Lieutenant Scott wrote:
I have a variable transformer,
http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/AC/02149.png

If the current in the load (set in the middle at say 120 volts) is 3
amps, I assume the current from the source (240 volts) will be 1.5
amps. Does this mean that the current in half the windings is 4.5 amps
(3 plus 1.5), or 1.5 amps (3 minus 1.5), or will the load current be out
of phase with the source?


Looong time since I used a variable transformer (and then it was a
stepped transformer), but you can look at it better by considering
Power, i.e. if your load is using 360 Watts (120v x 3amps), so your
primary winding must be delivering at least that much power, so
360W/240V gives 1.5Amps (In reality it will be a bit more (1.6A maybe),
due to losses with-in the transformer).

So the transformer would have two totally separate windings, one (the
Primary) creating a magnetic field which induces the voltage into the
secondary winding to supply the loads current.

How the phases relate to each other ....... I think they end up in
phase, depending on the actual load!

HTH

Daniel