Many types of electrical equipment in the home require transformers for them to work properly and this includes lighting. Very often, light fittings that work using mains electricity come equipped with a low voltage lighting transformer. You probably take transformers for granted—after all, you buy a set of lights and they come with a low voltage outdoor lighting transformer; you unpack them, plug them in, and bingo, the lights light up and illuminate your patio.
But how exactly does a low voltage transformer work and why do we need it?
Transformers reduce the high voltage electricity produced from power plants into something we can use to power appliances and run equipment in our homes. Large transformers in electricity sub-stations around our towns and villages convert the electricity that is channeled along pylons into the lower voltage electricity that enters our homes. Within the home, smaller transformers attached to individual pieces of equipment, for example home computers, convert this reduced voltage into something even lower.
Electrical devices in the home use relatively tiny amounts of voltage. The mains domestic supply of electricity that runs into the home is normally around the 110-240 volt range, so without a transformer to convert this power into a lower-voltage, devices would explode instantly. Transformers are everywhere in the home and without them many commonplace devices would be useless.
Low voltage lighting is an energy efficient way to provide task lighting in various rooms in the home, specifically the kitchen and bathroom. It can also be used for the creation of ambient lighting in the garden or around the exterior of your home, for example your driveway or pathways. It is a commonly used safe lighting option in dangerous areas, such as the kitchen or bathroom, but it can also be used to great effect when creating an atmosphere in other areas of the home.
Extra low voltage lighting is powered by a 12-volt electrical supply as opposed to 230 volts used in conventional lighting, and it therefore requires a special low voltage lighting transformer. This special transformer helps to reduce the energy consumption of the lights by as much as 60%, although to see any significant differences in your energy bills, you would need to replace several conventional lights. Another positive side effect of extra low voltage lighting used in conjunction with a transformer is that bulb life is increased by about 3 times. This type of specialized lighting is commonly used in shops, museums, and art galleries.
Low voltage light transformers are usually positioned in ceiling or floor voids. It is very important when fitting them you ensure that there is plenty of ventilation around the transformer. Never cover the transformers with insulation as a great deal of heat can be expelled. For the same reason, never position low voltage lighting transformers close to a central heating pipe. Many modern transformers come fitted with a safety cut out switch in case the transformer core temperature gets too high. The cut out switch automatically resets the transformer as soon as the temperature drops again.
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