All of you have helped me a lot, I now understand how to refine my question to a point where it makes sense. All further questions posted on here from me should be far more clear.

To answer your question "What am i trying to accomplish?" I am trying to add 2 Volts of power to the already existing 24 volts to a light bulb to make it brighter.

 

Then you need to connect the batteries in series aiding. Connect the - lead of the 24 volt source to the - end of the load (lamp or LED), connect the + of the 24 volts source to the - of the 2 volt source. Connect the + lead lof the 2 volt source to the + side of the load (lamp, LED)

 

Then you need to connect the batteries in series aiding. Connect the - lead of the 24 volt source to the - end of the load (lamp or LED), connect the + of the 24 volts source to the - of the 2 volt source. Connect the + lead lof the 2 volt source to the + side of the load (lamp, LED)

Like this:

 

All of you have helped me a lot, I now understand how to refine my question to a point where it makes sense. All further questions posted on here from me should be far more clear.

To answer your question "What am i trying to accomplish?" I am trying to add 2 Volts of power to the already existing 24 volts to a light bulb to make it brighter.

Does adding 2 V actually make it enough brighter to do what you want? You might be surprised how insensitive the human eye is to fractional changes in brightness.

Assuming that it does make enough difference to be worth the effort:

First approach -- use a higher wattage bulb and just the 24 V.

Second approach -- put the 2 V in series with the 24 V supply.

Do the first unless there is a compelling reason not to.

In either case you need to be sure that the fixture and surroundings can handle the higher power and resulting heat.

By adding the second source, you also add complexity. What is the 2 V source? A DC power supply? Is it isolated from the 24 V supply so that they even can be put in series? How does the system behave when one of the supplies is off and the other is on? How do you need it to behave under those conditions? If the 2 V is some kind of battery supply (what battery?), then what happens as that battery dies?

 

@zemanekj are you Czech by any chance? Maybe we can talk in private about what you aim to achieve.

 

@zemanekj are you Czech by any chance? Maybe we can talk in private about what you aim to achieve.

I'm from the U.S actually.

 

Why not just use a switch mode power supply from your input voltage and adjust the output to whatever you need?
Mucking around like you are trying to do make very little sense. And as has been mentioned, upping from 24V to 26V may not make much difference anyway. It would be better to change the LED series resistors to increase the current as LEDs are current devices. But jacking up the current will shorten the life of the LEDs.
Forget the 2 batteries. That is not the way to go.

 

Disconnect the 2V battery. As it's a 24V bulb there's no point in feeding it with 2V.

This is true. So you need to describe what you want to achieve before any additional suggestions can be given. Otherwise we are just guessing at the desired outcome, and that activity gets very boring very fast. So please describe what the intention is and what you intend to have as the results.

 

This is true. So you need to describe what you want to achieve before any additional suggestions can be given. Otherwise we are just guessing at the desired outcome, and that activity gets very boring very fast. So please describe what the intention is and what you intend to have as the results.

He's tried to clarify things. He wants to make the bulb brighter by increasing the voltage. Apparently his original thinking was to just power the bulb with the 2 V in parallel with the 24 V and to use a diode to keep the 24 V from driving the 2 V. Not a completely unreasonable approach for someone that isn't up on the basics of electricity.

Now we are trying to ascertain whether adding an additional 2 V would even cause a noticeable difference and whether there are better approaches, such as just using a higher wattage bulb.

 

Now we are trying to ascertain whether adding an additional 2 V would even cause a noticeable difference and whether there are better approaches, such as just using a higher wattage bulb.

As I understand this (and this is subject to the disclaimer that I nay be completely wrong given the number of threads and confusion), it is a theoretical question about combining voltage sources at a load. The question being, "how can a take differing sources and supply the sum of the voltages to the same load?" The "lamp" is purely for example.

The answer he needs, and got in a very roundabout way is an explanation of series and parallel circuits applied to circuits, and perhaps not so clear is that batteries are not a universal stand in for voltage sources and have side effects based on their nature. Parallel and series circuits in, say, a multi-output bench supply would offer a more clear explanation without the confusion of chemical batteries.

I could very well be wrong, but if I am right, this was an attempt at naive simplification that went wrong.

 

I suggest that you read the excellent texts about electronics available on this website. You need to understand the basics, and that's an excellent resource to do that: https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/

 

As I understand this (and this is subject to the disclaimer that I nay be completely wrong given the number of threads and confusion), it is a theoretical question about combining voltage sources at a load. The question being, "how can a take differing sources and supply the sum of the voltages to the same load?" The "lamp" is purely for example.

The answer he needs, and got in a very roundabout way is an explanation of series and parallel circuits applied to circuits, and perhaps not so clear is that batteries are not a universal stand in for voltage sources and have side effects based on their nature. Parallel and series circuits in, say, a multi-output bench supply would offer a more clear explanation without the confusion of chemical batteries.

I could very well be wrong, but if I am right, this was an attempt at naive simplification that went wrong.

Ideal batteries, which only exist in theory and simulators, are in fact perfect voltage sources with no internal resistance. REAL batteries are quite different from that in most characteristics, which can certainly be a source of confusion. The two are so different that confusion often happens.

 

Ideal batteries, which only exist in theory and simulators, are in fact perfect voltage sources with no internal resistance. REAL batteries are quite different from that in most characteristics, which can certainly be a source of confusion. The two are so different that confusion often happens.

Of course, ideal batteries don't have the problems of needing to be practical with messy things like having smoke and fire hidden in them.

 

He's tried to clarify things. He wants to make the bulb brighter by increasing the voltage. Apparently his original thinking was to just power the bulb with the 2 V in parallel with the 24 V and to use a diode to keep the 24 V from driving the 2 V. Not a completely unreasonable approach for someone that isn't up on the basics of electricity.

Now we are trying to ascertain whether adding an additional 2 V would even cause a noticeable difference and whether there are better approaches, such as just using a higher wattage bulb.

With that in mind and only that in mind I see the simple approach as in the below drawing.


If the thread starter wishes to switch between different sources then the simplest approach would likely be a DPDT Switch for two sources or a Rotary switch for more sources. The mechanical switches could be replaced by any number of electronic switching methods.

As to the lamp intensity in the above example I doubt you will see any change. One day I hope to get around to using PWM on a LED monitored by a common LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) and log the data. While this won't duplicate human vision it should be interesting. I noticed that driving a string of 5050 LEDs that when using PWM I could not really see any change between about 80% and 100%.

In the above drawing using 24 volts and 2 volts I doubt the added 2 volts would make any difference visually be it an LED or Incandescent lamp as shown.

Ron

 

Of course, ideal batteries don't have the problems of needing to be practical with messy things like having smoke and fire hidden in them.

It would be a nice addition to a simulator if smoke started emanating from a component when its ratings were exceeded.

 

With that in mind and only that in mind I see the simple approach as in the below drawing.
View attachment 169510

If the thread starter wishes to switch between different sources then the simplest approach would likely be a DPDT Switch for two sources or a Rotary switch for more sources. The mechanical switches could be replaced by any number of electronic switching methods.

As to the lamp intensity in the above example I doubt you will see any change. One day I hope to get around to using PWM on a LED monitored by a common LDR (Light Dependent Resistor) and log the data. While this won't duplicate human vision it should be interesting. I noticed that driving a string of 5050 LEDs that when using PWM I could not really see any change between about 80% and 100%.

In the above drawing using 24 volts and 2 volts I doubt the added 2 volts would make any difference visually be it an LED or Incandescent lamp as shown.

Ron

The change of intensity would depend on where on the current/voltage curve 24 volts was and how much it moved the current to increase. If 24 volts was just into a weak glow then adding two volts could be a very big change in brightness.

 

The change of intensity would depend on where on the current/voltage curve 24 volts was and how much it moved the current to increase. If 24 volts was just into a weak glow then adding two volts could be a very big change in brightness.

My point was the change between 24 and 26 volts is not likely to have a visible impact. That was the simple gist of it. Likely to rain tomorrow does not mean a monsoon will be happening.

Ron

 

My point was the change between 24 and 26 volts is not likely to have a visible impact. That was the simple gist of it. Likely to rain tomorrow does not mean a monsoon will be happening.

Ron

The amount of increase depends on where in the curve the 24 volts is.

 

The amount of increase depends on where in the curve the 24 volts is.

What curve? My little drawing reflects a 24 volt battery and a 2 volt battery along with an incandescent lamp. So I have a selection of 24 or 26 volts selective going to the lamp. I said the difference in intensity would likely be negligible. I am not seeing where there is a curve? I could redraw it using a 24 VDC and a 2 VDC regulated supply if the batteries are a concern.

The originally posted circuit had two batteries wired in series amounting to a short of the batteries. I merely rearranged the batteries and added a switch and pointed out, just in my opinion, the difference between 24 and 26 volts, as far as the lamp is concerned, would not matter much and likely not perceivable to the average human eye. Now, if the lamp is a 24 volt lamp and we run it on 26 volts then yes, it will draw more current and run a little hotter but I doubt the change will be very noticeable.

This was the comment from the thread starter:

To answer your question "What am i trying to accomplish?" I am trying to add 2 Volts of power to the already existing 24 volts to a light bulb to make it brighter.

Ron

 

What curve? My little drawing reflects a 24 volt battery and a 2 volt battery along with an incandescent lamp. So I have a selection of 24 or 26 volts selective going to the lamp. I said the difference in intensity would likely be negligible. I am not seeing where there is a curve? I could redraw it using a 24 VDC and a 2 VDC regulated supply if the batteries are a concern.

The originally posted circuit had two batteries wired in series amounting to a short of the batteries. I merely rearranged the batteries and added a switch and pointed out, just in my opinion, the difference between 24 and 26 volts, as far as the lamp is concerned, would not matter much and likely not perceivable to the average human eye. Now, if the lamp is a 24 volt lamp and we run it on 26 volts then yes, it will draw more current and run a little hotter but I doubt the change will be very noticeable.

This was the comment from the thread starter:



Ron

OK, now it is clear. I was considering LEDs,, which have a very nonlinear voltage current relationship. Incandescent lamps change far less than that, but a 10% change would show, and it might cut the life in half.