I just want some quick clarity.

If a circuit calls for a Vcc of +12v and a Vee of -12v, AND GND, can I just use a 24v supply with a stiff 12v rail and gnd as -12v?

 

hi scien,
That will not work.
What operating current does the project require.??
What is the project.?
E

 

What you can do with a 24V supply is make a voltage divider with two equal value resistors to give a 12V point which then becomes your new virtual Gnd. The original Gnd terminal becomes your new '-12V' rail. However, if your circuit requires more than a few mA then the virtual ground would need buffering with a unity-gain amplifier (e.g. op-amp).

 

This shows one solution: https://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/creating-a-virtual-power-supply-ground.13678/

 

A resistive voltage divider would sort of work if the currents drawn from the positive half and the negative half stayed equal. Of course the resistive divider approach is inefficient in addition to being unstable. So it is a poor choice for most applications. In some applications there are other options, so can we have an explanation of the specific application, since there may be other options possible?

 

There are ways of doing this depending on the application and current requirements.

1) resistor voltage divider
2) resistor voltage divider and buffer opamp
3) switching negative supply LMC7660
4) rail spltter IC, TLE2426