Which Kind Of 12v Transformer – DC Or AC?
A 12v transformer can be had as either AC voltage or DC voltage – or so people think. It is no wonder if this subject confuses people, because really, there is no such thing as a DC transformer. “But I have seen them for sale all over the place”, I hear you say. You may have, but the fact is that a transformer cannot, on its own, produce a DC voltage on its output – from the AC mains voltage on its input. What is advertised as a DC transformer, is actually a DC power supply. A power supply often contains a transformer – but not always. When it does, there will also be other electronics present, which perform the actual conversion from AC to DC. The transformer takes care of stepping the mains voltage down to 12v – and nothing more. Now that we have cleared that up, which type should you buy then? The answer to that is “the right one”. What I mean is, to be able to find the right type of transformer or power supply for any application, you first need to be absolutely sure what your appl
