Chapter 13 Solving the Parallel Circuit I. Parallel Circuit Connection. A. Two or more paths for current to flow. B.

Loads are connected across each other (like the rungs of a ladder). C. Current changes and voltage remains the source voltage. D. Each load acts independently of the other(s). E. Branches of current equals the number of loads in parallel. II. Parallel Circuit Current, Voltage, Resistance, and Power Characteristics. A. Current 1. It = I1+I2+I3+.......... 2. Current drawn is determined by the resistance value of each load. a. Higher the resistance the lower the current. B. Voltage (Vt = V1 = V2 = V3 = .........) C. Resistance 1. Rt < the lowest valued resistor in the circuit. 2. There are more paths for current to flow which results in less opposition to total current flow and a decrease in total resistance. D. Power Dissipation. 1. Same as the series circuit. 2. Pt = P1 + P2 + P3 + ........... or Pt = It * Vt. III. Solving Parallel Circuits. A. Resistance total. 1. For 2 loads Rt = (R1 X R2)/(R1 + R2) 2. More than 2 loads Rt = 1 / (1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 + .....) IV. Troubleshooting the Parallel Circuit (use example 13-4). A. Open 1. Rt increases, It decreases, and Pt decreases. 2. Branch will have Vt but infinite resistance and zero current flow. 3. Remaining branches will remain unchanged. 4. Shorted resistor (use figure 13-10). a. Shorts out the source voltage. b. No resistance max current flow. c. Protective device will normally open the circuit. d. To test open all branches then monitor source voltage while closing the branches one at a time. (Look for a voltage drop to near 0, max current, or protective device trips.) V. Problems (1, 2, 3, 4, 9, three hand outs).