Photovoltaic systems resource guide Posttest Flashcards
Over discharge is the condition of a battery state of charge declining to the point where it can no longer supply discharge current without damaging the battery.
True
A rack-mounted photovoltaic array is a fixed array that replaces conventional building materials with specially designed modules that also perform an architectural function.
False
A grant is a tradable commodity that represents a certain amount of electricity generated from renewable resources.
False
Fill factor is the ratio of maximum power to the product of the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current.
True
Zenith is the point in the sky directly overhead a particular location.
True
An authority having jurisdiction is the organization, office, or individual designated by local government with legal powers to administer, interpret, and enforce building codes.
True
Duty cycle is the percentage of time a load is operating.
True
Solar declination is the angle between the direction a compass needle points (toward magnetic north) and true geographic north.
False
Bimodal systems can be employed to manage and optimize utility energy use by utility customers that billed using time-of-use electric rates.
True
Renewable energy is expected to compose an increasingly larger portion of energy production.
True
The electrolyte in flooded, open-vent batteries must be maintained at proper levels by periodically adding acid.
False
A series is a PV device consisting of a number of individual cells connected electrically, laminated, encapsulated, and packaged into a frame.
False
Sizing PV systems for stand-alone operation involves two sets of calculations.
False
A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of a liquid.
True
Diesel engines are well suited for constant loads, whereas gasoline engines can respond quickly to changing loads.
True
A circuit breaker is a protective enclosure used to terminate, combine, and connect various circuits or components together.
False
A transformer is a device that transfers energy from one circuit to another through magnetic coupling.
True
Significantly low specific gravity of individual battery cells indicates cell failure or shorts.
True
The payback period is the amount of time required for the avoided costs from an alternate energy source to match the cost of the chosen energy-production system.
True
A chip is a thin, flat disk or rectangle of base semiconductor material.
False
Capacitors store energy in an electrical field developed by two oppositely charged parallel conductive plates separated by a dielectric (insulating) material.
True
Working space is the clear space reserved around electrical equipment for the existing equipment and potential future additions.
False
Blocking is the addition of lumber under a roof surface and between trusses or rafters as supplemental structural support.
True
An independent power producer is a non-utility large-scale power producer that meets the technical and procedural requirements for interconnection to the utility sytem.
False
A battery is a collection of cells that are contained in the same case and connected together electrically to produce a desired voltage.
True
____ radiation is a type of solar radiation.
diffuse, albedo, and direct
The ____ Listing Mark is accepted by the NEC and the Canadian Electrical Code as evidence of approved equipment.
UL
____ are usually the customer’s primary concern when considering having PV systems installed.
Cost and funding
For most PV devices, a high operating temperature significantly reduces ____.
voltage
A ____ charge controller is a charge controller that limits charging current to a battery system by gradually increasing the resistance of a series element.
series-linear
The ____ is a multiplication factor for determining the present value of a single future cost for a given discount rate and period.
single present value factor
Conductor resistance is determined by the ____.
conductor material, conductor size, and ambient temperature
A(n) ____ is a material that can exhibit properties of both an insulator and a conductor.
semiconductor
____ protect batteries from over discharge.
charge controllers
A(n) ____ system is a PV system that can operate in either utility-interactive or stand-alone mode, and uses battery storage.
bimodal
A(n) ___ keeps voltage and current waveforms in phase.
resistive load
Batteries are connected in ____ by connecting all of the positive terminals together and all of the negative terminals together.
parallel
At a minimum, a PV permit application should include a detailed ____-line electrical diagram.
one
____ is a method of simulating waveforms by switching series devices ON and OFF at high frequency and for variable lengths of time.
Pulse-width modulation
A(n) ____ calculator is used to view the solar window for a particular location for accessing shading.
sun path
A ____ is a device that converts mechanical energy into electricity by means of electromagnetic induction.
generator
A ____ agreement is a contract between a utility and a qualifying facility that establishes the terms and conditions for interconnection and the rates or tariffs that apply.
qualifying-facility
____ systems may be sized according to either the stand-alone methodology or the interactive methodology.
bimodal
A ____ battery can store and deliver electrical energy but cannot be recharged.
primary
PV power plants can be located closer to populated areas than can conventional power plants because they do not cause ____ pollution.
air, water, or noise
____ reduce battery capacity.
High discharge rate
A ____ is a diode used to pass current around, rather than through, a group of PV cells or modules.
bypass diode
Article 690 of the NEC includes requirements for ___ in PV systems.
equipment grounding, battery storage, and wiring methods (all of the above)
A ____ is a rod, plate, or structure that establishes a connection with the earth.
grounding electrode
A(n) ____ is a bulb-type syringe with a float that experiences a buoyant force equivalent to the weight of the displaced electrolyte.
Archimedes hydrometer
