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Yet another DIY substrate heating cable question.



Hi all!

Here I am again with yet another question about the DIY substrate heating cable
system I'm building for my 75G. This time it has to do with determining the wattage
rating of a transformer.

According to my calculations (using the formulas set forth in the Resler / Behle
article in the March 1995 issue of Aquarium Fish Magazine) I need a 12 Volt, 4.5 AMP
transformer rated to handle at least 65 watts.  So far, so good.  After determining
that I ordered a catalog from All Electronics Corp., (http://www.allcorp.com/), a
source for transformers also mentioned in the same article. I found what looked like
a suitable transformer within its pages, (a 12 V.C.T. @ 5 AMP job)  but no wattage
ratings were given, just the voltage and the amperage.  I E-mailed All Electronics
Corp. to ask them what the wattage rating of the transformer in question is.  Their
answer to me is that they don't have that information, but that a formula for
determining the wattage rating of a transformer is available, but they don't have
that either.  So my question (for someone who isn't as electrically challenged as I)
is what is that formula?  I don't want to build a system that is unsafe or will have
the potential to "melt down", but I also don't relish the thought of paying for a
commercial system either.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Jay Bickford
Savage, Minnesota