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"Transformers" at IKEA



Chris Wells mentioned that he found some "transformers" at IKEA 
which may be useful for undergravel heating setups...

Caution should be used when using power supplies intended for 
low-voltage halogen lighting as many of these supplies aren't actual 
transformers, but in fact are non-isolated switching power supplies. 
 Manufacturers are moving to switching power supplies to keep the 
size and weight down and to provide efficiencies as high as 98%.  
The danger is that many of these systems aren't isolated from your 
house mains and could pose an electrocution hazzard.

The best way to determine if the lighting supply is a transformer or 
a switching power supply is by it's size and weight.  Transformers 
are heavy and large (several pounds for a 200W unit), and 
switching supplies are compact and quite light (usually much less 
than one pound and smaller than a PC mouse in size)...

Have fun!

Torsten 
(in sunny Lynden ON)