Engineering ToolBox - Resources, Tools and Basic Information for Engineering and Design of Technical Applications!

This is an AMP page - Open full page! for all features.

Potential Divider - Online Calculator

Output voltage with a potential divider.

Sponsored Links

A potential divider is the simplest way of producing a source of lower e.m.f. from a source of higher e.m.f.

The output voltage from a potential divider can be calculated as

Uout = Uin R2 / (R1 + R2)                 (1)

where

Uout = output voltage (V)

R = resistance (Ohms, Ω)

Uin = input voltage (V)

Example - Potential Divider - High Power Consumption

The output voltage from a potential divider with two resistors R1 = 10 ohms and R2 = 20 ohms and input voltage 12 V can be calculated as

     Uout = (12 V) (20 Ω) / ((10 Ω) + (20 Ω))

        = 8 (V)

The current through the potential divider R1 and R2 (ex. output current) can be calculated by using Ohm's law

I = U / R

  = (12 V) / ((10 Ω) + (20 Ω))

  = 0.4 A

The power consumption of the divider can be calculated

P = U I

   = (12 V) (0.4 A)

   = 4.8 W

Example - Potential Divider - Lower Power Consumption

The output voltage from a potential divider with two resistors R1 = 1000 ohms and R2 = 2000 ohms and input voltage 12 V can be calculated as

     Uout = (12 V) (2000 Ω) / ((1000 Ω) + (2000 Ω))

        = 8 (V)

The current through the potential divider R1 and R2 (ex. output current) can be calculated by using Ohm's law

I = U / R

  = (12 V) / ((1000 Ω) + (2000 Ω))

  = 0.004 A

The power consumption of the divider can be calculated

P = U I

   = (12 V) (0.004 A)

   = 0.048 W

The power consumption in a potential divider can be reduced by increased resistance.

Potential Divider - Calculator

input voltage Uin (volts)

resistor R1 (ohm)

resistor R2 (ohm)


Load Calculator!

Potential Divider Nomogram

The nomogram below can be used to estimate a potential divider.

  Download and print the Potential Divider Nomogram!

The default values in the nomogram abocve are for Uin = 12 VR2 = 47 ohm and Uout3.3 V. Since the sum of the resistances (R1 + R2) according the nomogram is approximately 170 ohm - the resistance R1 can be calculated as

R1 ≈ (170 ohm - 47 ohm)

    ≈ 123 ohm.

Sponsored Links

Related Topics

Related Documents

Sponsored Links

Share

Search Engineering ToolBox

  • the most efficient way to navigate the Engineering ToolBox!

SketchUp Extension - Online 3D modeling!

Add standard and customized parametric components - like flange beams, lumbers, piping, stairs and more - to your Sketchup model with the Engineering ToolBox - SketchUp Extension - enabled for use with the amazing, fun and free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro . Add the Engineering ToolBox extension to your SketchUp from the Sketchup Extension Warehouse!

Privacy

We don't collect information from our users. Only emails and answers are saved in our archive. Cookies are only used in the browser to improve user experience.

Some of our calculators and applications let you save application data to your local computer. These applications will - due to browser restrictions - send data between your browser and our server. We don't save this data.

Google use cookies for serving our ads and handling visitor statistics. Please read Google Privacy & Terms for more information about how you can control adserving and the information collected.

AddThis use cookies for handling links to social media. Please read AddThis Privacy for more information.

Topics

Unit Converters

Temperature

oC
oF


Load Calculator!

Length

m
km
in
ft
yards
miles
naut miles


Load Calculator!

Area

m2
km2
in2
ft2
miles2
acres


Load Calculator!

Volume

m3
liters
in3
ft3
us gal


Load Calculator!

Weight

kgf
N
lbf


Load Calculator!

Velocity

m/s
km/h
ft/min
ft/s
mph
knots


Load Calculator!

Pressure

Pa (N/m2)
bar
mm H2O
kg/cm2
psi
inches H2O


Load Calculator!

Flow

m3/s
m3/h
US gpm
cfm


Load Calculator!

3 30

This website use cookies. By continuing to browse you are agreeing to our use of cookies! Learn more