Series-parallel circuits are analyzes using the laws applied to separate series or parallel circuits.
One example of a series-parallel circuit in an automotive application is a circuit for panel lights.
Basically, a series-parallel circuit contains both a series circuit AND a parallel circuit.
Fundamentals
In electrical circuits series and parallel are two basic ways of wiring components. The naming comes after the method of attaching components, i.e. one after the other, or next to each other. As a demonstration, consider a very simple circuit consisting of two light bulbs and one 12V battery. If a wire joins the battery to one bulb, to the next bulb, then back to the battery, in one continuous loop, the bulbs are said to be in series. If, on the other hand, each bulb is wired separately to the battery in two loops, the bulbs are said to be in parallel.
The measurable quantities used here are R, resistance, measured in ohms (Ω); I, current, measured in amperes (A) (coulombs per second); and V, voltage, measured in volts (V) (joules per coulomb).
Series circuits
Series circuits are sometimes called cascade-coupled or daisy chain-coupled.
The same current has to pass through all the components in the series. An ammeter placed anywhere in the circuit would measure the same amount.
Parallel circuits
The voltage is the same across all the components in parallel.
Source: CDX Global & Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
