Build-A-RIB Workshop Part 4: Transformer Naming

In this Tech Tuesday, we talk about the naming convention for our transformers!

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That’s right everyone! Your favorite Functional Devices blog series is back with a part 4! (At least I hope it’s your favorite…) Unlike last time, we’re going back to our roots and taking a look at understanding our naming convention so that you can pick out the best device for your application as quickly as possible. In case you haven’t guessed from the title, today we’re talking about how we name our transformers.

Before we begin, feel free to read the other blog posts in this series:
Build-A-RIB Workshop Part 1
Build-A-RIB Workshop Part 2
Build-A-RIB Workshop Part 3
These were some of the first blogs I wrote here and I wasn’t that great of a writer, (I’m still not that great of a writer…) but the information there is solid in helping you choose relays, current sensors, and even assembling your own RIB. Go check them out!

Naming Convention

Now let’s look at how we name our transformers. I wanted to include a pun here about how our transformer names contain information that’s “more than meets the eye” but in reality our transformer names are pretty simple so let’s just do this. We’ll do this by breaking down an example. Take the TR50VA001US for instance. The first big indicator that you’re working with a transformer is the “TR” prefix. Shocking, I know. The main point is that all of our transformer names start with that prefix, so look for it when looking for a transformer.

The next part to look at in the transformer name is the “50VA”. This section of the name indicates the transformers VA rating. In this case the transformer is capable of outputting 50 VA but this number can be anywhere from 20VA to 375VA for what we have.

The next part of the name to look at is the “001”. If you thought that this number at the end of each transformer name told you absolutely nothing about the transformer, then you would be correct. It’s just a number. If you want to know important information about the transformer, such and primary and secondary voltages, you’ll need to look at the transformer quick reference here.

If you’re wondering what the number under the “style” column is, then look at the style guide here.
These two links are mainly what I use when selecting a transformer and will tell you most of what you need to know.

Made in the USA

The last part of the of the transformer name is the “US”. This simply means that this transformer was made in the good ol’ United States of America.


That’s basically it for transformers. The name actually doesn’t tell you much, so make good use of the Transformer quick reference and Style Guides. Of course if you have any questions on selecting a transformer, you can always contact us.

Tym Moore
Tym Moore

Tym Moore is an Electrical Engineer who hails from the best state of Colorado.
He graduated from Colorado State University in 2017 and moved to Indiana shortly afterward to marry his now wife. Outside of work, Tym spends most of his time driving back home, and complaining about how flat Indiana is.

Be sure to give Tym a call for tech support. He will always do his best to find a solution for you.

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