# Series or Parallel Outlets



## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

All receptacles are wired in parallel. The terms series and parallel are often misused when talking about house wiring. The "three wire" circuits they are referring to are multi-wire branch circuits.
http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_multiwire_branch_circuits/


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## Bocolo (Jan 24, 2009)

jerryh3 said:


> All receptacles are wired in parallel. The terms series and parallel are often misused when talking about house wiring. The "three wire" circuits they are referring to are multi-wire branch circuits.


Thanks for your time and response. So wether you are using pigtails or using the set of side screws you are wiring in parallel? Forgive my ignorance but what exactly are "multi-wire branch circuits". Thanks again for your time.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

A MWBC is a circuit that use two hot wires and only one neutral. The hot wire share the neutral. The hot wires must be on opposite legs of the service. 

The service wires feeding your house work on the same principle. Two hot wires and a neutral.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

Bocolo said:


> Thanks for your time and response. So wether you are using pigtails or using the set of side screws you are wiring in parallel? Forgive my ignorance but what exactly are "multi-wire branch circuits". Thanks again for your time.


Yes, either way they are wired in parallel. Check out these diagrams. (They show DC circuits but the principles are the same)
Points 2, 3, 4 would be the brass terminals of the receptacle. 7, 6, and 5 would be the silver.
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_5/1.html


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## Bocolo (Jan 24, 2009)

Ok. I think I am beginning to understand. Because there are two sets of electrically common points no matter how you wire receptacles they are parallel. To make sure I understand. If I wired three lamps and connected the black source to the black on the lamp 1, then white from lamp 1 to black on lamp 2 and white from lamp 2 to black on lamp 3 then white from lamp 3 to white on source. This will be a series wiring? If any lamp was out the others will not function because of the break in the circuit? Correct? What applications would require to wire in a series if the above is true? Why wire in series? Thanks once more for your time and responses.


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## jerryh3 (Dec 10, 2007)

I think you got it. Light switches, timers, photocells, are applications of series wiring in residential AC circuits. In DC circuits, batteries, speakers, resistors, can be wired in series for different effects.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

You are correct. The only thing wired in series in your home is a switch. It is in series with the fixture to be able to turn it off.


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## Bocolo (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks for all your replies and help. I understand this now.


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