AC Generators
AC GENERATOR OPERATION
In the other type of connection, one of the
Figure 10 Wye Connection
leads of each winding is connected, and
the remaining three leads are connected to
an external load. This is called a wye
connection (Y) (Figure 10).
The voltage and current characteristics of
the wye-connected AC generator are
opposite to that of the delta connection.
Voltage between any two lines in a wye-
connected AC generator is 1.73 (or
)
3
times any one phase voltage, while line
currents are equal to phase currents. The
wye-connected AC generator provides an increase in voltage, but no increase in current (Figure
11).
An advantage of a wye-connected AC generator is that each phase only has to carry 57.7% of
Figure 11 Characteristics of a Wye-Connected AC Generator
line voltage and, therefore, can be used for high voltage generation.
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