ABSTRACT

Photovoltaic Laboratory: Safety, Code-Compliance, and Commercial Off-the-Shelf Equipment is the only textbook that offers students the opportunity to design, build, test, and troubleshoot practical PV systems based on commercially available equipment. Complete with electrical schematics, layouts, and step-by-step installation instructions, this hands-on laboratory manual:

  • Promotes "safety first" by covering working in extreme weather conditions, personal protective equipment, working at heights, electrical safety, and power tool safety
  • Includes chapters on trade math, DC/AC electrical circuits, and assessing a property for a photovoltaic system (e.g., surveying the available space, shading, and solar harvest)
  • Discusses aspects of mechanical and electric integration specific to different roof types, and characterizing a PV module under different levels of irradiation and ambient temperature
  • Addresses the design, installation, and testing of off-grid PV systems with DC-only loads and with DC and AC loads, as well as 2.4 kw DC grid-tied PV systems with microinverters and string inverters
  • Trains students on exactly the sort of equipment that they will encounter in the field, so they gain valuable experience and skills that translate directly to real-world applications

Photovoltaic Laboratory: Safety, Code-Compliance, and Commercial Off-the-Shelf provides in-depth, project-driven instruction on everything from attaching brackets and flashing to modeling PV cells, modules, and arrays. This textbook is ideal preparation for those seeking a career in the PV industry—from system installers and designers to quality assurance and sales/marketing personnel.

chapter 4|24 pages

The Site Survey

chapter 5|40 pages

Racking Systems—General Considerations

chapter 6|24 pages

Characterization of a PV Module

chapter 7|46 pages

Modeling the PV Cell, Module, and Array

chapter 8|12 pages

Lead-Acid Absorbent Glass Mat Batteries

chapter 9|20 pages

Off-Grid PV System with DC-Only Loads

chapter 10|12 pages

Off-Grid PV System with DC and AC Loads