low voltage transformer
 

Can a low voltage transformer, the kind used to power 12 volt exterior landscape lighting,
be used to power 12 volt chargers, and other equipment that requires a 12 volt power source?:confused:

I have acquired several 12 volt chargers, dynos, etc from package purchases
on Ebay.
I need to know if the 12 volt transfomer will run them or if they could be
damaged by trying to power them this way.:)

Thanks

I don't see why not. The last transformer I had to buy for our landscaping (use it more for security lighting) was relatively low power output and expensive (Malibu), but if you've got one already and its at least 50watt, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Power supplies used to be based on a transformer anyway.

Btw, I have seen and taken advantage of some really good prices on power supplies here in the FS/FT thread.

A standard transformer for lighting has an AC outlet!
All Your electronic gear will require DC to function, so sadly no theres no direct match.
But with a rectifier from Your local electronics supply store You should be in buisness again.

I have been working with the malibu lights on my house for a long time and if it is 12v AC, its totally escaped me. I just spent time on their website and there is no clear answer, they never give clear specs on anything, either the trans or the bulbs.

If it is AC, you can't use one of these type transformers, its just stepping 120 down to 12v.

What bothers me is everything is driven by watts for these systems and they use heavy gauge wire - thought that would infer it was DC. No need for heavy gauge wire for a low voltage AC system. The diff is whether one of these has a rectifier built in or not. Its a simple check with a dvm though and now you've got me wondering.

My dumb if these are AC!

I'm pretty certain Malibu lights are 12V AC, as I've seen people converting Malibu transformers to DC power supplies for LED lighting, requiring modifications with a few extra parts..

Ah, here's one I've found..
http://www.berkeleypoint.com/product...0831-1200.html

That settles it!! The malibu trans puts out 12v AC, not DC! I suspect that all these landscape transformers are AC and as such can't be directly used as a DC power supply.

Learned something today - thanks for setting me straight!