Hi -

I have a pendant light hanging over the sink in the kitchen. The transformer is basically up in the ceiling, and is covered by the decorative cover. I have a wall switch to operate the light

A couple of months ago, we had an extremely long cold spell, and the light stopped working. I took it down, hooked it to power on a workbench, and the light worked. So, I re-installed it, and it worked (able to be turned on and off) for another couple of weeks. But, it stopped working again.

Since it was still cold, I had the idea of heating the transformer area using a hair dryer. Low and behold, the light came on after a few minutes, and it continued to work for another couple of weeks. But, once again, it stopped working.

Well, now the weather is much warmer, but the light is not working again. The hair dryer trick still works, but now the light will only work for a day or so before quitting.

This is one of the strangest problems I've seen. My wife and I absolutely love the light, so we are not so easy to give up. We looked in both Home Depot and Lowes for a replacement transformer, but they were not available there.

Should we just give up and buy a new light, or is there something that we are doing wrong?

Thanks - Dave

 

Never heard of the hair dryer trick.Where did that idea come from?
Is this low voltage lighting or flourescent?

 

Hi, and thanks for the reply -

This light uses a small (50 or 75W) halogen bulb. I guess you would call it low voltage, as 110V AC comes into the transformer, and I believe 12 VdC comes out the other and connects to the light.

The hairdryer idea came when, taking the transformer down, I noticed it felt a bit cold in the area where it was mounted. More out of frustration than anything, I figured "what the heck", and tried making it warmer, just to see what would happen.

Thanks - Dave

 

Maybe these guys can help you.

 

The transformer is probably bad. Hot and cold causes things to expand and shrink. When it is cold, a wire in the transformer is shrinking and breaking the connection. When you apply heat, it expands again and makes a connection.

 

Since the output of the "transformer" is 12 VDC, there is more than a transformer in the package. My guess is it is a small, switching type power supply, similar to what is found in your computer. These power supplies have the advantage of not generating very much waste heat. However, the electronics that provide the high efficiency are less robust than a simple step down transformer.
High humidity and cold tempertures imply frost. When electronics are exposed to damp conditions, the copper/silver conductors can easily begin corroding. The corrosion could supply a current path in the device that is removed when the moisture is dried out. Since the corrosion is progressive, I would expect remediation like the hair dryer to become less effective over time.

You probably don't need a manufacturer's replacement. Any electronic transformer of the same size and rating should do.
You may be better off visiting a lighting dealer instead of the superstores.

 

Thanks, everyone, for the responses. There are some things I will be checking, and hopefully I will post something in the near future which details a solution.

Dave