Voltage and Current Division, Star to Delta

Conversion - GATE Study Material in PDF

In these free GATE Study Notes, we learn the concepts of Voltage and Current Division in
Different Circuits. We will also discuss Star to Delta Conversion and vice versa. These
concepts are important to ace GATE EC, IES, BARC, BSNL, DRDO and other exams.
To successfully apply Voltage Division and Current Division, however, you need to know
KCL and KVL and Nodal and Mesh Analysis. So before you download these GATE Study
Material in PDF, make sure you have gone through previous articles in the series.

Recommended Reading

Basic Network Theory Concepts

Source Transformation & Reciprocity Theorem
KCL & KVL in Electrical Networks
Nodal & Mesh Analysis

Voltage Division
i.
ii.

Voltage division produces an output voltage that is a fraction of its input voltage.
Voltage division is the result of distributing input voltage among the components
of the divider.
Consider

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I=Z

Vin
1 +Z2

V1 = Vin Z

Z1
1 +Z2

, V2 = Vin Z

Z2
1 +Z2

Case i:
For inductors Z1 = sL1 , Z2 = sL2 , Then
V1 = Vin L

L1

1 +L2

and V2 = Vin L

L2

1 +L2

Case ii:
1

For capacitors Z1 = sC , Z2 = sC , then

1

V1 = Vin C

C2
1 +C2

V2 = Cin C

C1
1 +C2

Case iii:
For Resistors Z1 = R1 and Z2 = R 2
V1 = Vin R

R1
1 +R2

, V2 = Vin R

R2
1 +R2

Example:
Determine the voltage drops across the resistors in the given figure

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Solution:
Redraw the given figure we get,

V1 = Vin R

R1

45(5)

1 +R2 +R3

R2

V2 = Vin R

1 +R2 +R3

V3 = Vin R

1 +R2 +R3

R3

= 5+10+7.5 = 10V
45(10)

= 5+10+7.5 = 20V
45(7.5)

= 5+10+7.5 = 15V

Current Division
In a linear circuit current division produces a current that is a fraction of its
input current.
ii. Current division refers to the splitting of current between the branches of the
divider.
Consider
i.

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Z Z

Iin = I1 + I2 = Z + Z V = Iin Z 1+Z2

V

I1 = Z = Iin Z
1

I2 = Iin Z

Z2
1 +Z2

Z1
1 +Z2

Case i:
For inductors Z1 = sL1 and Z2 = sL2
I1 = Iin L

L2

1 +L2

, I2 = Iin L

L1

1 +L2

Case ii:
1

For capacitors Z1 = sC , Z2 = sC
1

I1 = Iin C

C1
1 +C2

, I2 = Iin C

C2
1 +C2

Case iii:
For resistors: Z1 = R1 and Z2 = R 2
I1 = Iin

R2
R1 +R2

, I2 = Iin

R1
R1 +R2

Example:
Determine the branch currents through the individual resistors

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Solution:
Redraw the given figure then we get,

I (R ||R )

I1 = Rin+(R2 ||R3 ) =
1

I (R ||R )

I2 = Rin+(R1 ||R3 ) =
2

I3 =

R3 +(R1 ||R2 )

12
)
1+2
12
3+
1+2

= 11 = 11 A

13
)
1+3
13
2+
1+3

6(

Iin (R1 ||R2 )

32
)
3+2
32
1+
5

6(

6(

6(6)
11

12

6(3)
11

36

= 11 A
12

18
11

Verification:
I = I1 + I2 + I3 =

36+12+18
11

66

= 11 = 6A(correct)

Star Connection
When either terminals of three Branches is connected to a common point to form a Y
like pattern is known as star connection (or) wye connection

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Delta Connection
Here the Branches are connected, that they form a closed loop.

Conversion from Star to Delta Connection:

The following formulae gives the conversion from star to delta connection.
ZAB = ZA + ZB +
ZBC = ZB + ZC +
ZAC = ZA + ZC +
Note:
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ZA ZB
ZC
ZB ZC
ZA
ZA ZC
ZB

If ZA = ZB = ZC = Z then ZAB = ZBC = ZAC = 3Z

Conversion from Delta to Star Connection

The following formulae give the conversion from delta to star connection.
ZA = Z
ZB = Z
ZC = Z

ZAB ZAC
AB +ZBC +ZAC

ZAB ZBC
AB +ZBC +ZAC

ZBC ZAC
AB +ZBC +ZAC

Note:
If ZAB = ZBC = ZAC = Z then ZA = ZB = ZC = Z/3
Example:
Find the value of VS in the figure shown below

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Solution:
Here we need to convert delta to star connection

We observed that ZAB = ZBC = ZAC = 3

Z

ZA = ZB = ZC = 3 = 1
So circuit becomes

VS = 2(3 + 1+ 2 + 1) = 14 V
VS = 14 V

Liked this article on Voltage Division in Series Circuits? Enjoyed the other concepts of
Current Division in Parallel Circuits, Star to Delta Conversion and Delta to Star Conversion
etc. Let us know in the comments. You may also enjoy the previous articles from our series

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Stability of Control Systems

Routh Hurwitz Stability Criteria

GATE Bits:

Shortcut to Draw Polar Plots

Special Cases of Routh Hurwitz Stability Criteria

Important Announcements for GATE 2017:

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