Transformer for controllers

So today my brother sold a bulky tv on eBay. And it got me thinking about the usefull parts inside a tv. Basically copper scrap metals. I searched YouTube for tv scrapping and found this guy who scraps tvs for their copper and aluminum (as he pronounced it as "Al u min eeum") but what got me thinking was he said the transformers in the tvs can be salvaged and reused. (as long as they are rewinded)

Now I'm not educated about electronics like some of you guys are but I googled transformers and it said they are used to "step up and step down " current and voltage to work with another circuit. I read somewhere where u can use a transformer to do this with 120v to power 240v gadgets. Is that true ? Is it possible to use a transformer on our control boxes if they aren't already to power our 240v elements with our 120 line?

Just wondering about all this bc I know not many ppl have access to 240v.

You can change voltages with transformers. Not knowing your application or any transformer specs I would use my homes 220 vac service and use it to power my heaters and use a step down transformer to 120 vac to power my controls. Or even better use a 24vdc controls and use a 220 to 24vdc power supply for control voltage. It all goes back to the amps that that your heating elements will draw. I am sure that if you feed your setup with 220 vac and either use a step down transformer or power supply for controls you will be fine.

Well, short answer, no.

First, the transformers you are likely to find in a TV are not going to handle the power load our elements need. Also, even if they were, if you are stepping voltage up from 120 to 240, you will need roughly twice the current at 120 that you would at 240. A element fed by a step up transformer running at 240V pulling 25A would pull 50A from the circuit feeding the 120V transformer. The main
reason high power devices are usually powered by 240V is because they pull less current than would be necessary at lower voltages.

You very well might be able to find a transformer to use to control voltages of 12 or 24V. Although you most likely have to have a rectifying and filtering circuit to get it to DC.

It's much easier in the long run to find a switching power supply which dosent require a bulky heat generating transformer in the first place...

you loose power when you transform it, so you will still be limited by the amount of current the 120v feeding the transformer can handle. you will just have even slightly less available due to the transformer not being 100% efficient.

the only reason you would use a 120 to 240v step up transformer would be if you had all the current you needed, but just need more voltage. voltage isnt our problem, its current (amps) that heats the water.