Series & Parallel Resistor / Capacitor Calculator
Calculate total resistance or capacitance for series and parallel circuits
Calculator
Enter the values of resistors or capacitors. Choose series or parallel connection to calculate total resistance or capacitance.
About the Series & Parallel Resistor/Capacitor Calculator
The Series & Parallel Resistor/Capacitor Calculator helps you quickly compute the total resistance or total capacitance of multiple components in electrical circuits. This tool supports both series and parallel configurations, allowing engineers, students, and hobbyists to streamline circuit design calculations.
How It Works
Enter the individual resistor or capacitor values (in ohms or farads) separated by commas, select the component type, and choose the connection type. The calculator applies standard electrical formulas to determine the total value:
- Series Resistors: Rtotal = R₁ + R₂ + R₃ + ...
- Parallel Resistors: 1 / Rtotal = 1 / R₁ + 1 / R₂ + 1 / R₃ + ...
- Series Capacitors: 1 / Ctotal = 1 / C₁ + 1 / C₂ + 1 / C₃ + ...
- Parallel Capacitors: Ctotal = C₁ + C₂ + C₃ + ...
This allows you to accurately determine how multiple components interact in series or parallel circuits.
Applications in Circuit Design
Understanding total resistance and capacitance is essential for designing reliable circuits. Common applications include:
- Voltage dividers: Series resistors for controlled voltage distribution.
- Filter circuits: Series or parallel capacitors for low-pass, high-pass, or band-pass filters.
- Power distribution: Parallel resistors to share current load.
- Energy storage: Parallel capacitors to increase capacitance in power supply circuits.
- Timing circuits: Series and parallel RC networks to adjust charge/discharge times.