Series and Parallel Network

• Why it is important to understand?

Series and parallel networks There are two
ways in which components may be connected
together in an electric circuit. One way is ‘in series’
where components are connected ‘end-to-end’;
another way is ‘in parallel’ where components are
connected ‘across each other’. When a circuit is
more complicated than two or three elements, it is
very likely to be a network of individual series and
parallel circuits.
 Series and Parallel Network
At first glance, these circuits may seem very
complicated, but with a methodical analysis
approach the functionality of the circuit can become
obvious. This chapter explains with examples,
series, parallel and series/parallel networks. The
relationships between voltages, currents and
resistances for these networks are considered
through calculations.
 Series
Circuit
From Ohm’s law:
I=V/R

V1 = I1R1,V2 = I2R2,V3 = I3R3

and
V total= Itotal x Rtotal
where R is the total circuit
In a series circuit: resistance.
Since V total= V1 + V2 +
(a) The current I is the same in V3
all parts of the circuit and hence then IR
the same reading is found on =IR1+IR2+IR3
each of the two ammeters
shown.
Dividing throughout by I gives:
Itotal= I1 = I2 =I3 Rtotal = R1 + R2 + R3
(b) The sum of the voltages V1, Thus for a series circuit, the
V2 and V3 is equal to the total total resistance is obtained by
 Series
Circuit
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
Determine (a) the battery (a) Battery voltage :
voltage V , (b) the total V =V1 + V2 + V3
resistance of the circuit, and =5 + 2 + 6
(c) the values of resistance =13V
of resistors R1, R2 and R3, (b) Total circuit resistance :
given that the p.d.s across R = V / I = 13V/4 A=3.25
R1, R2 and R3 are 5 V, 2 V ohms
and 6 V, (c) Resistance R1 = V1/ I1 = 5V /4a
=1.25 ohm
Resistance R2 = V2 /I2 = 2V /4a
=0.5 ohms
Resistance R3 = V3 /I 3= 6V /4a
=1.5 ohms
(Check: R1 + R2 + R3 =1.25 + 0.5 + 1.5
=3.25= R)
 Series
Circuit
EXAMPLE 2: SOLUTION
Determine the p.d. across P.d. across R3,
resistor R3. If the total V3 =25 − 10− 4=11V
resistance of the circuit is Vtotal = V1+V2 + V3
100, determine the current
flowing through resistor R1. P3 = 11V(0.25A) = 2.75W
Find also the value of Current I = V / R = 25V
resistor R2., /100ohms
=0.25 A,

which is the current flowing in each

resistor Resistance R2 = V2/ I 2=
4V /0.25 A=16 ohms
 Potential
Divider
The voltage distribution for
the circuit shown in Figure
5.5(a) is given by:

The circuit shown in Figure(b) is

often referred to as a potential
divider circuit. Such a circuit can A potential divider is the simplest
consist of a number of similar way of producing a source of
elements in series connected lower e.m.f. from a source of
across a voltage source, voltages higher e.m.f., and is the basic
being taken from connections operating mechanism of the
between the elements. Frequently
potentiometer, a measuring
the divider consists of two
resistors, as shown in Figure device for accurately measuring
5.5(b), where potential differences
 Potential
Divider
EXAMPLE 1: EXAMPLE 2:
Determine the value of voltage V
shown in Figure Two resistors are connected in
series across a 24 V supply and a
current of 3 A flows in the circuit.
If one of the resistors has a
resistance of 2, determine (a) the
value of the other resistor, and (b)
the p.d. across the 2 resistor. If
SOLUTION the circuit is connected for 50
hours, how much energy is used?
 Potential
Divider
SOLUTION
(a) Total circuit resistance Energy used = power× time
RT = V/ I = 24 V/ 3 A =8 =V×I×t
ohms = (24V × 3A) (50 hr)
Value of unknown resistance,
Rx =8ohms − = 3600Wh
2ohms=6 ohms = 3.6 kWhr
Rt=R1+Rx
Rx=Rt-R1

(b) P.d. across 2 resistor,

V1 =IR1=3A ×
2ohms=6 V
V2 = IRx =3A x 6ohms
= 18 V
 Parallel
Networks
Figure shows three resistors, R1,
R2 and R3, connected across
each other, i.e. in parallel, across
a battery source of V volts.
In a parallel circuit:
(a) The sum of the currents I1, I2
and I3 is equal to the total circuit
current, I, i.e.
Itotal =I1 +I2 +I3
(b)The source p.d., V volts, is the
same across each of the resistors
 Parallel
Networks
From Ohm’s law:

This equation must be used when

finding the total resistance R of a
parallel circuit. For the special case
of two resistors in parallel.
where R is the total circuit
resistance.
Since Itotal =I1 + I2 + I3
then V/ R = V/ R1 + V /R2 + V /R3
Dividing throughout by V gives:
Rtotal= (
 Parallel
Networks
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
Determine (a) the reading on the
ammeter, and (b) the value of P.d. across R1 is the same as the
resistor R2 supply voltage V .
Hence supply voltage,
Vt= V1=8 A× 5ohms=40V
(a) Reading on ammeter,
I3 = V/ R3 = 40V /20ohms
=2 A
(b) Current flowing through
I2 =11A−8A−2A=1A
Itotal = I1 + I2 +I3

Hence,
R2 = V /I2 = 40 V/ 1A =40
ohms
 Parallel
Networks
EXAMPLE 2: SOLUTION
(a) The total circuit resistance R is
Two resistors, of resistance 3 and
given by
6, are connected in parallel
across a battery having a voltage
of 12 V. Determine (a) the total
circuit resistance and (b) the
1 / R = (2 + 1)/ 6 = 3 / 6
current flowing in the 2 resistor
ohms
Hence,
R = 6/ 3 = 2 ohms
Alternatively,

(b) Current flowing in the 2

resistor
I = V/R = 12V/2ohms =6 amp
 Current
Division
For the circuit shown, the Similarly,
total circuit resistance,
RT , is given by :

Summarizing, with reference to

and
circuit

It is important to note that current

division can only be applied to two
parallel resistors. If there are more
than two parallel resistors, then
current division cannot be
 Current
Division
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
For the series-parallel
arrangement shown in Figure, The equivalent resistance Rx of R2
find (a) the supply current, (b) and R3 in parallel is:
the current flowing through each
resistor and (c) the p.d. across
each resistor.
The equivalent resistance RT of R1,
Rx and R4 in series is:
RT = 2.5 + 1.5 + 4 = 8
ohms
Supply current I = V / RT
= 200V / 8ohms
I = 25A
 Current
Division
SOLUTION (c) The equivalent circuit of given is
(b) The current flowing through shown below
R1 and R4 is 25 A The current p.d. across R1, i.e. V1 =IR1 =(25)
flowing through R2
(2.5)=62.5 V p.d. across Rx , i.e. Vx
=IRx =(25)(1.5)=37.5 V p.d. across R4,
i.e. V4 =IR4 =(25)(4)=100 V Hence the
p.d. across R2 =p.d. across R3 =37.5 V
The current flowing through R3

(a) (Note that the currents flowing

through R2 and R3 must add up to
the total current flowing into the
parallel arrangement, i.e. 25 A)
 Current
Division
EXAMPLE 2: SOLUTION
For the circuit shown ; calculate
(a) the value of resistor Rx such (a) Power dissipated P =VI watts,
that the total power dissipated in hence 2500= (250)(I)
the circuit is 2.5 kW, and (b) the i.e. I = 2500W/ 250V = 10A
current flowing in each of the From Ohm’s law, RT = V / I = 250/
four resistors. 10 =25, where RT is the equivalent
circuit resistance.
The equivalent resistance of R1 and
R2 in parallel is
R12= (15 × 10) /(15 + 10) = 150 /
25 = 6 ohms
The equivalent resistance of
resistors R3 and Rx in parallel is
equal to 25 − 6, i.e. 19.
Rtotal = R12 + R3x
 Current
Division
SOLUTION
Method 1 Method 2 Since the equivalent
The voltage V1 =IR1, where resistance of R3 and Rx in parallel
R is 6, from above, is 19,
i.e. V1=(10)(6)=60V
Hence 19 = (38Rx)/(38+Rx) i.e. product
V2=250V − 60V=190V sum
190V =p.d. across R3 Hence
=p.d. across Rx 19(38 + Rx ) = 38Rx
I3 = V2 / R3 = 190 /38 722 + 19Rx = 38Rx
=5A. 722 = 38Rx − 19Rx
Thus I4 =5A also, = 19Rx
since Itotal =10A Thus Rx = 722 /19 = 38
Thus Rx = V2/ I4 = 190/5a ohms
=38 ohms
 Current
Division
SOLUTION
Method 3
When two resistors having
the same value are
connected in parallel the
equivalent resistance is
always half the value of one
of the resistors. Thus, in this
case, since RT =19 and R3
=38, then Rx = 38 could
have been deduced on sight.
WYE-DELTA TRANSFORMATIONS
Situations often arise in circuit analysis when
the resistors are neither in parallel nor in series.
These are the wye (Y) or tee (T) network shown in
the figure (a) and the delta or pi network shown in
the figure (b). These networks occur by themselves
or as part of a larger network. They are used in
three-phase networks, electrical filters, and
matching networks. Our main interest here is in how
to identify them when they occur as part of a
network and how to apply wye-delta transformation
in the analysis of that network.
WYE-DELTA TRANSFORMATIONS
Wye to Delta Connected Resistors

To obtain the conversion

Each resistor in the delta network is
formulas for transforming a
the sum of all possible products of Y
wye network to an equivalent
resistors taken two at a time, divided
delta network.
by the opposite Y resistor.
Wye to Delta Connected Resistors
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
Transform the circuit Y to delta

20
Delta to Wye Conversion

Each resistor in the Y network is the

product of the resistors in the two
adjacent delta branches, divided by
the sum of the three delta resistors.
Delta to Wye Conversion
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
Transform the circuit from delta
to Y
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 Maximum Power Transfer Theorem

The maximum power transfer

theorem states: ‘The power
transferred from a supply source to
a load is at its maximum when the
resistance of the load is equal to
the internal resistance of the
source.’
Typical practical applications of the
Hence, in Figure, when R =r the maximum power transfer theorem
power transferred from the source are found in stereo amplifier
to the load is a maximum. design, seeking to maximize power
delivered to speakers, and in
electric vehicle design, seeking to
maximize power delivered to drive
 Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
EXAMPLE 1: SOLUTION
A d.c. source has an open-circuit RL =r=1.5
voltage of 30 V and an internal
resistance of 1.5. State the value From Figure, current
of load resistance that gives
maximum power dissipation and
determine the value of this I = E r / Rt = 30 V/(1.5+1.5 )=10
power. A

Power
P = (I^2) RL
=((10)^2)(1.5)
=150 W
W=maximum power dissipated.