4 impedance ratio, not turns ratio. Therefore the primary is 50 Ohm, secondary is 200 Ohm RF impedance. Turns ratio is a square root of impedance ratio, so turns ratio of this transforner is 1:2.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2023, 07:13:12 am by Bud »
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Re: Help with testing an RF Transformer
« Reply #4 on: February 08, 2023, 12:25:15 pm »
if 1 to 6 and 2 to 6 have low resistance then it is ok
 

Offline Kim Christensen

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Re: Help with testing an RF Transformer
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2023, 04:21:58 pm »
The datasheet specifies 1:4 impedance ratio, not turns ratio.

Ooops! Not sure how I missed the \$\Omega\$ symbol, but I see it now.
 


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