What Is a Transformer?
A transformer is an electrical device that changes alternating current voltage through a magnetic field. In landscape lighting, a transformer typically lowers household voltage to a level suited to low-voltage fixtures. The voltage change helps supply the type of power those lights are designed to use.
Quick Facts About Transformer
- Category
- Electrical power equipment
- Used for
- Supplying landscape lighting
- Common confusion
- LED driver
- Also called
- Electrical Transformer
- Often discussed with
- Landscape Lighting Installation
Key Takeaways About Transformer
- A transformer changes voltage through a magnetic field.
- Light fixtures must match the transformer's output.
- A transformer and an LED driver aren't always interchangeable.
How Transformer Works
A transformer uses coils of wire and a changing magnetic field to transfer energy. Alternating current flows through an input coil and creates that field. The field transfers energy to an output coil without a direct wire connection between the coils. Related service: Landscape Lighting Installation.
Related glossary terms: Electrical Load, Voltage Drop, LED Driver.
The coil design determines how the input and output voltages compare. A step-down transformer produces a lower output voltage than its input voltage. Landscape lights draw power from that output through wiring that runs to the fixtures.
The combined electrical load describes how much power the connected lights draw. The transformer needs enough capacity for that load. Wiring length also matters because voltage drop can reduce the voltage reaching distant fixtures.
From the Electrician Pittsburgh team
When we install landscape lighting, we match the transformer output to the fixtures and check the total load. We also consider where the wiring will run. Long routes can affect the voltage available at the lights.
Transformer in Practice: A Real-World Example
A homeowner wants path lights along a garden walkway. A landscape lighting transformer supplies the fixtures through wiring routed along the path. The fixture requirements help determine which transformer fits the design.
Related Services
Related Terms
Electrical Load
Electrical load is the amount of electrical power that a device or group of devices draws from a circuit.
Voltage Drop
Voltage drop is a reduction in electrical voltage along a wire when current flows through it.
LED Driver
An LED driver is an electronic device that supplies the electrical power an LED light needs.
Electrical Outlet
An electrical outlet is a connection point that supplies electricity from a building's wiring to equipment.
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