Current sources in parallel...

[Externet]

What is the behavior, limitations, particularities, considerations ? Do currents add feeding a load ?

 

[ZipZapOuch]

What is the behavior, limitations, particularities, considerations ? Do currents add feeding a load ?

Currents split inversely proportionally to the resistance of the load when in parallel. When the loads are in series, the current is the same in each step of the series.

 

[schmitt trigger]

By superposition, yes, all the parallel currents add up.
As long as the voltage compliance of the source with the narrowest range is not exceeded.

EDIT: I actually did an experiment with a pair of JFETs. As long as the supply voltage was high enough to operate both devices in saturation, the resulting current was IDSS1 + IDSS2.

 

[Tony Stewart]

Make your own new rules with these two voltage (-2 to +2V) controlled current sources.
The reference current, voltage and load resistance. Which ones dominate the result in series?

https://tinyurl.com/2xzccg5g

 

[Externet]

Something is wrong with the bottom grounds.

 

[crutschow]

What is the behavior, limitations, particularities, considerations ? Do currents add feeding a load ?

The currents will add as if there were one source until the voltage compliance of one of the real current sources is reached.
Ideal current sources, such as in a simulator, have no such limit, of course.

 

[ahsrabrifat]

What is the behavior, limitations, particularities, considerations ? Do currents add feeding a load ?

Ideal current sources in parallel are not allowed unless they provide exactly the same current. If they don’t, they will conflict, potentially causing undefined voltage levels or damage in real circuits.

 

[ZipZapOuch]

Ideal current sources in parallel are not allowed unless they provide exactly the same current. If they don’t, they will conflict, potentially causing undefined voltage levels or damage in real circuits.

On my dual source power supply, I can set both to 0.5A and run them both in parallel through a 1-ohm resistor, I get a nice steady 1V across the resistor, indicating 1A total current. All my equipment is fine.

Please explain why you would expect undefined voltage levels or damage?

 

[danadak]

Ideal current sources in parallel are not allowed

Actually if they are ideal, hence isolated from each others control loop,
then should not be a problem paralleling. Same also is true for non ideal.
As long as control loop / current sense is not downstream of load all should
be good.