Series and parallel

[Monkeyblaine]

Can someone just please clarify I have the correct understanding here. With a series circuit with two resistors in it the voltage from the source is dropped equally over the loads and reduced to mV on the outgoing side. Now if you tap into it before it hits those resistors you have created a parallel path for the voltage to travel and if you place another resistor after this the voltage will be the same as what it is at the first original pair of resistors in series. Much the same as a domestic installation feed in to load then take a feed out to another load, creating a parallel path for the voltage. So whether it be a battery supply or main supply, If you tap off the cable before it hits the load and then attach another load the voltage will be the same in other words parallel circuits.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

But again surely that's just to the first light. Because if it were 10 spots they'd all be in parallel from
Switch. But I'm a complete novice so I do struggle with some understandings. Also with a battery obviously it only has limited negatively charged electrons so adding parallel circuits to a battery must ghastly depreciate the voltage at each parallel branch and will this happen equally across branches as battery depletes?

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Fastly depreciate*

 

[Marvo]

Because all the voltage isn't dropping actoss resistors on series it now has another path to take aswell. Right or wrong?

You might be getting confused between voltage and current. Voltage doesn't 'take a path', current does. Current flows physically through the wires, voltage is the force that pushes (and pulls) it. If you think of the main electrical supply as a pump and the wires as pipes then voltage would be the pressure the pump is creating, water flow would be the equivalent of the current flowing in the circuit.

 

[telectrix]

But again surely that's just to the first light. Because if it were 10 spots they'd all be in parallel from
Switch. But I'm a complete novice so I do struggle with some understandings. Also with a battery obviously it only has limited negatively charged electrons so adding parallel circuits to a battery must ghastly depreciate the voltage at each parallel branch and will this happen equally across branches as battery depletes?

yes 10 spots would be in parallel. the 10 spots together constitute the load through the switch.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Thank you. Marvo when I put a volt meter across line and neutral at a switch which is not closed therefore no current flowing, the voltage is still present at this parallel path. I know voltage is the pressure but when you tap off at certain points of a circuit those Parallel paths are still at 230v to earth regardless of any current flowing so the voltage is taking the parallel path you've created for it.

 

[telectrix]

current takes a path, not voltage. once you connect loads in parallel, each will have 230V at the "live" side and will drop that voltage across the load/s.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Ok I do understand that. But the voltage, the 230v pressure is sitting there at any conductor it's given to waiting for a load and an potential difference waiting to push a current. Right surely.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Or... Is there no voltage and current at said conductor until load is connected to it and the reason I think there is when I
Test with voltmeter is because the voltmeter is now the load. So it's not just sitting there it will only be present once load is attached to line and neutral??

 

[Monkeyblaine]

I going mental! Please someone tell me which is right.

 

[telectrix]

voltage is present as long as there is a supply. current will only flow if there is a load applied between the supply L and N ( or E ). your meter is providing a high impedance load and a small current will flow through the meter. as the meter is set on volts, the internal witchcraft of the meter converts this current into a voltage reading.

 

[Monkeyblaine]

Yeah so my First thoughts are correct. The voltage is present in the parallel paths. But no current flowing. Just waiting some a load to be applied. And providing no volt drop is occurring the 230 will be present at all component love sides and all equal to 230v. Thank you.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

imagine the resistors and their associated wiring as water pipes, water will flow down each branch. the rate of flow is proportional to the cross sectional area of the pipe. same with electric current. current flow is inversely proportional to the resistance. if you have water flowing into a junction, the water flowing out through however many pipes branch off is the same as that flowing in, same with current. ( kirchoff's law).

getting dangerously close to `them over there` Tel....

 

[telectrix]

getting dangerously close to `them over there` Tel....

just thought that if a plumber could understand water flow, then anybody can......