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Parallel and Series Circuits - Safe ??
- Thread starter Alabama Buckeye
- Start date
Shadetree Mechanic
Delaware Base Station 808
Safe? Whatever the devices are, if one of the series devices fail, the one in parallel will still work.
I don't know what those "devices" are, but usually when you have loads in series, the current through them isn't as much of a concern as the voltage drop they cause. Two loads are like two resistors, it's a voltage divider.
Depending on the type of failure, the other series load might not act as expected. Lets assume they are LED lights. If one of the series lights fails as an open, current through both series devices stops flowing. If one of the series lights fails as a short, the voltage across the remaining light will be twice it was before the failure.
Not knowing what those loads are or what you are trying to accomplish, I can only recommend to run them all in parallel (if the voltage is appropriate) and let the loads take the current they desire instead of making the loads dependent on each other.
Depending on the type of failure, the other series load might not act as expected. Lets assume they are LED lights. If one of the series lights fails as an open, current through both series devices stops flowing. If one of the series lights fails as a short, the voltage across the remaining light will be twice it was before the failure.
Not knowing what those loads are or what you are trying to accomplish, I can only recommend to run them all in parallel (if the voltage is appropriate) and let the loads take the current they desire instead of making the loads dependent on each other.
well, - let's get a bigger picture of the problem...
What is considered "safe"?
The two red-hash products are using 1/2 the voltage and current drop of the input supply...
No this circuit (s) are not considered safe - no fuse, no AWG disclosure - not even a working voltage
There are two devices that are tied to DROP power equally - but unless regulated in some way - resistance or other form of current limiting (Diode for Directional flow for example) the circuit it uses for both devices is not considered safe for if one opens - fine -the other quits too, but if one shorts, then all the current sinks thru it into the other - and even only .08A (80mA) - it is enough to cause heat - and if enough heat is present - ignite the part that failed shorted.
IF you are looking at "safe" being electrically connected - then yes, BOTH these circuits are considered Safe - for the "poles" of power being applied are not shorting to each other.
This only becomes a consideration for those that say use a pacemaker or for one under an ECG (Electrocardiogram) for if one of the pickups is failing - a burn caused by heating can occur - even though the other part connected to the same line is working - the part working consumes the current but the other unit then becomes a short and carries the electrical load to the other part, across it - possibly causing injury and burn to the patient.
What is considered "safe"?
The two red-hash products are using 1/2 the voltage and current drop of the input supply...
No this circuit (s) are not considered safe - no fuse, no AWG disclosure - not even a working voltage
There are two devices that are tied to DROP power equally - but unless regulated in some way - resistance or other form of current limiting (Diode for Directional flow for example) the circuit it uses for both devices is not considered safe for if one opens - fine -the other quits too, but if one shorts, then all the current sinks thru it into the other - and even only .08A (80mA) - it is enough to cause heat - and if enough heat is present - ignite the part that failed shorted.
IF you are looking at "safe" being electrically connected - then yes, BOTH these circuits are considered Safe - for the "poles" of power being applied are not shorting to each other.
This only becomes a consideration for those that say use a pacemaker or for one under an ECG (Electrocardiogram) for if one of the pickups is failing - a burn caused by heating can occur - even though the other part connected to the same line is working - the part working consumes the current but the other unit then becomes a short and carries the electrical load to the other part, across it - possibly causing injury and burn to the patient.
Devices in parallel will always have the same voltage across each, but current through each one may or may not be equal. Depends on the resistance of each parallel item. The lowest resistance of all parallel items will have the greatest share of the current.
Devices in series always have the same current through each. The voltage drop across each item will only be equal if the resistances are equal. The higher the resistance of any one item, the more voltage drop across it.
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Devices in series always have the same current through each. The voltage drop across each item will only be equal if the resistances are equal. The higher the resistance of any one item, the more voltage drop across it.
73