Series vs Parallel Circuits

Step 3 of 4
"Why do both indicators stop working when one wire breaks? It's all in the circuit design."

Two Ways to Wire

Series: One break = all stop
Parallel: Each device has its own path. One break ≠ complete failure.

This is why your bike lights are mostly wired in parallel.

Think of series as a single-lane road: one blockage stops all traffic. Parallel is like multiple lanes or alternate routes: one blocked lane doesn't stop all traffic.

Series vs Parallel Circuits

🎙️ Listen to Explanation

In this lesson, you'll learn:

  • The difference between series and parallel circuits
  • Why most motorcycle systems use parallel circuits
  • How to identify series and parallel connections
  • Troubleshooting circuit failures based on how they're wired

🧩 Circuit Simulation

Toggle between series and parallel circuits. Try removing bulbs to see what happens in each configuration.

All bulbs are working! Current flows through each bulb in sequence.

❓ Quiz

What kind of circuit keeps working if one bulb fails?