Talk:Tag:power=circuit

topology

Why the topology=linear/branched tag? This can be seen from the members: non-linear members and tap node means it's branched. Or is it for Q/A purposes? Isn't the non-linearity of the members and the presence of the tap node enough redundancy for Q/A purposes already? —M!dgard 🇧🇪 (talk) 12:31, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

Hello, not always: sometimes you know it's branched but aren't able to complete all the members. That's why I wonder how QA will be relevant if topology=* says it's branched but members say it's linear. It already existed for outdoor activities, with roundtrip=yes which would be an equivalent to topology=loop Fanfouer (talk) 12:42, 22 August 2025 (UTC)

What is the difference between line_section and circuit?

From reading the page it is not clear at all to me.

If I understood correctly circuit is built from multiple line_sections? How exactly circuit is split into line sections?

On rereading it seems that circuit is split into line_section by tap point, as substations split both. Though "tap point" seems undefined in article, has no wiki page, googling gives unrelated terms.

Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 09:47, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

A circuit is composed of one or several sections. Those two images illustrate the difference:

and

When composed of a single section between two substations, the section merges into the power=circuit relation and no power=line_section is needed.

Tap points are t-connections and relates to line_management=branch (but not all tap points get line_management=branch, since line_management=branch|straight or line_management=branch|split may apply as well). I've added this explanation into [1] Fanfouer (talk) 11:30, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

"Such circuits involve tapping points referring to particular towers or junctions. They connect several sections together often in a T or X pattern and relate to line_management=branch (or any composite value involving it). " - would phrasing it as "Such circuits involve tapping points. Tapping points are where multiple power=line or power=minor_line join together, and any power=line_section will never go through tapping point, instead tapping point will split it into two power=line_section" be still correct and more clear? Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 14:29, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

Almost, yes. "Tapping points are where multiple power=line or power=minor_line join together" bothers me as sometimes different power=line may converge on a tower with line_management=split and it's not a tapping point. The final part is fine to me. Fanfouer (talk) 18:35, 11 April 2026 (UTC)

"sometimes different power=line may converge on a tower with line_management=split and it's not a tapping point" - it would be worth mentioning exactly that to clarify that. Is every line_management=split preventing convergence from being a tap point? Can it be prevented in other way? Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 03:07, 12 April 2026 (UTC)

We should not duplicate line_management=* documentation on this page. We should remain focused on line_management=branch as it's the only value for a tapping point. My point was the line convergence on a tower is not enough for a tapping point, it should also conform to line_management=branch. I've added a mention of tapping point on line_management=branch as well Fanfouer (talk) 06:47, 14 April 2026 (UTC)

In such case linking it would be also OK, just that it ideally it would be comprehensible for nonexperts Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 14:59, 15 April 2026 (UTC)

That's right. I've completed the page with according line_management values and how we should interpret them. Hope it helps Fanfouer (talk) 06:25, 16 April 2026 (UTC)

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:power%3Dcircuit#How_to_map - would it be correct to add note that of listed ones only in line_management=termination circuits end there? And in general, listing for which cases circuit should end... Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 06:18, 17 April 2026 (UTC)

I've added more details on what we should look at on ground to find where a given circuit ends Fanfouer (talk) 09:52, 20 April 2026 (UTC)

Rating

Rating has been added to the possible tags as recommended, but the definition is incomplete. It usually relies on winter/summer mode and needs a time window to be valid. See Tag:power=circuit#Why_aren't_we_prompted_for_capacity_in_MW? @Russss: Fanfouer (talk) 11:57, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

I'm mostly looking at HVDC links where the rating is usually published as a single number (sometimes interestingly with a 2-hour overload rating). But I feel like it would be straightforward enough to add rating:summer and rating:winter, and I'm tempted to just add those to the rating=* page. Russss (talk) 16:51, 15 June 2026 (UTC)

Substations or not

"Mappers only have to follow the cables and stop as the conductor they follow ends in a substation (more particularly connected to circuit breakers inside) to survey a given circuit."

but lead has "which are typically located within substations"

so is it always between substations or not? Is it sufficient to map power line between substations or is more sometimes necessary?

Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 04:40, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

@Mateusz Konieczny: Isn't this somehow related to why the first two proposals for power routing failed? Laypeople were totally befuddled by the complex schematics required at a substation. The most recent proposal passed, but I think most mappers still treat the substation as a black box, leaving the details to the relative handful of mappers who know what they're doing. It's probably for the best. Minh Nguyễn ^💬 16:01, 6 August 2026 (UTC)

I would be fine with treating substation as a black box here, if it would be explained somehow what power=circuit really is, how to tag it and how can I check is it validly tagged. Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 03:55, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

As stated in the last proposal, circuits are also marked on ground with colours or labels on towers. If someone wants to leave substations as a black box, it's also possible to refer to labels or markings when available. It depends on each country practices for this point and we can only figure this out on ground. OpenStreetMap is also largely based on surveys and observation. This experience doesn't come from reading wiki at first. Wiki is an help for this. I don't know how it's done in your area but I recommend to go and observe, ask questions about concrete situations and then document this in your area's local page. Fanfouer (talk) 07:08, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

"circuits are also marked on ground with colours or labels on towers" only in some cases, and they are also mapped when no such thing is there. Current wiki page in no way limits it to signed ones. Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 07:38, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

Can you provide an example or a practical situation of such please? Fanfouer (talk) 07:55, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

For example buried section of https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/17470895 Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 08:05, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

I thought about an example of yours to begin with. I can't speak on behalf of the contributor who can explain himself which source and logic he used to contribute. By the way, I bet there are labels on towers that allow to build the relation with or without the underground sections. Fanfouer (talk) 08:15, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

What tap point is?

This page uses "tap point" without clarification. If it is supposed to be understandable by regular people it should be clarified first or more clear language should be used. And what "tap point" seems to be obscure knowledge without obvious answers when I tried to educate myself. Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 04:43, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

Refer to the diagram

It it the point where a line of the same circuit branches off. Wolfy1339 (talk) 08:03, 16 July 2026 (UTC)

So tap point would be place where cables going into different directions are welded/attached to each other, while places with circuit breakers, well, form break between circuits? Maybe having photo of each case with description would help Mateusz Konieczny (talk) 15:16, 23 July 2026 (UTC)