Briggs & Stratton 86262GS, Familiarization & Troubleshooting Manual

Page: 15 / 128

ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS
Section 1 • Generator Fundamentals
Portable Generator Familiarization & Troubleshooting Guide
Electrical conductors and resistances (loads) can be arranged
to form any of three following types of circuits:
• A Series Circuit
• A Parallel Circuit
• A Series-Parallel Circuit
The Series Circuit
A series circuit provides only one path in which current can
flow. A break in any part of the circuit stops current flow in
the entire circuit (Figure 1.19).The following basic laws may
be applied to a series circuit:
• Current flow (in amperes) is the same in every part of
the circuit.
• The total resistance of all resistances (loads) in a
series circuit is the sum of the individual resistances.
• The total voltage across all resistances (loads) in
series is the sum of the voltages across the individual
resistances.
Thus, total resistance may be determined as follows:
Find the voltage drop across each resistor in a series with
the formula E=IR .
Current flow (in amperes) in a series circuit is the same at
every point in the circuit. Find the
current flow with the
formula:
The Parallel Circuit
The parallel circuit provides two or more branches in
which current can flow (Figure 1.20). Resistances (loads) in
the individual branches are completely independent of
others in separate branches. If a shorted or open condition
occurs in any branch of the circuit, the remaining branches
may continue operating.
I =
E
R
13
Figure 1.19 — The Series Circuit
Figure 1.20 — The Parallel Circuit