Electricity is delivered to consumers through a complex

network
Electricity is generated at power plants and moves through a complex system, sometimes called
the grid, of electricity substations, transformers, and power lines that connect electricity
producers and consumers. Most local grids are interconnected for reliability and commercial
purposes, forming larger, more dependable networks that enhance the coordination and planning
of electricity supply.

Electricity is generated or produced by turning or rotation of turbines. These turbines can be rotated by
any means – coal, steam, nuclear energy, renewable energy etc. In most power plants, turbines are
rotated by the pressure of steam. This steam is created by boiling water using burning coal in large
boilers. The pressure of steam is such that is turns the turbines, which in turn generates electricity.
Hydroelectricity uses the force of running water downstream a man-made water reservoir dam. The
great force of the running water turns the turbines. The motive is to turn the turbines by any means.

After electricity is generated in power plant, it is time for transmission. This is done by using step-up
transformers that increases the voltage. This high voltage electricity is transmitted through a network of
electrically conductive wires of aluminum or copper. These lines are called high-voltage transmission
lines that can transmit electricity over long distances.

Electricity is distributed via electric distribution substation. At the substation, the high voltage electricity
from the high-voltage transmission lines is passed through step-down transformers that lower the
voltage. The electricity is then transmitted to network of local electric distribution lines. Before
electricity enters a home, the voltage is again lowered using step-down transformers. In most countries
the voltage is 220 V AC or 110 V DC. In a home, electricity is distributed to different outlets by network
of wires through electrical wiring.

An electric circuit works by providing a closed loop to allow current to flow through a
system. Electrons must be able to flow throughout the circuit, completing a path from one pole
of the power source to the other. Along the way, this flow of electrons can be used to power
lights or other electrical devices. Any interruption in the pathway halts the flow of current.

One example of a simple circuit is a battery connected to a lightbulb. Current flows from one
terminal of the battery through a wire until it reaches the lightbulb and flows across the filament
of the bulb, which converts some of the energy to light. Then, the current flows through a second
section of wire to the opposite terminal of the battery, completing the circuit. Any break in this
pathway, whether it is a physical wire disconnection or a switch designed to temporarily break
the circuit, shuts down the flow of current and turns off the lightbulb.

In a series circuit, the current flows through a number of lights or other devices connected in a
row, and if one fails or is disconnected, it disrupts the current for the entire system. Conversely,
parallel circuits split the current flow into multiple paths, so a single failure does not shut down
the entire circuit.

How Electrical Circuits Work

Basic Circuits
An electric circuit is an unbroken path along which an electric current exists and/or is able to
flow. A simple electrical circuit consists of a power source, two conducting wires (one end of
each being attached to each terminal of the cell), and a small lamp to which the free ends of the
wires leading from the cell are attached.

When the connections are made properly, the circuit will “close” and current will flow through
the circuit and light the lamp.
A simple electrical circuit

Once one of the wires is removed from the power source or a “break” is made in the flow, the
circuit is now “open” and the lamp will no longer light.

In practical application, circuits are “opened” by such devices as switches, fuses, and circuit
breakers. Two general circuit classifications are series and parallel.

The elements of a series circuit are connected end to end; the same current flows through its
parts one after another.

Series Circuits
In a series circuit , the current through each of the components is the same, and the voltage
across the components is the sum of the voltages across each component.

An example of a Series Circuit

Parallel Circuits
In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each of the components is the same, and the total current
is the sum of the currents through each component.

If two or more components are connected in parallel they have the same potential difference (
voltage) across their ends. The potential differences across the components are the same in
magnitude, and they also have identical polarities. The same voltage is applicable to all circuit
components connected in parallel.

If each bulb is wired to the battery in a separate loop, the bulbs are said to be in parallel.
An example of a Parallel Circuit.

Circuit Example
Consider a very simple circuit consisting of four light bulbs and one 6 V battery. If a wire joins
the battery to one bulb, to a second bulb, to a third bulb, then back to the battery, in one
continuous loop, the bulbs are said to be in series. If the three light bulbs are connected in series,
the same current flows through all of them, and the voltage drop is 1.5 V across each bulb and
that may not be sufficient to make them glow.

If the light bulbs are connected in parallel, the current flowing through the light bulbs combine to
form the current flowing in the battery, while the voltage drop is 6.0 V across each bulb and they
all glow.

In a series circuit, every device must function for the circuit to be complete. One bulb burning
out in a series circuit breaks the circuit. In parallel circuits, each light has its own circuit, so all
but one light could be burned out, and the last one will still function.
What’s a circuit? What’s an overload?
When electricity enters your home, it goes to a circuit breaker box (or fuse box in older homes),
where it’s divided into a number of circuits. Each circuit is protected by a breaker or fuse.
Bedrooms, living rooms and family rooms where only lights, alarm clocks and other small
electrical items are usually used are normally on 15-amp circuits. Kitchens, laundry rooms,
bathrooms and dining rooms—places where you’re more likely to use toasters, irons, hair dryers
and other big-watt items—are usually served by heavier-duty, 20-amp circuits. Major appliances
like 5,000-watt electric water heaters and 10,000-watt electric ranges demand so much electricity
that they take their own 30- to 50-amp dedicated circuit (See Fig. D in “Additional Information”
below), protected by big, “double pole” breakers.

The circuit breaker, the wire and even the wire insulation are all designed to work as a system—
and that system has limits. Try to push more current through a circuit than it’s designed for and
things start happening (Fig. B). Wires heat up under the burden of carrying the excess current.
When this happens, the insulation around the wire can degrade or even melt. When insulation
melts, current is no longer confined within the wire. That’s when fires start. Luckily, the circuit
breaker senses the excess current and “trips” to stop the flow of power before damage occurs.

On the night the lights went out at your house, you were fine with only the lights and coffee
maker operating. The real trouble began when you plugged in that darn space heater.
Figure B: An Overloaded Circuit

This circuit has too many energy-demanding devices on it and is trying to carry more amperage
than it’s designed for. Things begin to heat up. Luckily the circuit breaker senses this, trips and
“breaks” the circuit.

One simple equation helps you determine if a circuit is

overloaded
To start solving the problem, we need to know one simple “rule of thumb” formula. This formula
will help us determine if all the electrical stuff on a particular circuit is overloading it. This
formula also helps define some everyday terms and how they relate to one another. After all,
light bulbs and space heaters are labeled in watts; tools and circuit breakers in amps; and our
household electrical system in volts: How do they all fit together?

The simple formula (Fig. C) tells us how: Watts divided by voltage equals amps. The other
equations shown are just other ways of saying the same thing.

Voltage can most simply be described as the pressure under which electricity—a chain of
electrons—moves. Most household current is pushed at 120 volts, though current to large
electrical appliances is pushed at the higher pressure of 240 volts.

Amps (or amperes) is a measurement of the number of electrons the voltage pushes past a given
point in
one second.
Watts is a unit of measurement for electrical power. It indicates how many electrons were
pushed through an electric gadget to make it work. It’s what the electric company bills you for.

One simple equation helps you determine if a circuit is

overloaded
To start solving the problem, we need to know one simple “rule of thumb” formula. This formula
will help us determine if all the electrical stuff on a particular circuit is overloading it. This
formula also helps define some everyday terms and how they relate to one another. After all,
light bulbs and space heaters are labeled in watts; tools and circuit breakers in amps; and our
household electrical system in volts: How do they all fit together?

The simple formula (Fig. C) tells us how: Watts divided by voltage equals amps. The other
equations shown are just other ways of saying the same thing.

Voltage can most simply be described as the pressure under which electricity—a chain of
electrons—moves. Most household current is pushed at 120 volts, though current to large
electrical appliances is pushed at the higher pressure of 240 volts.

Amps (or amperes) is a measurement of the number of electrons the voltage pushes past a given
point in
one second.

Watts is a unit of measurement for electrical power. It indicates how many electrons were
pushed through an electric gadget to make it work. It’s what the electric company bills you for.

Calculating why that breaker tripped

The circuit and circuit breaker that you tripped have a capacity of 15 amps, or 1,800 watts (15
amps x 120 volts = 1,800 watts). The lights drew 360 watts, or a measly 3 amps (360 watts
divided by 120 volts = 3 amps)—well within the capacity of your 15-amp system. The 800-watt
coffee maker (divided by 120 volts) drew 6.6 amps, substantially more power than the lights, but
their combined 9.6-amp draw is still within the limits of the 15-amp circuit.

But when you plugged in the 1,200-watt space heater, the 10 amps it required, plus the draw of
the other two devices, pulled 19.6 amps through a 15-amp system (Fig. B). It’s like a python
swallowing a pig; the system just can’t handle the load. The circuit breaker tolerated this for a
while. But when the excess current and resultant heat began deforming the two pieces of metal
inside the breaker, they started “pulling the trigger.” And when the metal pieces bent to a certain
point, the trigger snapped two contact points apart, interrupting the flow of electricity and
shutting down that circuit. If there’s a huge, sudden draw on a circuit, a little electromagnet in
the circuit breaker can pull the contact points apart too. If you have fuses, the excess heat melts a
wire inside the fuse, which in turn stops the flow of electricity.
If this had been a 20-amp breaker—one with thicker, No. 12 wire that could carry 2,400 watts—
the breaker wouldn’t have tripped. But once the wire is in the wall and the breaker is in the
breaker box, there’s not much you can do to upgrade an established circuit. But you do have
other choices.

Two solutions: The simple and the long term

The simple solution is to plug the space heater into an outlet on a circuit that has excess capacity.
You can determine the existing load on a circuit fairly easily: Click off the circuit breaker, then
flick on light switches and test outlets to see which ones no longer function. Then add up the
total watt load of devices on that circuit. This is often easier said than done. Sometimes a circuit
labeled “bedroom” will power outlets in the laundry room. Or the upper and lower outlets of a
duplex receptacle will be on different circuits. Once you have a circuit mapped out and the
electrical loads added up, you’ll be able to tell if you can plug more devices into the circuit
without overloading it.

As you add up the electrical loads, keep in mind that a wire rated at 15 amps can carry 15 amps
all day long. However, 15-amp breakers and fuses can only carry 12 amps—80 percent of their
rating—on a continuous basis. Continuous basis is considered to be a circuit loaded to capacity
for three hours or more. This 80 percent rule applies to all breakers and fuses. For more in-depth
information on calculating loads, see Preventing Electrical Overloads.

The best long-term solution is to install a new dedicated circuit and outlet for the heater. Most
electricians will suggest a dedicated circuit for any appliance that will draw more than half the
capacity of a circuit. Fig. D in “Additional Information” (below) shows the wattage of appliances
that commonly have dedicated circuits. Anytime you install a large electrical appliance—
whether it’s 120 or 240 volts—install it on its own dedicated circuit with the correct size wire
and circuit breaker.

As you can see from Fig. E, a 20-amp breaker with thicker, No. 12 wire can carry more current
than a 15-amp circuit with No. 14 wire. When you’re wiring or rewiring a kitchen, laundry room,
bathroom or dining room, the National Electrical Code will require you to install 20-amp
circuits, which can carry more current. If you use a lot of power tools, it makes sense to use 20-
amp circuits for your garage, workshop and basement too.
Have you ever wondered what happens when you flip a switch to turn on a light, TV, vacuum
cleaner or computer? What does flipping that switch accomplish? In all of these cases, you are
completing an electric circuit, allowing a current, or flow of electrons, through the wires.

An electric circuit is in many ways similar to your circulatory system. Your blood vessels,
arteries, veins and capillaries are like the wires in a circuit. The blood vessels carry the flow of
blood through your body. The wires in a circuit carry the electric current to various parts of an
electrical or electronic system.

Your heart is the pump that drives the blood circulation in the body. It provides the force or
pressure for blood to circulate. The blood circulating through the body supplies various organs,
like your muscles, brain and digestive system. A battery or generator produces voltage -- the
force that drives current through the circuit.

Take the simple case of an electric light. Two wires connect to the light. For electrons to do their
job in producing light, there must be a complete circuit so they can flow through the light bulb
and then back out.

The diagram above shows a simple circuit of a flashlight with a battery at one end and a
flashlight bulb at the other end. When the switch is off, a complete circuit will not exist, and
there will be no current. When the switch is on, there will be a complete circuit and a flow of
current resulting in the flashbulb emitting light.

Circuits can be huge power systems transmitting megawatts of power over a thousand miles -- or
tiny microelectronic chips containing millions of transistors. This extraordinary shrinkage of
electronic circuits made desktop computers possible. The new frontier promises to be
nanoelectronic circuits with device sizes in the nanometers (one-billionth of a meter).

In this article, we'll learn about the two basic types of electric circuits:

 Power circuits transfer and control large amounts of electricity. Examples are power lines and
residential and business wiring systems. The major components of power circuits are generators
 at one end and lighting systems, heating systems or household appliances at the other end. In
between are power lines, transformers and circuit breakers.
 Electronic circuits process and transmit information. Think computers, radios, TVs, radars and
cell phones.