Why do my transformers hum sometimes?


The power in my home theater seems to be especially bad. In order to improve things, I'm using a Monster AVS 2000 voltage stabilizer for my main components, an additional filtered power strip for the front end components and an isolation transformer for the subs. At times (very frequently on Saturday afternoons), all of the transformers in my system hum audibly. Anybody know why that is? My guess is that the 60 Hz AC sine wave becomes distorted somehow but I don't really know.
jlambrick
Thanks for the responses guys. It sounds like I'm just going to have to live with it since any real solution would break my bank.
A brief addition. The Equitech website may be of help as it offers quite an overview of power problems. If not you might give them a call. I found an Equitech 2Q solved my hum problems. Their Balanced transformers are quite different than regular isolation transformers. Costwise you could try one of their "blowout" units, if they are available.
Halogens!!!! & other similar noise makers like dimmer switches & PCs! Halogens are deadly. They dump so much noise on AC lines you can hear the trafos across the room. Even if they're on another circuit.

You'll know instantly if you have this problem. Turn the lights off and listen.
Transformer hum is often caused by the 5th harmonic on the AC line. This harmonic (in the US, 300Hz) will also cause silicon rectifiers to radiate a lot more noise, and AC syncronous motors to develop an internal force that opposes their normal rotation.

This is a distortion on the line and can be exacerbated by power conditioners that have an internal isolation transformer, if that transformer is run above about 50% of its continuous capacity. The distortion on the AC line goes up by the current draw vs the source impedance- when the source impedance (which may be a transformer in the local power grid station) is low the distortion will be lower even with higher current drawn against it.

Those cylindrical transformers that hang on the power poles are a source of this distortion if there is too much current drawn from it or if the transformer is having problems.

There are two ways to filter the 5th harmonic. The most common way is by using a PI filter tuned to 300Hz, which involves some rather substantial chokes. The other method involves an isolation transformer and an error-correction amplifier that is able to correct any distortion from the output of the transformer, via a feedback winding. There is a company called Elgar that uses this technique, but Elgar does not target high end audio.

So the easiest way for most people to deal with this is communication with the utility. Sometimes they can be helpful... good luck!