How to Switch a 12 Volt Battery to 6 Volts

How to Switch a 12 Volt Battery to 6 Volts
Written By
Stephen Benham
Stephen Benham
Published: Mar 9, 2011
Updated: May 4, 2021
2 minute read

Batteries produce the voltage they are designed for, so a 12-volt battery always produces 12 volts. If you’ve got an electrical device that operates on 6 volts, connecting it to a 12-volt battery will break it. However, by inserting another 6-volt device, such as a 6-volt light bulb, in series with your other 6-volt device, you can easily switch your 12-volt battery to 6 volts. Wiring two 6-volt devices in series reduces the voltage from the battery by half so each device gets 6 volts.

Cut one strip of AWG 18 gauge wire using a knife. It only needs to be about 12 inches long. You use this wire to connect between the 12-volt battery and the 6-volt light bulb to switch the power to 6 volts.

Remove ½ inch of plastic off both ends of the wire strip with wire strippers. This reveals the copper metal that connects to the 12-volt battery and the 6-volt light bulb.

Attach one end of the wire strip to one of the terminals on the 6-volt light bulb. Hold the wire in place using a strip of insulating tape. Attach the opposite end of the wire strip onto the positive terminal of the 12-volt battery with the tape. The positive terminal is labeled "+."

Attach the end of one of the wires from the 6-volt device you want to power using your 12-volt battery to the other terminal on the 6-volt light bulb using tape.

Attach the remaining wire from the 6-volt device you want to power using your 12-volt battery to the negative battery terminal using tape. The negative terminal is labeled "-." Your 6-volt device and your 6-volt light bulb operate using your 12-volt battery.

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • 6-volt light bulb
  • AWG 18 gauge wire
  • Knife
  • Wire strippers
  • Insulating tape
  • Stephen Benham

    Stephen Benham has been writing since 1999. His current articles appear on various websites. Benham has worked as an insurance research writer for Axco Services, producing reports in many countries. He has been an underwriting member at…

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