Ac Transformer

An AC transformer consists of a dual electromagnet, where there are two sets of wires wrapped around it for the input and output voltages. It is basically an electrical device consisting of two or more coils of wire used to transfer electrical energy by means of a changing magnetic field.

As the term indicates AC to DC transformer is a transformer that is connected to an AC rectification circuit and with the increase or decrease of the AC voltage, the rectification circuit converts the AC voltage to DC voltage. In simple terms an AC to DC transformer is an absolute day-to-day solution to power electronics from the AC mains. In many devices you will find AC to DC transformers in the form of an adapter that plugs into the mains socket. 

Transformers are generally categorized into two types based on their cores: Core Type and Shell Type. One can differentiate them by the manner in which the primary and secondary coils are placed around the steel core. Then again based on the components used, transformers can be categorized into: electromagnetic, capacitor, and optical.

The term transformer on most cases refers to AC transformers which convert AC electricity from one voltage to another voltage, with very minimal loss of power. On the other hand industrial DC power supplies are required to reduce high voltage which is ideally AC to a safer low DC voltage.

The best way to know if you have an AC to DC power supply or a DC to DC device is to look at the device itself. In all cases, the input and output information is printed somewhere on the surface of either the adapter connecting the device or on the device itself. So if the input of the device is AC, it means that you have an AC to DC power supply, and if the input and output both are DC then you have a DC to DC model.

The primary objective of AC transformers is to lower the voltage to be safer to use in one’s household. Then again you may have to use an adapter to lower the voltage even more for some devices you use, like your mobile phone charger.