Advantages and Disadvantages of Series and

Parallel Connection

A series circuit is a circuit in which resistors or

loads are connected end to end so that the
circuit will have only one path through which
electric current flows. Thus, when a number
of resistors are connected in series, the
effective resistance (total resistance in the
circuit) is gotten by adding the individual
resistance algebraically.
In series connections, the same current flows
across all the branches of the circuits, but
different voltage across it thus making the
resistors to have different voltage across
them. Each resistor or load will experience a
voltage drop. The applied voltage is equal to
the sum of the voltage drop across the
different parts of the circuit. Voltage drop is
proportional to the resistance current being
the same throughout the circuit. When loads
are connected in series, the loads will tend to
have a common switch. This kind of
connection is employed in school halls, street
lights. The problem with this kind of
connection is that when a load develops a
problem, the other connected system will fail.
It’s an all or none type of circuit connection.
Till a load gets energy before it delivers it to
the other and the one to deliver fails, there
will be a black out.
Ohm’s Law in Series Circuits
V
Vtotal = ItotalRtotal

V
VR1 = IR1R 1
VR1 = (0.5A)(3 Ω)= 1.5-v
Rtotal = 3Ω + 10 Ω + 5 Ω VR2 = IR2R 2
Itotal = 9-V
Rtotal = 18 Ω 18 Ω VR2 = (0.5A)(10 Ω)= 5-v
VR3 = IR3R 3
Itotal = 0.5 A
VR3 = (0.5A)(5 Ω)= 2.5-v

Vtotal = VR1 + VR2 + VR3

Vtotal = 1.5V + 5V + 2.5V = 9V
Resistors, loads are said to be connected in
parallel when the end of each of the resistors
or loads have a common point or junction and
the other ends are also connected to a
common point or junction. Such circuits are
known as parallel circuits. Unlike the series
circuit connection, when finding the total
(effective) resistance in a parallel circuit, the
reciprocal of the individual resistance is
taken. Thus, when a number of resistances
are connected in parallel, the reciprocal of the
effective resistance is given by the arithmetic
or algebraic sum of the reciprocal of the
individual resistance.
Parallel circuit connection is very common in
use. Various lamps and electrical appliances
in our homes are connected in parallel so that
 each of the lamps or bobs and appliances
can be operated independently. For us to
have control over the individual lamps or
loads, they have to be wired in parallel.
Ohm’s Law in Parallel Circuits

IR1 = VR1 = 9-V =0.9A

R1 10 Ω Itotal = 0.9A + 4.5A +9A = 14.4A Rtotal = = 9-V =0.625 Ω
IR2 = VR2 = 9-V =4.5A
R2 2 Ω 14.4A
IR3 = VR3 = 9-V =9A
R3 1 Ω
 Safety Devices at Home
Electricity has two hazards. A thermal hazard
occurs when there is electrical overheating. A
shock hazard occurs when electric current
passes through a person. There are safety
devices that will prevent these hazards.
Read the concepts about these safety
devices.
Circuit breakers: It functions to break the
circuit when the current in the circuit exceeds
the maximum value, and is no longer
considered safe. To do this there is an
electromagnet that will physically break the
circuit when it detects that the current has
exceeded its maximum.
Fuses: Fuses are like circuit breakers in that
they will break a circuit when it detects that it
is too dangerous to operate. Fuses use a
resistance wire with a low melting point
instead of an electromagnet, and when the
current is too great the wire melts and the
circuit will is broken.
Earthing: There are three wires that supply
power to households. These are the active,
neutral and earth wires. Earth wires are put in
so that electric shocks can be avoided when
people come into contact with an active wire
that is in contact with the casing of any
connected appliances. If there was no earth
wire a person would complete the circuit
between the appliances and the ground, and
would receive an electric shock. To reduce
the chance of this happening, the earth wire
provides a better conductive path for the
current. If the current comes into contact with
the casing of an appliance, the earth wire will
create a conductive path from the appliance
to the earth, and a large current will flow to
the earth through this connection.
Double insulation: Insulation is installed so
that wiring and electric appliances are
covered so that the current will only go
through its intended path. The insulation is
made out of an extremely poor conductor in
order to create a safe path for the current to
flow through.
Residual current devices: RCDs are designed
so that they can stop a current before it
becomes harmful to a person. It does this by
detecting any leakages from the circuit
through a differential current transformer, that
will compare the current flowing through the
live and neutral conductor, and if there is a
differ ence it quickly shuts down the current.