Winding

Windings and taps

The wire or conductor which constitutes the coil is called the winding. The hole in the center of the coil is called the core area or magnetic axis. Each loop of wire is called a turn. In windings where the turns touch, the wire must be insulated with a coating of nonconductive insulation to prevent the current from passing between the wire turns. This type of wire is called magnet wire and typically use polymer film insulation. The winding is often wrapped around an insulating form or an iron core. The ends of the wire are brought out and attached to an external circuit. Windings may have additional electrical connections along their length; these are called taps. A winding that has a single tap in the center of its length is called center-tapped.