Need AC power supply help

I've gotten into making guitar amps and have few successful 9vdc LM386 amps under my belt and decided to move on to a kit I found on Ebay. I have a great understanding of DC but my AC knowledge is limited to replacing light fixtures/switches and other things around the house.

My problem is understanding what I need for a power supply for the above linked kit. I'm trying to figure out if a simple supply like this will work? I've also been reading about power loss and wonder if I should go with something like this. Or do I need to be looking for an actual transfomer.

 

Thanks Dave for the welcome and reply,

I'm trying to understand to avoid having to ask the same questions in the future so bear with me.

On the transformer, I now know I obviously need some clarification on the way the ratings are listed. The ones I had been looking at were showing 12v not the 24 like the one you linked (Thanks for that too) would those 12v ones have come out to actually being 6v once they were split? Perhaps they were not a center tapped style?

On the actual hook up of the transformer looking at the PDF and your diagram I know the hot and neutral will go to pins 2&4
1. Does it matter which goes to which pin?
2. Where does the ground from the wall go to? To the ground connection on the PCB connector in the amp circuit? Or are those connections the 6 8 10 pins out of the transformer?
3. The main power switch I have some DPST micro switches rated 3A @ 250VAC/ 6A @ 125VAC these should be fine there correct?
4. What is the smallest safe wire size I can use to make the fuse/switch connections between the wall cord and the transformer?

I've got a million more questions but those should cover me for now. I would take any recommendations on reading that would explain circuit design (I guess) that would explain the way AC circuits work. The most I really understand is to think of the hot and neutral in AC like the hot and ground in a DC circuit. However I'm not even sure of that.

 

Just found the tutorials section and will look in there but still open to other sources of reading.

 

I get that there is always potential on both in AC but have always pictured the mechanical connection/flow to be like DC. I know its a very basic grasp and probably not correct but in a layout way of thinking it's how I've always thought of it.

I'll read through the stuff in the tutorials and see if can get my view corrected and come back to ask if I'm still confused.

Thanks again.

 

Thanks, doesn't get any clearer than that.

Good to note the European color coding as I didn't know that. Yes, here in the states black - hot, white - neutral, and ground is most commonly just bare copper at least for in the wall house wiring. Then typically inside appliances/fixtures ground is green.

On to read more.

 

Well the kit showed up today so it's time to get off the pot and order a transformer.

I'm still trying to understand the ratings, I'm trying to keep this as cheap as possible so I poked around Mouser. Just so I know I understand before I order one the 24v in the rating of the one you listed is the total output of the secondary coil and that will yield 12v on each pin once it splits. Or should I be looking at one that lists the secondary as 12v?

Also just as an example to make sure I'm reading things right, looked at this one and deduced it would be too small since it's output is only .12A and I need a full 1A.

 

Never mind I finally found a good explanation of center tap workings though google and get it now.

$4 amp gonna cost me 25 to make it work oh well still cheap in the overall scheme of things.

I also see now that I need 2.5 to 3 VA for this.