Voltage and Current Divider Circuit Design Considerations

Lea T. Villafuerte
ECE & CpE Department
Ateneo de Naga University
lvillafuerte@gbox.adnu.edu.ph

Abstract
This experiment aims to widen our knowledge in
current and voltage dividers. Because of this, the
following is focused in designing circuits that will satisfy
the requirements related to current and voltage dividers.
I. Introduction
This experiment has three objectives to begin
with. First is to design a voltage divider that will meet a
specified voltage and current requirements. Another is to
be able to design a current divider that will satisfy the
specified current and voltage requirements.
This experiment will be able to show that if the
load resistance is greater than the resistance lever of the
voltage divider network, this means that the resulting
terminal voltage and the no-load levels are close [1].
II. Theory
The voltage divider rule means that in a series
circuit, the voltage across the resistive elements will
divide as the magnitude of the resistance level [2]. This
means that as the resistance increases, the voltage drop
across a certain resistor or component also increases.
Translating the voltage drop into an equation,
𝑅𝑛
𝑣𝑛 = 𝑣 (1)
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + ⋯ + 𝑅𝑁
Where, N is number of resistors (𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + ⋯ + 𝑅𝑁 ) in
series with the source voltage V. the nth resistor (𝑅𝑛 ) will
have a voltage drop [3]
equal, the one with the greater value will split with a ratio
that is equal to the inverse of their resistor values [5].
Translating the current divider into an equation;
𝑅𝑇
𝐼𝑥 = 𝐼 (2)
𝑅𝑥
Where 𝑅𝑇 is the total resistance of the parallel
branches, I is the input current, and 𝑅𝑥 is the resistance of
the branch through which the current is to be determined.
[4]
Ohm’s law is also included,
𝑉
I=𝑅 (3)
where V is the voltage, I is the current, and R is the
resistance [2].
III. Methodology
The first circuit design is a voltage divider circuit
connected to a power supply with a 30V output that will
feed a 9Ma load at 20 V and that the bleeder current
should be approximately 1Ma. After which, the current
and the voltage in the circuit are to be measured.
Next, the circuit design must have 3 parallel loads
from a 30V supply which will meet a specific current to
the three loads that must be in a 1:2:4 ratio.
IV. Results and Discussion
Table 1

The current divider helps determine the current Measured Values Computed Values
VIN Current (mA) Voltage (V) Current (mA) Voltage (V)
entering a parallel circuit, and through a certain resistor.
IR1 IR2 IRL VR1 VR2 VRL IR1 IR2 IRL VR1 VR2 VRL
Those resistor with the same value will have the current
30 10 1 9 10 19.6 19.61 10 1 9 10 20 20
divided equal to two, however if the resistors are not
Circuit setup: Circuit setup:

Fig. 2
Computations for Fig. 2:
Fig. 1 Since load voltage is 15 V, load currents must be in
Computations for Fig 1: ratio 1:2:4, and the total load current is 7 mA:
Since VRL = 20 V having a current of 9mA: Load Current= I2:I3:I4 = 1:2:4
7 mA = 1X +2X + 4X
20 𝑉
𝑅𝐿 = = 2222.2222 Ω 7 mA = 7X
9 𝑚𝐴 7 𝑚𝐴
X= 7
Since bleeder current must be equal to 1 mA, and R2 || RL X = 1 mA
, therefore, VR2 = 20 V Therefore: I2 = 1 mA, I3 = 2 mA, I4 = 4 mA
20 𝑉 15 𝑉
𝑅2 = = 20𝑘Ω 𝑅2 = = 15𝑘Ω
1 𝑚𝐴 1 𝑚𝐴
Since IR1 = IR2 + IRL = 1 mA + 9 mA = 10 mA; and VR1 + 15 𝑉
VR2 is 30: 𝑅3 = = 7.5𝑘Ω
2 𝑚𝐴
VR1 = 30 – VR2 = 30 – 20 = 10 V 15 𝑉
𝑅4 = = 3750Ω
10 𝑉 4 𝑚𝐴
𝑅1 = = 1𝑘Ω
10 𝑚𝐴 Using KCL at Node A:
I1 = I2 + I3 + I4 = 1 mA+ 2 mA + 4 mA = 7 mA
Since load voltage is 15 V, thus VR2 = 15 V; and using
Table 2 KVL:

Measured Values Computed Values V1 - VR1 - VR2 = 0

Current
VI Current (mA) Voltage (V) Voltage (V) 30 - VR1 – 15 = 0
(mA)
N
V V V V V V V V VR1 = 30 – 15 = 15 V
IR1 IR2 IR3 IR4 R R R R IR1 IR2 IR3 IR4 R R R R
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

30
6.9 0.9 1.9 3.9 15. 14. 14. 14.
7 1 2 4 15 15 15 15 𝑉𝑅1 15 𝑉
6 9 7 8 07 91 90 90 𝑅1 = = = 2142.857143 Ω
𝐼1 7 𝑚𝐴
V. Conclusion
After this experiment, I therefore conclude that as
the current in load 1 and 2 increase, VBC decreases, as
the load current increases, the bleeder current decreases
resulting to a lower value of R1 and R2.

References
[1] Thomas L. Floyd. Principles of Electric Circuits
Conventional Current Version, 8th ed., Pearson Education.
Inc, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458,2007

[2] Robert A. Boylestad. Introductory to Circuit Analysis,

12th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2010.

[3] Mahmood Nahvi, Ph.D., Joseph A. Edminister, et al,

Schaum’s Outlines Electric Circuits 4th Edition, McGraw
Hill 2003
[4] Charles K. Alexander, et al. Fundamentals of Electric
Circuits, 4th ed., The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.,2009

[5] Raymond A. Serway, et al. University Physics,

9th ed., Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd, 2014
QUESTIONS
1. In the circuit of Figure 1 what would be the effect on
the voltage VBC of:
a. Increasing load 1 current? Why?
b. Increasing load 2 current? Why?
2. In the circuit of Figure 1, for the design requirements
shown, will the value of current in load 2 affect the values
of R1 and R2? Explain.
3. How did the measured values of current in step 3
compare with the design values? Refer specifically to
your measurements in Table 1. Explain any discrepancies.
4. How did the measured values of current in step 6
compare with the design values? Refer specifically to
your measurements in Table 2. Explain any discrepancies.
5. Write a list of Materials Required for procedural steps
1 – 6.
Answers
1. Increasing load 1 current means that the bleeder
current will decrease because most of the current
are in the branch where the load is located. By
Ohm’s law, since the current decreases, then VBC
will also decrease with respect or comparing it to
its previous value. But, VBC and the voltage
across load 1 will always be the same because
they are connected in parallel.
2. Increasing load 2 current, VBC will remain the
same because even though there are changes in
current, the voltage that will pass through the
individual branches will remain fixed.
3. The values of R1 and R2 will not be affected
because their resistance will remain fixed all
throughout regardless of how the load 2 current
varies.
4. The measured values are greater than a small
factor compared to the measured values but they
are approximately equal. To be exact the
measured values are greater that the computed
values by 2% - 9%.
5. Resistors, potentiometer, connecting wires,
multimeter, DC supply and breadboard.