If a transformer is rated at 500 watts with 96% efficiency, what is the maximum power required at the primary?

To determine the maximum power required at the primary side of the transformer, you can use the relationship between the power input, power output, and efficiency. The efficiency of a transformer is defined as the ratio of the output power to the input power, expressed as a percentage:

[ \text{Efficiency} = \left( \frac{\text{Output Power}}{\text{Input Power}} \right) \times 100 ]

In this case, the transformer is rated for an output power of 500 watts and has an efficiency of 96%. This means that the input power can be calculated using the formula rearranged to solve for input power:

[ \text{Input Power} = \frac{\text{Output Power}}{\text{Efficiency}} ]

Since the efficiency is expressed as a decimal in calculations, you convert 96% into decimal form by dividing by 100, yielding 0.96.

Substituting the known values into the formula gives:

[ \text{Input Power} = \frac{500 \text{ watts}}{0.96} \approx 520.83 \text{ watts} ]

When rounding to the nearest whole number, the maximum power required at the primary