High-voltage rectifier transformer problems

The first successful transformer, according to the ¿Encyclopedia Britannica,¿ was demonstrated in 1886 by William Staley. This places transformers among the oldest devices in the science of electrical engineering. They are so widely used today that familiarity with their operation is not confined to trained engineers. Even the average housewife is aware of their existence and the part they play in supplying electricity for household uses.