Sorry, I've always wondered about this -
In systems where 220 or 250V AC is standard, you will often find that small transformers are used in case 110V is needed. Why not just use a voltage divider instead of these transformers that are very heavy, and can get dangerously hot? I googled this and the consensus seems to be that voltage dividers are highly inefficient, no explanation given. Is it that they are fine for DC use but not for AC? Or is it because you must first decide on a standard output current before designing one? Please someone give me a hint.
In systems where 220 or 250V AC is standard, you will often find that small transformers are used in case 110V is needed. Why not just use a voltage divider instead of these transformers that are very heavy, and can get dangerously hot? I googled this and the consensus seems to be that voltage dividers are highly inefficient, no explanation given. Is it that they are fine for DC use but not for AC? Or is it because you must first decide on a standard output current before designing one? Please someone give me a hint.