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How to Convert 12Volt DC to 2Volt DC

A series connection of electronic resistors, called a ladder circuit, divides a voltage across them into smaller amounts that depend on the proportion of each resistance to the sum total of all of them. You can use this technique to convert 12 volts of direct current, or DC, to 2 volts of DC. A voltage divider consisting of two resistors, one having an ohm value of one-sixth of the total, the other being five-sixths, will develop 2 volts across the smaller one and 10 volts across the other. As common resistors have a value tolerance of 5 percent, an additional variable resistor will let you adjust the value to exactly 2 volts.

Things You'll Need

22-gauge wire
Wire strippers
10K-ohm variable resistor, linear taper
Soldering iron
Solder
Solderless breadboard
47K-ohm resistor
10K-ohm resistor
2 8-inch pieces 22-gauge wire
12V DC power supply
Digital multimeter

Instructions

- 1
  Cut 2 pieces of 22-gauge wire 3 inches long, and 2 pieces 8 inches long. Strip 1/4-inch of insulation from the ends of each wire, using the wire strippers.
- 2
  Solder the end of one 3-inch wire to the center lug of the 10K-ohm variable resistor. Solder the end of the second 3-inch wire to one of the remaining two lugs. Insert the free ends of the wires into separate columns on the solderless breadboard.
- 3
  Place one lead of the 47K-ohm resistor in the breadboard so it connects to one of the wires on the variable resistor. Place the other lead into a free breadboard column. Insert one lead of the 10K-ohm resistor into this column. Set its other lead into a free column. Insert one end of an 8-inch wire so it connects to this column. Insert the second 8-inch wire so it connects to the unconnected lead of the variable resistor.
- 4
  Connect the free end of the first 8-inch wire to the ground terminal of the 12-volt DC power supply. Connect the free end of the second 8-inch wire to the power supply's positive terminal.
- 5
  Turn the power supply on. Turn the multimeter on and rotate its mode selector to the DC voltage setting.
- 6
  Touch one multimeter probe tip to one lead of the 10K-ohm resistor. Touch the other probe tip to the resistor's opposite lead. Observe the meter's display. If you see a negative voltage, switch the probe tips on the resistor so they touch the opposite resistor leads.
- 7
  Turn the shaft of the variable resistor until you see 2 volts on the meter display.

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