Be aware that buying electrical items from Ali Express might not be too clever.
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 .
Oddly this doesn't deter me at all, but I don't buy mains connected components off aliexpress. Tons of DC stuff and I've never had an issue
Pretty much anything that has the capacity to kill you should be avoided for the most part on these sites. Which is to say, most if not everything.
My Rule of Thumb for ordering in the cheep (Chinese) online shops: If it's electric, comes in contact with skin or food it's probably dangerous.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you dont aim for the cheapest, you can buy pretty much anything you want there without worries
Sounds reasonable.
The insulation between the windings was probably non-existent.
Also... uh.. TO-263 packages are surface mount and likely require heat dissipation of some kind. There is a chance that heat sinking isn't required, but it's standard practice to at least ground the tab. (Using the package like that for quick at home projects is fine. Putting it in a production power supply like that is just silly.)
Throw the rest of those powes supplies you have directly in the bin. It's not worth the risk with those shitty transformers and that poor design. It would really suck if a failure mode sent mains voltage through what you are powering. (It needs a full teardown to say for certain though.)
No worries. They were bought by the home owner.
Why do you have to be so hostile with no provocation
Could you please 'cc' your question to Donald Trump?
Thanks!
I didn't buy them.
You say this like a lot of the stuff you buy from Aussie shelves isn't bought in bulk from the exact same suppliers as Aliexpress. You just need to do the work to find reputable stores. If it's the cheapest price available, and the store has a bunch of random numbers in its name, pawbably give it a miss.
The difference is testing and warranty.
If you buy it local, it has to adhere to ACCC guidelines.
They will import 50, do local quality control, send back the defective ones and sell what is left at a markup.
If you think QC is happening locally, then I have a bridge across the Yangtze to sell you bestie.
Stuff you buy from physical Aussie store shelves have been validated to meet our standards though. Doesn't stop me from buying plenty of stuff from AliExpress though
Other way around. Hence recalls.
Edit: are you fucking serious guys. Look at recall reasons on any given site. See how many of them are for violations that would have been caught if they'd been vetted before hitting the shelves. Talking basic stuff like "choking hazard" or "child accessible coin battery" or in one case i saw "will self ignite"
Sorry for pointing something out.....
Sorry, it just came across as the whole "China makes low-quality goods" racism that's been around for decades at this point.
The store will be liable for any and all damages to life and property which incurs from selling faulty products though.
There's significantly more risk when purchasing directly from a Chinese supplier. It's borderline impossible to hold a foreign company with no actual presence in your country accountable for damages.