Enter your Input Voltage (Vin), Capacitor C1, and Capacitor C2 (with their units) into the Capacitor Voltage Divider Calculator, and it gives you the Output Voltage (Vout) across C2, along with the Voltage Ratio (Vout/Vin) and what that output represents as a percentage of your input.
Output Voltage (Vout)
--
Voltage Ratio (Vout/Vin)
--
Percentage of Input
--
A capacitive voltage divider is a circuit that uses two capacitors to divide an AC voltage. The output voltage is a fraction of the input voltage, determined by the ratio of the capacitor values.
In AC circuits, capacitors have reactance that varies with frequency. The voltage divides across the capacitors inversely proportional to their capacitance values - smaller capacitance drops more voltage.
The output voltage is calculated as: Vout = Vin × (C1 / (C1 + C2)). Note that the capacitor with lower capacitance drops more voltage across it.
Capacitors block DC current after initial charging, so no steady current flows through the circuit. Capacitive dividers only work with AC or changing voltages where capacitive reactance applies.
They are used in AC coupling circuits, high-voltage measurement probes, phase shift networks, and frequency-dependent voltage division where isolation from DC is required.
Choose values based on your desired voltage ratio and frequency response. Consider the load impedance and ensure the capacitive reactance is appropriate for your operating frequency.
Swapping the capacitor values will change the output voltage. The formula shows that larger C1 relative to C2 gives higher output voltage, while smaller C1 gives lower output voltage.
Yes, they are frequency-dependent, only work with AC signals, can introduce phase shifts, and the output impedance varies with frequency. They're also sensitive to load impedance.