Help, electronic transformer question

[docz]

I just bought and 150W electronic transformer made for powering four 12V halogen lights. My idea was to use it as a power supply in a pedal case project for powering four or more pedals. But when I hook it up to the mains, I only measure 0.4V on the secondary terminals. What am I doing wrong? Does this require some kind of switch to be turned on or something?

DocZ

[PRR]

> I only measure 0.4V

AC or DC?

Whatever: you bought a WRONG thing.

Four pedals is like a few Watts, maybe a dozen Watts. Using a 150W is like scratching your back with a garden tiller.

Many of these things are Switchers, internally vibrating in or just above the audio range. If not carefully designed for audio applications, you can get much odd garbage in your audio.

Lamps do not need galvanic isolation. YOU DO! You do not want ANY chance your plugs and cases can get connected to one side of the wall-power.

Buy some lamps and light-up your life. Get a 1Spot or equivalent for your pedals.

[docz]

It is AC. I was just curious if it would work. I love using "wrong things" to do other things. But I can't seem to get it to release any power. Do those halogen bulbs have any circuitry that send some kind of signal letting the transformer know to release it's power? Is it a load switch or something? Or is mine just not functioning properly?
DocZ

[GibsonGM]

Some units are regulated, and have a minimum load that must be placed on them before you get any kind of output.  I'd suspect that's what you have there.  Pretty common.  I mean, you're asking it to provide like 1W, and it can do 150W.  The internal load, which keeps it from frying itself it no load is put on the output, won't switch out with such a small external load. 
You could use it to provide power to some other type of circuit (altho again, the switching will probably make noise), or sell it on Ebay and get/make a smaller, more appropriate power supply.