The problem with the hydraulic analogy is that people take it too far. It’s super useful when describing simple ideas to children or laypeople that only are ev

The problem with the hydraulic analogy is that people take it too far. It’s super useful when describing simple ideas to children or laypeople that only are ever going to look at passive components in dc circuits, or at systems so simple it is unnecessary to distinguish between ac and dc. It quickly falls apart as you involve more complex concepts. But it is very useful at the basic, basic level for developing simple intuitions about voltage, amperage, and resistance. As long as it is used in-scope and with the appropriate caveats, it is very helpful. Taking it too far is the problem. You can’t use Newtonian physics to build a GPS system, and you shouldn’t try to go beyond basic eli5 electricity with the hydraulic model.