Photovoltaic systems resource guide: Pretest Flashcards
PV power plants can be located closer to populated areas that can conventional power plants because they do not involve hazardous materials or cause air, water, or noise pollution.
True
Solar radiation includes only visible light.
False
A shunt-linear charge controller is a charge controller that limits charging current to a battery system by gradually increasing the resistance of a series element.
False
Cost and funding of PV systems are usually the customer’s primary concern.
True
Diesel engines are well suited for constant loads, whereas gasoline engines can respond quickly to changing loads.
True
A hybrid system is a PV system that can operate in either utility-interactive or stand-alone mode, and uses battery storage.
False
A semiconductor is a materials that can exhibit properties of both an insulator and conductor.
True
For most PV devices, a high operating temperature significantly increases voltage.
False
Batteries are connected in series by connecting all of the positive terminals together and all of the negative terminals together.
False
A secondary battery is a battery that can store and deliver electrical energy butcannot be recharged.
False
charge controllers protect batteries from overdischarge.
True
A reactive load is a load that keeps voltage and current waveforms in phase.
False
Pulse-width modulation (PWM) is a method of simulating waveforms by switching series devices ON and OFF at high frequency and for variable lengths of time.
True
Low operating temperatures and high discharge rates increase battery capacity.
False
Direct-coupled systems may be sized according to either the stand-alone methodology or the interactive methodology.
False
A groudning conductor is a rod, plate, or structure that establishes a connection with the earth.
False
A blocking diode is a diode used to pass current around, rather than through, a group of PV cells or modules.
False
Article 60 of the NEC includes requirements for battery storage in PV systmes.
True
A generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electricity by means of electromagnetic induction.
True
A permit 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.
False
At a minimum, a PV permit application should include a detailed three-line electrical diagram.
False
By itself, the CE Mark indicates compliance to North American safety standards or installation codes.
False
Significantly low specific gravity of individual battery cells indicates cell failure or shorts.
True
A refractive index hydrometer is a bulb-type syringe with a float that experiences a buoyant force equivalent to the weight of the displaced electrolyte.
False
The single present value factor is a multiplication factor for determining the present value of a recurring future cost for a given discount rate and period.
False
_____ energy is expected to compose an increasingly larger portion of energy production.
Renewable
A(n) ____ is a PV device consisting of a number of individual cells connected electrically, laminated, encapsulated, and packaged into a frame.
module
____ is the point in the sky directly overhead a particular location.
Zenith
A(n) ____ calculator is used to view the solar window for a particular location for assessing shading.
sun path
____ is the angle between the direction a compass needle points (toward magnetic north) and true geographic north.
Magnetic declination
_____ store energy in an electrical field developed by two oppositely charged parallel conductive plates separated by a dielectric (insulating) material.
Capacitors
____ is the ratio of maximum power to the product of the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current.
Fill factor
A ____ is a thin, flat disk or rectangle of base semiconductor material.
wafer
A(n) ____ is a collection of cells that are contained in the same case and connected together electrically to produce a desired voltage.
battery
____ 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.
overdischarge
A ____ is a device that transfers energy from one circuit to another through magnetic coupling.
transformer
Sizing PV systems for stand-alone operation involves ____ set(s) of calculations.
four
____ is the percentage of time a load is operating.
Duty cycle
A(n) _____ photovoltaic array is a fixed array that replaces conventional building materials with specially designed modules that also perform an architectural function.
building-integrated
____ is the addition of lumber under a roof surface and between trusses or rafters as supplemental structural support.
Blocking
Conductor resistance is determined by the ____.
conductor material, conductor size, and ambient temperature.
A ____ is a protective enclosure used to terminate, combine, and connect various circuits or components together.
junction box
____ systems can be employed to manage and optimize utility energy use by utility customers that are billed using time-of-use electric rates.
Bimodal
A(n) ____ is a non-utility large-scale power producer that meets the technical and procedural requirements for interconnection to the utility system.
qualifying facility
A(n) ____ is the organization, office, or individual designated by local government with legal powers to administer, interpret, and enforce building codes.
authority having jurisdiction
____ space is the clear space reserved around electrical equipment for the existing equipment and potential future additions.
Dedicated
The electrolyte in flooded, open-vent batteries must be maintained at proper levels by periodically adding ____.
water
A ____ is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity of a liquid.
hydrometer
The ____ 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.
payback
A ____ is a tradable commodity that represents a certain amount of electricity generated from renewable resources.
renewable energy certificate
