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First Project, Need Help Dividing Voltage

mjones517

So I've been teaching myself electronics. A friend of mine asked for help and I'm not sure how to guide her.

 

She wants to hook two things up to a single power source for an art project. The items she sent me are:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071HYVBS1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3ITJ2XHPQ52P4&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BJCVM1V/?coliid=I1OQM3C71SJIUW&colid=2XONYFBRM5NTP&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

The first thing I asked is whether the LED's needed to flicker, and apparently that's crucial to the project.

 

The problem is, since this is Amazon stuff, I don't see any forward voltages listed. If I knew the forward voltage I could just figure out what resistors are needed. So my question is two-fold.

 

#1) Can you recommend better, similar products that have actual spec sheets?

 

#2) Is there some way I can pre-divide the voltage, say from a 12v source, into a 9v stream and a 3v stream so that both of these can be powered at once?

 

Thanks for your help!

  • Hi Matthew,

     

    Unfortunately this is a search for the wrong thing.. if you search for voltage dividing, you'll find voltage dividers or potential dividers, which are not ideal for what your end goal is.

    The actual thing to search for is a voltage regulator, and more likely a boost or buck converter.

    Since the LEDs consume not much current (hopefully) you may wish to run everything from the two AA batteries, and boost to 9V to operate the LED circuit.

    This may work: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-2-5V-15V-To-3-3V-4-2V-5V-9V-12V-Automatic-Buck-Boost-Step-Up-Down-Module/283343304564?v…

    (select the 9V version). You're looking for a module that works from about 2.5V (because two AA batteries do not provide exactly 3V) and will output 8V or more, to run the LEDs.

    The EL panel will just be wired as-is to the two AA battery source.

    There are other ways to do things, this is just one suggestion to get you going, not necessarily the best option, but maybe the easiest.