Hot transformer in bathroom light/shaver unit

[Fleabag]

My step dad has recently replaced a bathroom wall light fitting. The new unit is made by "Ring" and has a shaver socket.

There is a transformer inside, I am assuming this is for safety isolation of the shaver socket. The surface of the unit is apparently hot near the transformer, hot enough for one to withdraw one's hand and say "ouch".

This occurs regardless of whether there is anything plugged into the shaver socket or not. The light is off, so its not the heat of the bulb!

Surely a well made transformer, while not totally lossless, would not be so inefficient that it was uncomfortably hot, epsecially with nothing connected to the secondary??

He has tried three units now, the first two were of one brand and this third one is Ring. All three exhibited the same behaviour. All came from a local branch of Homebase. All three have now gone back which is why I cannot check anything for myself, I've just got to go with his word.

Might he have wired the unit incorrectly? Or is this heat "normal"? If this is normal, it surely is not very green, and possibly a fire risk? My only suggestion would then be to wire a pull cord switch in line with the unit, so the supply could be turned off when the unit was not needed.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Fleabag

 

[Taylortwocities]

If you put a switch in the circuit then you wont be able to use the socket for recharging (for instance) a toothbrush.

The transformer is powered all the time and will be pulling around 20watts.
That's why it gets warm. Not unusual.

 

[flameport]

All transformers get warm when in use, however being so hot that it can't be touched is not normal, and suggests a poor design or defective unit.

One solution is to get a unit which only switches the transformer on when a plug is inserted. Some (all?) of the Linolite range have this feature (there is a small button between the 2 plug holes, which is pressed in when a plug is inserted.