The following is an illustration of how to solve a simple parrallel circuit. Keep in mind that you should be familiar with all of the relationships of a parallel circuit which are:
- There are two or more paths for current in a parallel circuit.
- The sum of all the currents (I1, I2 .. In) are equal to It (the total current) in a parallel circuit.
- The resistance total in a parallel circuit is
- The Voltage gain (Et) is the same as the voltage drops
- The power total dissipated in Watts in a parallel circuit is the sum of all power dissipated in the circuit.
The basic steps for solving a parallel circuit problem are as follows:
- Draw the original parallel circuit.
- Solve for resistance total (Rt) of the parallel circuit.
- Draw an equivalent circuit using the value of Rt.
- Using Ohm's Law (I = E/R), solve for the total current (It) in the parallel circuit using the value of Rt and Et.
- Go back to your original drawing of your parallel circuit.
- Solve for the current through each resistor using Ohm's Law I = E/R where the voltage drop across each resistor is equal to Et.
Examples: I1 = E1/R1, I2 = E2/R2 ... etc.
- As a check, sum all of your currents and they should equal the total current (It).
- Using Watt's Law P=I*E, solve for the power dissipated in each resistor.
Examples: P1 = I1 E1, P2 = I2E2, etc.
- Sum the power dissipated in each resistor to attain the power total dissipated in the circuit.
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