Why 24V Hurts 12V
2. Component Breakdown
Okay, lets get a little more technical. What actually happens when you plug that poor, unsuspecting 12V device into a 24V power source? The excess voltage overwhelms the components. Think of it like this: your device has tiny little roads (circuits) designed for a certain amount of traffic (current). Suddenly, you double the traffic, causing a massive jam, overheating, and eventually, the roads crumble.
Resistors, capacitors, diodes, and integrated circuits — all these little guys have specific voltage ratings. When you exceed those ratings, they start to break down. Resistors might overheat and change their resistance, capacitors can explode (not like a Michael Bay movie explosion, but still not good), and diodes can fail to block current in the wrong direction, causing further damage.
Ultimately, it comes down to the silicon. Many electronic components are made from silicon, and too much voltage causes it to overheat and change its properties. Once that happens, the component is toast. Irrecoverable damage, and no amount of rice is going to fix it.
Imagine you're trying to inflate a balloon. The balloon is designed to hold a certain amount of air pressure. If you keep pumping air into the balloon beyond its limits, it will eventually burst. Electronic components behave in a similar way. Too much electrical "pressure" (voltage) can cause them to fail catastrophically.
