Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies

Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9781119544357) was previously published as Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9780470598931). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.

The fun and easy way to get a grip on photovoltaic design and installation

Designing and installing solar panel systems is a trend that continues to grow. With 'green collar' jobs on the rise and homeowners looking for earth-friendly ways to stretch their dollars and lesson their carbon imprint, understanding photovoltaic design and installation is on the rise.

Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies gives you a comprehensive overview of the history, physics, design, installation, and operation of home-scale solar-panel systems. You'll also get an introduction to the foundational mathematic and electrical concepts you need to understand and work with photovoltaic systems.

• Covers all aspects of home-scale solar-power systems

• Viable resource for professionals, students, and technical laymen

• Can be used to study for the NABCEP exam

Whether you're a building professional looking to expand your business and skills to meet the growing demand for solar power installation or are seeking a career in this rapidly expanding field, Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies has you covered!

Auteur

Ryan Mayfield has been working in the renewable energy field since 1999. He is President of Renewable Energy Associates, a consulting firm providing design, support, and educational services for commercial photovoltaic systems. He is also Photovoltaic Systems Technical Editor for StarPro magazine, where he regularly contributes feature articles.

Texte du rabat

• Design and install photovoltaic systems
• Follow processes for permitting, commissioning, inspection

• Expand your skill set for "green collar" jobs Get a grip on photovoltaic design Are you looking to secure a job in the exciting and dynamic field of photovoltaic design and installation? Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies helps you understand the technologies used in all types of PV systems, from modules and batteries to charge controllers, inverters, and more. This hands-on, friendly guide covers the workings of residential and small commercial-sized photovoltaic systems, and it gives you the essentials you need to correctly and safely install a system from start to finish. Inside

• Advice on figuring out which system type is right for you
• System basics in layman's terms
• How to select a site for a PV
• The basics of PV modules
• Guidance for sizing PV systems
• Tips for using safety devices
• Pointers for permitting
• How to commission and inspect

Résumé
Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9781119544357) was previously published as Photovoltaic Design and Installation For Dummies (9780470598931). While this version features a new Dummies cover and design, the content is the same as the prior release and should not be considered a new or updated product.

The fun and easy way to get a grip on photovoltaic design and installation

Designing and installing solar panel systems is a trend that continues to grow. With 'green collar' jobs on the rise and homeowners looking for earth-friendly ways to stretch their dollars and lesson their carbon imprint, understanding photovoltaic design and installation is on the rise.

Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies gives you a comprehensive overview of the history, physics, design, installation, and operation of home-scale solar-panel systems. You'll also get an introduction to the foundational mathematic and electrical concepts you need to understand and work with photovoltaic systems.

• Covers all aspects of home-scale solar-power systems
• Viable resource for professionals, students, and technical laymen
• Can be used to study for the NABCEP exam
  Whether you're a building professional looking to expand your business and skills to meet the growing demand for solar power installation or are seeking a career in this rapidly expanding field, Photovoltaic Design & Installation For Dummies has you covered!

Contenu

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You're Not to Read 3

Foolish Assumptions 3

How This Book Is Organized 3

Part 1: Here Comes the Sun: Shedding Some Light on PV Systems 4

Part 2: Digging into Complete System Details 4

Part 3: Sizing a PV System 4

Part 4: Installing a PV System 4

Part 5: The Part of Tens 5

Icons Used in This Book 5

Where to Go from Here 5

Part 1: Here Comes the Sun: Shedding Some Light on PV Systems 7

Chapter 1: The Photovoltaic Revolution 9

Peeking into the Past, Present, and Future of PV Installations 9

Acquainting yourself with typical PV applications 10

Checking out PV pros and cons 10

Looking into the future of PV 11

Introducing PV Components and Systems 11

Knowing Your Electricity A-B-Cs 12

Solar Resource 101 13

Surveying a PV System Site 13

Delving into PV System Details 14

PV modules 14

Batteries 14

Charge controllers 15

Inverters 15

Wiring and safety devices 15

Sizing a PV System 16

Grid-direct systems 16

Battery-based systems 16

Conductors and safety devices 17

Bringing a PV System to Life 17

Permitting 17

Staying safe 17

Putting together the mechanical parts 18

Adding the electrical parts 18

Commissioning, inspecting, and maintaining a system 19

Introducing the Sections of Code You Need to Know 20

Chapter 2: Checking Out Common Components and Systems 21

Introducing the Components That Make Up PV Systems 21

PV modules and racking 22

Battery bank 23

Charge controller 24

Inverter 24

Loads 25

Load centers 26

Disconnects and overcurrent protection 27

Utility interconnection 27

Differentiating between PV System Types 29

Grid-direct systems 29

Battery-based systems 31

Figuring Out the Right System Type for Any Situation 34

The customer is connected to the grid 34

The customer isn't connected to the grid 35

Chapter 3: Powering through Electricity Basics 37

Going with the Flow: Current 38

Understanding amps 38

Distinguishing between direct current and alternating current 39

Measuring current with a meter 40

May the (Electromotive) Force Be with You: Voltage 43

Grasping the concept of voltage 43

Getting a grip on nominal voltage and operating voltage 43

Measuring voltage 44

Making a Stop: Resistance 46

Introducing ohms 47

Measuring resistance 47

Connecting Current, Voltage, and Resistance with Ohm's Law 49

Pondering Power and Energy 50

Recognizing the differences between power and energy 50

Relating power to current, voltage, and resistance with the power equation 51

Calculating energy in terms of watt-hours 53

Introducing amp-hours, a companion to watt-hours 53

Wrapping Together Current, Voltage, Resistance, Power, and Energy 54

Another Electricity Concept: Circuit Configurations 55

Series 56

Parallel 57

Series-parallel 58

Chapter 4: Warming Up to the Solar Resource 59

High (Or Low) Energy: Solar Radiation 60

Distinguishing between direct radiation and diffuse radiation 60

Determining the intensity of solar radiation: Irradiance 61

Calculating solar radiation energy: Irradiation 65

Just for a day: Peak sun hours 66

Examining the Effects of the Sun's Path on the Earth 69

Getting a grip on seasonal effects 70 ...