Is This an Adequate Transformer for 8 Garden Lights With 10 Watt Bulbs? Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[BML]

I have a string of 8 garden lights with 10 watt bulbs without a transformer I also have a transformer with the following details on it which are Chinese to me. Could anyone tell me what wattage it will take?
PRI. 230-240V-50Hz 70 VA
SEC 36 V- Max 60 VA

[ericmark]

No it's not big enough. VA is nearly the same as watts so at 60 VA it would power 6 x 10 watt bulbs.

Also the normal voltage is 12 volt not 36 volt so you would have to put two lots of 3 in series then run the two lots in parallel so the bulbs would need to be the same wattage exactly or one bulb would be over loaded.

Running LED in series may not work because of the electronic bits inside the bulbs.

Also be aware there are DC and AC outputs for all but LED AC is normal for lights. The LED often has electronics built in so could be AC or DC. There seems to be an English problem with lighting manufacturers with AC switched mode power supplies being called electronic transformers and DC voltage regulated supplies being called drivers but also current regulated power supplies are correctly called drivers.

Extra low voltage goes up to 50 volt AC and 75 volt DC there are some LED lights which are not 12 volt and could be any voltage up to the maximum they do need details to be with them.

Because AC is given the RMS voltage which is similar to average the peak voltage may be well above this figure. Filament bulbs do not mind if RMS AC or smooth DC they work with either. But LED lamps may be damaged with the peak voltages from an AC supply specially if switched mode.

So one has to be careful with mix and match.

[BML]

Many thanks. It looks as though I'm off to our local electrical shop to ask them for a transformer that will do what I need.