While many people have selected to move from inefficient types of lighting to the much more efficient and energy friendly option of LED lighting, it can be tricky to know what you need to do to make the transition. In many cases, it will be important to change the LED transformer as well as the bulbs to either change the type of LED light or make a complete conversion.
An Overview
LED lights, although really popular right now, are not a new invention or a new form of lighting. In fact, the LED lighting systems, including the use of different options for the LED transformer for the fixture, have been in use since the 1960s.
The role of the LED transformer is actually very essential to the operation of the LED lights. It is the component that regulates the flow of electricity into the LED bulbs, and this is critical since they are not designed to use main power, rather they use low voltage power. There are a few different mains LED lights that can be connected to traditional or conventional types of fixtures, but they are not nearly as energy efficient nor are they as easy to find.
What are Low Voltage LED Light Transformers?
As mentioned above, the low voltage types of LED lights and fixtures need to use an LED transformer. This transformer is just a passive component in the system and the current passing through the transformer from the mains power supply (your home power from the outlet or wiring system) to the bulbs.
The current passes through two different coils of wire to convert the main power down to 12 or sometimes 24 volts of DC power. The coils are wound around a magnetic core, so when the current passes through the primary winding, it creates a magnetic field. From the primary winding, the current passes to the secondary winding, which steps down the voltage through the system.
This not only create as energy efficient lighting system, but it also helps in protecting the LED bulbs from variances in the main power supply. Without these high and low power bursts, LED lights have a much longer lifespan, further adding to their cost effectiveness.
Each low voltage LED light fixture will have a built-in LED transformer. When converting to different types of LED lights within a fixture you may have also to change out the transformer, as you have to be careful not to exceed the rated wattage for the system for the fixture to work.