I changed two controllers/transformers earlier for a friend. I was there to do six. I connected the first two and well, they blew up .
this post was submitted on 21 Jun 2025
97 points (92.2% liked)
Australia
4284 readers
315 users here now
A place to discuss Australia and important Australian issues.
Before you post:
If you're posting anything related to:
- The Environment, post it to Aussie Environment
- Politics, post it to Australian Politics
- World News/Events, post it to World News
- A question to Australians (from outside) post it to Ask an Australian
If you're posting Australian News (not opinion or discussion pieces) post it to Australian News
Rules
This community is run under the rules of aussie.zone. In addition to those rules:
- When posting news articles use the source headline and place your commentary in a separate comment
Banner Photo
Congratulations to @Tau@aussie.zone who had the most upvoted submission to our banner photo competition
Recommended and Related Communities
Be sure to check out and subscribe to our related communities on aussie.zone:
- Australian News
- World News (from an Australian Perspective)
- Australian Politics
- Aussie Environment
- Ask an Australian
- AusFinance
- Pictures
- AusLegal
- Aussie Frugal Living
- Cars (Australia)
- Coffee
- Chat
- Aussie Zone Meta
- bapcsalesaustralia
- Food Australia
- Aussie Memes
Plus other communities for sport and major cities.
https://aussie.zone/communities
Moderation
Since Kbin doesn't show Lemmy Moderators, I'll list them here. Also note that Kbin does not distinguish moderator comments.
Additionally, we have our instance admins: @lodion@aussie.zone and @Nath@aussie.zone
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I've bought heaps of 240VAC rated items from AliExpress and not had a problem. They're definitely cheaply made for the most part, and I generally give them a once over to identify any glaring issues... but I've got heaps of stuff out there working just fine.
Is it possible you got the wired mains to the low voltage side? I remember a box of LED drivers I bought came with the 240V side using red+black, and the low voltage side using brown+blue that looked awfully similar. Had one go pop before we busted it open and realised the version that came on the unit had the wiring colours the exact opposite. What made life even harder is that the top cover was symmetrical and had been put on back to front.... so 240V was on the "correct" colour side.
Fourth reply. I'm seriously doubting myself now.
Third reply. Ok I can see the L and N and also the + and - symbols on the board. I'm currently having trouble remembering which way around I went. But I did pull the first one apart before connecting the second one. I'm "rather" sure I had it the correct way around.
Second reply mate. Having had a quick look, one would assume that the transformer would be at the 240 end in my mind anyway. But I really don't know.
Nah mate. The transformer is usually used as an inductor for the switch mode conversion.
It looks like you have it right though. The big brown cap should be rated for 250v + and will be on the mains AC side.
The DC side will have lower voltage rated smoothing caps.
Post the link to the device or better photos and I'll have a closer look for you.
I'm seriously thinking that I got it backwards. I connected it according to the writing on the enclosure. But as TRK said, he has had them back to front due to the same thing. The guts can be placed into the enclosure either way and I reckon that's what's happened.
I left them at my friends house also.
@DiaDeLosMuertos @Dimand
The L and N are for Live and Neutral - the 240V end. The small black chip is a bridge rectifier with its big brown capacitor.
Hmmmm. Yes quite possible I suppose. I didn't investigate any further. It's a love job and my second visit already. I thought it was going to be a simple swap over, but some of the existing lights were 240 v AC. That's when I told her to order the controllers, and then they came without 240 v plugs. So it was all annoying to be honest. She's going to Bunnings to buy new stuff.
I wonder if we can tell from the photo if it is indeed the wrong way around.