question about Amps and 12V

• question about Amps and 12V
  Posted by eevfan007 on 26 Aug, 2015 21:06
• Im building a fish pond in my garden.
  
  I bought a big 230v AC to 12v DC transformer, that can deliver up to 10 A.
  
  From that 12v I connect miscellaneous LED lamps. All the LEDs have their own driver boards on them, so in that sense I should be fine.
  
  My question is... Am i correct in my assumption that as longs as the transformer can deliver more amps than what I actually use, I will be fine?
  I can't damage the LEDs by being theoretically able to deliver 10 amps right ? That the problem only occurs when I have LEDS that require more than what I can supply ?
  I also have a fuse in the circuit too.
  
  Thanks for making this clarification.
  
  Are there any dangers, gotchas or general advice you guys have on keeping a 12V system like this safe?
  I have encapsulated everything in waterproof enclosures etc...
  
  Thanks
• #1 Reply
  Posted by Hideki on 26 Aug, 2015 21:12
• You are correct, and it sounds like you're doing everything right 
• #2 Reply
  Posted by Delta on 26 Aug, 2015 23:45
• You are spot on mate.
  
  Only thing to watch for is that the 12vDC psu is a proper SELV item, and thus safe to power stuff outside and in a pond,.
• #3 Reply
  Posted by rickselectricalprojects on 26 Aug, 2015 23:54
• yep it will work fine 
• #4 Reply
  Posted by Rick Law on 27 Aug, 2015 03:30
• Quote from: eevfan007 on 26 Aug, 2015 21:06

  ...
  ...
  I have encapsulated everything in waterproof enclosures etc...
  
  Thanks
  

  
  I suggest keeping it away from direct sun light as well.  UV from the sun destroys most plastic.
  
  I had an outdoor fish/frog mini-pond (just a large plastic tub).  My pump, lights, (winter) water warmer connections were all encased in plastic boxes but under direct sun light!  Some time into year two, the plastic was so weaken by the UV rays from the sun my plastic casing had many many tiny cracks.  It crumbled into bits just because of the force of trying to pick it up...
  
• #5 Reply
  Posted by fivefish on 27 Aug, 2015 03:37
• Quote

  I bought a big 230v AC to 12v DC transformer

  
  Did you buy a power transformer? or a power supply?
  
  A power transformer will be outputting AC on it's secondary, not DC.
• #6 Reply
  Posted by Joule Thief on 27 Aug, 2015 04:10
• Quote from: fivefish on 27 Aug, 2015 03:37

  Quote

  I bought a big 230v AC to 12v DC transformer

  
  Did you buy a power transformer? or a power supply?
  
  A power transformer will be outputting AC on it's secondary, not DC.
  

  
  I believe he may have intended to say a 230 VAC to 12VDC power supply - and it came out as "transformer".
  
  

  Quote from: eevfan007 on 26 Aug, 2015 21:06

  
  I bought a big 230v AC to 12v DC transformer, that can deliver up to 10 A.
  
  
  

  
  I hope you enjoy the serenity a fish pond will offer. 
• #7 Reply
  Posted by homebrew on 27 Aug, 2015 07:00
• Quote from: eevfan007 on 26 Aug, 2015 21:06

  Are there any dangers, gotchas or general advice you guys have on keeping a 12V system like this safe?
  

  
  Maybe you should add fuses for the individual boards. Depends on their specification ...
  10@ 12V equals 120W of heating power when things go wrong.