Why does the ring main run in a ring?

[HappyHippyDad]

Hello,

This is the start of the silly questions that I will be asking!

I'll be starting my domestic installers course in february and have lots of questions. Some will sound silly but at least I will learn.

Why does the ring main run from and back to the consumer unit, whereas the lighting circuit doesn't and all other circuits dont? I'm assuming it must allow more load to be taken from it, but I cant see how it could do that? How can the electricity flow both ways, doesn't it bump into itself!!!

Thanks, Steve

 

[cablemonkey]

defo a plumber on a wind up..nice try mate:83:

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Nope, genuine question.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

If it's a real question perhaps this will help.....Ring circuit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
But if you are starting a domestic installers course very soon I would brush up on theory before going anywhere near a domestic install....Ask away.

 

[Andy 7671]

Read up on ..

Conventional current theory then if your appetite is whetted

Electron drift theory.

Electrical science and principles, Linsey is recommended, Whitfield is annoying as it will give you a formula then the example is often over the page.

 

[Des 56]

Start your studies by trying to learn the basics principles of the electrics we work with
If you ask questions at the level demonstrated,then you will always have difficulty understanding utilising those principles in practical situations


"In the beginning there is ohms law"he worked it out by himself,but we get the easy bit,we just use his hard work to understand this force

 

[The Ranger]

it originates from the copper crisis in rhodesia

 

[Specialist]

It's Alternating Current. It can't bump into itself, it changes direction 50 times a second.

 

[trev]

Ah but it can bump into itself Specialist. What about the electrons bombing round the Large Hadron Collider?
Eh? You forgot about them didn't you

 

[CrazyScozzese]

" "

 

[Marvo]

The question you're asking is very basic electrical theory. The problem isn't the question, it's more that any explanation given in a few lines here will lead to many more questions. It's difficult to explain the very basics on a forum like this without inevitably adding to your confusion. You should probably download the first two books in this series and do some bedtime reading. They cover the very basic theories of electricity and it will help if you're familiar with their content before you start any installer courses. If there's anything in them you can't get to grips with you're welcome to post a question here.

 

[Specialist]

Ah but it can bump into itself Specialist. What about the electrons bombing round the Large Hadron Collider?
Eh? You forgot about them didn't you

Ok trev: I hold my hands up, i did forget about that. Sorry mate.

 

[Rockingit]

It's so that the electrons are trapped in a loop and can't escape off the end, whereas with a lighting or dedicated heating circuit they HAVE to escape as either light or heat.

 

[leckyant]

Yes, but when things travel at the speed of light,time does not exist,ask brian Cox.

 

[Rockingit]

Yes, but when things travel at the speed of light,time does not exist,ask brian Cox.

What's time got to do with it? We're discussing electron theory, not clock watching to pump the bill up.