voltage divider - smoking potentiometer

[wax+wire]

Sometimes when i build a voltage divider/drop type thing (dying battery simulator or similar)  i burn my pot straight away.

i set it up like this:::

lug A = voltage in
lug B = voltage out
lub C = ground

it makes sense to me if voltage goes from A -to- C it is going to smoke and fizzle... what am i doing wrong?

ps. just was doing this as the cut-off in Graham's filter

[Circuitbenders]

You're trying to put too much current through the pot.

At the lower resistance end of its rotation it won't be able to take it and will burn the carbon off the track.

[Circuitbenders]

http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/126204/why-does-the-potentiometer-burn-up-in-my-setup

[wax+wire]

so part of my problem might be using a powersupply so there is too much current flow?  should i try a battery?

or put a resister in series with the ground to limit the voltage drop so it never sends all the current to the ground?