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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)