Need Some Electrical Expertice

[ezdays]

I don't know that I'll ever get it! Now Don, in a very kind attempt to explain, has introduced a fourth word into the mix! Now we have Ohms, Amps, Watts ... and Current. I read Don's post three times and the only thing I can tell you is ...I'll bite ...

Current is measured in amps, just like resistance is measured in ohms, voltage in volts and power is measured in watts. Ohm's law gives you the relationship between volts, amps and ohms. Power is obtained by multiplying the volts times the amps.

Wall Wart ... that is one of these little power supplies like the one that powers a really cool lamp that I have ... it's a 1 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" black thing with a two spade connectors at the end of a long black cord that plugs into the lamp which uses an High Intensity lamp.

Yes, some are simply transformers with a low voltage AC output, others will deliver DC output at various voltages and degrees of regulation. Do not assume that all wall warts are the same, you have to read their output specs, and polarity (yep, yet another new word). Polarity is simply, is the positive terminal on the inside or outside of the plug.

... and I guess my original question here was can you step down 10 amps to something lower that is safer to use?

You cannot, "step down", current (amps), you can only limit it by using a fuse. You can step down voltage by various means, but not amps. If you have a power supply that will produce 10 amps, then that is what you can get unless you put a fuse in the line that is less than that. You will only get the amount of current (amps) that the device you are powering will require. So if you are powering a lamp that will draw 500 mA with a 10 amp supply, you will have 9.5 amps left to power other devices without overloading your power supply.