jamesdedogs said:
AC->DC 230V 2A type transformer (apparently DC transformers exist)
I am dumb and have great ignorance of electronics.
I praise all you people!!
There is no such thing as a DC transformer. A transformer HAS to input AC and output AC, otherwise it will not work.
The DC transformer you're thinking about is the kind that you plug into the wall and it outputs DC. The reason it outputs DC is that after the regular AC transformer there are four diodes arranged in a bridge rectifier that turns the AC into a choppy DC waveform, and a filter capacitor that smooths the waveformr. I think I got the part count right?