Converting Between Delta and Wye Configurations

Because both the Delta and Wye configurations are used often throughout electronics, they
appear in the design of new circuits as well as in older ones. Therefore, it is important to be able
to convert back and forth between the two. Usually it is enough to know the formulas or
equations required to perform these conversions. However, for complete understanding, it is a
good idea to know and understand how these formulas are derived and why they work.
To do this, we will first determine the initial equations describing both configurations. Then we
will be able to solve them simultaneously to determine the conversion formulas.

Deriving the Initial Equations

We derive the initial equations by noting that for the two configurations to appear the same
externally, it is necessary for the externally measured resistances, RXY, RXZ, and RYZ, to be the
same for either configuration. Therefore, we can determine these and set them equal to each
other. This gives us our three initial simultaneous equations:

<=====>

(1) RXY = R1 + R2 =

(2) RXZ = R1 + R3 =

(RA + RB) RC
(RA + RB) + RC
(RA + RC) RB
(RA + RC) + RB

RARC + RBRC
RA + RB + RC
RARB + RBRC
RA + RB + RC

(3) RYZ = R2 + R3 = (RB + RC) RA = RARB + RARC

(RB + RC) + RA

RA + RB + RC

Solving For R1, R2, and R3

From the basic equations above, it looks much easier to solve for the numbered resistors, so we'll
do that first. That in turn may make it easier to solve these equations in the other direction. We'll
isolate R1 by subtracting Equation (3) from Equation (1) to get R1 - R3, and then add Equation
(2) to that result. The expressions for R2 and R3 can be derived the same way, and will be quite
similar.
(1) - (3) = R1 + R2 - (R2 + R3)
= R1 - R3
(1) - (3) + (2) = R1 - R3 + R1 + R3
= 2R1
Applying these to the lettered resistors, we get:
R1 - R3 =

2R1 =

R1 =

R2 =

R3 =

RARC + RBRC
RA + RB + RC

RARB + RARC
RA + RB + RC

RBRC - RARB
RA + RB + RC
RBRC - RARB
RA + RB + RC
2(RBRC)
RA + RB + RC
RBRC
RA + RB + RC
RARC
RA + RB + RC
RARB
RA + RB + RC

RARB + RBRC
RA + RB + RC

Solving for RA, RB, and RC

To solve these expressions for the lettered resistors, we first note that the equation for R1 above
contains only a single instance of RA. Therefore we will rearrange that equation and solve it for
RA. Then we will substitute that value for RA in the denominator of the equation for R2, and
simplify the result as much as possible. This will give us simplified relationships that we can
more easily apply to these expressions.
R1 =

RB RC
RA + RB + RC

R1(RA + RB + RC) = RB RC
RA + RB + RC =

RA =

R2 =

RB RC
R1
RB RC
R1

RA RC
RA + RB + RC

R2(RA + RB + RC) = RA RC
RB RC
R2(
R1

- RB - RC + RB + RC) = RA RC
R2 RB RC = R1 RA RC
[ R3 RC = ] R2 RB = R1 RA
RB =

RC =

- RB - RC

R1 RA
R2
R1 RA
R3

Now we can replace RB and RC with very simple expressions involving RA, so that we will be
able to solve for RA in terms of only numbered resistors. RB and RC can then be found in the
same way, and will have similar expressions.
RA =

RB RC
R1

- RB - RC

R1 RA

R1 RA

RA =

RA =

1=
R1 RA
R2 R3
R1 RA

R2

R3
R1

R1 RA R1 RA
R1 R2 R3
R1 RA
R2 R3

R1
R2
R1

R2
R1 RA
R2

R2 R3

R1 R3

R1 R2

R3

R2

R1

R3

R1

R2

RB =

RC =

R1
R1 R3
R2
R1 R2
R3

R3
R1 RA
R3

R1

R2 R3

R1 RA

R3

RA =

R1

R2

R1 RA

R3

You don't really need to know these derivations, although understanding them will help you with
your understanding of electronics in general. However, you should know the conversion
formulas themselves, and be able to apply them when designing or analyzing electronic circuits.