- Alternating current (AC): An alternating current that reverses direction at regular intervals.
- Ampacity: The maximum amperage a given wire size can safely deliver.
- Ampere (amp): A unit of electrical current or rate of flow of electrons.
- Amperage: The strength of an electrical current expressed in amperes (amps).
- Array: Any number of PV modules connected together electrically to provide a single electrical output.
- Balance of System (BOS): Parts or components of a Renewable Energy system other than the solar array.
- Battery: A series of single 2 volt cells.
- Battery Cell:
One 2 volt unit connected in series or parallel to create a battery.
- Blocking Diode:
A one-way check valve allowing electricity to flow in one direction.
- Charge Controller:
A device used in R-E systems to prevent overcharging the battery.
- Direct Current (DC): The type of electricity stored in batteries that flows in one direction.
- Depth Of Discharge (DOD):
The ampere-hours removed from a fully charged battery, expressed as a percentage of rated capacity.
- Electrolyte: The fluid in batteries (sulfuric acid & distilled water) as the transport medium for positively and negatively charged ions.
- Equalization: A controlled overcharge that restores all cells in a battery to 100% state of charge. (SOC)
- Float Charge:
A low rate of charge that will maintain a battery at a full SOC without over- charging the battery.
- Gassing: The separation of hydrogen and oxygen that occurs as the battery approaches 100% SOC. It can also happen if the battery is under heavy load. This gas is very explosive when in concentrations of more than 2 PPM (parts per million).
- Insolation:
The amount of sunlight reaching an area.
- Inverter: A power condition device used to change DC energy to AC energy.
- Kilowatt-Hour (kWh):
Unit of energy (1000 watts) to perform work. If a 100 watt light is on for 10 hours it has consumed 1 kWh of energy.
- Load: Refers to any device consuming energy. Usually expressed in terms of watts or amps.
- National Electric Code (NEC):
Rules and guide lines instituted by the National Fire Prevention Association
(NFPA) to reduce the risk of fire in any electrical installation. R-E is now covered in the latest revision of the NEC.
- Renewable Energy
(R-E): Energy produced from virtually inexhaustible sources (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, tidal, and wave).
- Solar cell: The most basic photovoltaic device which generates energy when exposed to sunlight.
- Solar Modules Panels:
A number of solar cells connected in series and/or parallel to increase the voltage and amperage. These connected solar cells are then assembled into a hermetically sealed unit.
- Shorting: The result of treeing. Is also caused by active material falling off the plate.
- Treeing:
Growth of a lead dendrite or filament through a hole, crack, or large pore of a separator causing a short-circuit in batteries.
- Voltage: A measure of the force or "push" given the electrons in an electrical circuit; a measure of electrical potential. One volt produces one amp when acting against a resistance of one ohm.
- Watt: Unit of power. Power is the rate of using energy to do work.
Amperage x voltage = watts. Watts are a constant; if the voltage is higher then the amperage will be lower to produce the same amount of wattage or vise versa.
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