how do I reduce voltage

reduce voltage

Can anyone help?
I have an electric car, the lights and electronics are powerd from a dc/dc converter. The converter produces 12v from the main battery pack which is 36v. I want to run the car on 48v (for extra speed and range) but the dc/dc will not except this voltage.
How can I remove 12v before it gets to the dc/dc. I think a 12v zener diode will, but can it cope with the power (the output of the dc/dc varies up to 150 watts) perhaps 10 12v zener diodes(5 watt sort) in parallel, do zeners work in parallel?
Could resistors be used, though the output is changeable.
I need a simple solution as I'm not an electronic expert.

reduce dc voltage

The easiest way to do it is to have two different power supplies.

how to reduce dc voltage

Hai Gareth Covell
First of all, the idea is an advanced one. No simple idea will work. First, the cars motors and the drive circuitry are designed for 36 volts. Operating then on 48 volts is some what difficult as it may damage the drive or the motors or both. Secondly,for taking the 12 volts 150 watts from a 48 volts battery, you need to construct a down converter which will be a different circuit than the one existing, and the constuction should be done carefully following wiring principles used for Power electronic, strictly as the power you take and drive is massive. Any way, as you are not an electronic expert, i sugesst you to take help of any good friend who can handle this project. But as per my view, the project will cost you a lot. In case you go for the project, find some dealer who can supply you 48 volt motors of same capacity, the 48 Volt driver, as well a converter for 48volts to 12 volts which can handle alteast 200 watts. Good luck.

reducing dc voltage

The motor in my car can cope with 48v, and I have fitted a new controller designed for 48v. My problem is with my dc/dc converter it can't cope with this voltage, I need to reduce 48v down to 36v before it gets to the dc/dc.
do zener diodes work in parallel, any one know?

reduce voltage dc

Why you don't use a new DC/DC converter from 48 to 36 volts ?
Look for a schematics here, a square wave generator exiting a transistor ( saturated) with a 75% duty cycle, is not very stable bat for another DC/DC converter for lights is enough.

how to reduce 23 volts down to 12 volts?

Gareth Covell said:

The motor in my car can cope with 48v, and I have fitted a new controller designed for 48v. My problem is with my dc/dc converter it can't cope with this voltage, I need to reduce 48v down to 36v before it gets to the dc/dc.
do zener diodes work in parallel, any one know?

Click to expand...

No. Only zeners will not work. Its a really complex job building a converter. Now you have a 48 volt source, and your exsisting converter in put is 36 volts which converts the 36 volts to 12 volts 200 watts. So i suggest replace the present converter with the one which uses 48 volts as input and has an 200 watts output capacity. Good luck.