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Need Transformer Information
We have a small "haunted" house for which my wife bought a number of
lights (pumpkins, etc.). Unfortunately, they're all the battery operated 3v type (I'd have preferred 12v ones), and I'm going to "transformerize" them. Appropriate transformers seem to be rare in my immediate area, with the ones I see at Radio Shack being relatively low in amperage capability, less than 1000 ma. There are lots of the lights I need to connect to one or two transformers if possible, so I'd guess at least 2000 ma or so. There are a few electronic supply stores a bit further out from my home, and some online sites I can go to. That leads so my question - rather than buy DC transformers, I'd rather use AC, less complicated internally, and, hopefully cheaper. I'm wondering whether the lights will "notice" they're being fed AC rather than DC. Anyone comment? |
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#2
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Need Transformer Information
Dan Wenz wrote:
We have a small "haunted" house for which my wife bought a number of lights (pumpkins, etc.). Unfortunately, they're all the battery operated 3v type (I'd have preferred 12v ones), and I'm going to "transformerize" them. Appropriate transformers seem to be rare in my immediate area, with the ones I see at Radio Shack being relatively low in amperage capability, less than 1000 ma. There are lots of the lights I need to connect to one or two transformers if possible, so I'd guess at least 2000 ma or so. There are a few electronic supply stores a bit further out from my home, and some online sites I can go to. That leads so my question - rather than buy DC transformers, I'd rather use AC, less complicated internally, and, hopefully cheaper. I'm wondering whether the lights will "notice" they're being fed AC rather than DC. Anyone comment? Lights don't much care. As long as there are no heating elements, electronic circuitry (like what's required for flickering lights or a flickering fireplace, sequential lights, etc.), or motors. Make sure that the actual voltage is enough to light the lights and not so much as to burn them out. You COULD, instead of finding 3v transformers, wire the lights in series of 4 bulbs each and feed them standard 12v. - Herb |
#3
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Need Transformer Information
Herb wrote:
Lights don't much care. As long as there are no heating elements, electronic circuitry (like what's required for flickering lights or a flickering fireplace, sequential lights, etc.), or motors. Make sure that the actual voltage is enough to light the lights and not so much as to burn them out. You COULD, instead of finding 3v transformers, wire the lights in series of 4 bulbs each and feed them standard 12v. - Herb Thanks! I'd thought to possibly go the "series" route, but I wanted to route all of the 3v wiring to one central location supplied by a 3v AC source. That would, I assume, drop the voltage far below the 3v I needed (LOTS of lights). Then I thought of a "cheap" Variac, around $80 new for around a 10 A output, that would need an isolation transformer to be safe. THEN, I remembered an old variable, heavy DC Lionel train transformer long lain in our cellar, and I actually FOUND IT among our newly unmarried daughter's belongings :-) Seems to be good for 0 to around 12v and 2.5A output. I need to find out whether it's fused (internally). I can monitor the output amperage and use another 3v 800 ma DC transformer for additional lighting which I'm sure I'll need. I asked the wife to, in the future, try to buy 12v lighting if at all possible, easier to find power supplies for, including use of my 12v DC power supply I use with my model aircraft battery chargers, if I can find it among the disorder we call our home :-( |
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