ACRONYMS
What describes the knee of the I-V curve, and is the highest efficiency operating point for a PV device?
MPP - Maximum power point
What is a unit of measurement for electrical energy?
kwh kilowatt hour
What mounting method is typically the most expensive for a residential PV installation?
Dual-axis tracking pole-mount
A refrigerator uses 58 kwh each month and electricity costs $0.15/kwh. How much to run the refrigerator per year?
$104.40
Mono-crystalline
The process of wiring and commissioning a PV system to run in a parallel with the electrical grid?
Interconnection
Where large power plants generate electricity that is transmitted through power lines
centralized generation system
Which federal agency is responsible for publishing and enforcing workplace health and safety standards and regulations?
OSHA
Changing direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) is accomplished with a
INVERTER
What is the most expensive mounting method for residential?
Dual-axis tracking pole-mount
What is considered an unsecured loan?
credit card
The IBC 3 ft setback rule for PV modules on rooftop
The ridge and the sides of the roof
What is considered a LIVE load in PV system design?
Wind
The technical aspects of solar electric systems
photovoltaic PV systems
What contract is between a producer and a purchaser, lasting between 15 and 20 years, where the purchaser buys energy from the producer.
PPA - Power Purchase Agreement
What tools would you use to take an instantaneous measurement of the sun's intensity, in watts per square meter?
Irradiance meter
Making a load-side connection in a service panel requires how many open spaces for the inverter 240-volt?
2
What is a fixed monthly fee that the electrical utility charges, regardless of how many kwh were consumed?
Customer charges
For PV module or array what value increases when exposed to sunlight?
Voltage
The amount of time a fully-charged battery system can supply power to loads without charging?
Autonomy
What is generated from natural resources such as sun, wind, and water that are inexhaustible or replaceable.
Renewable Energy
Which document is dedicated to electrical safety issues and procedures like Lockout-Tagout
NFPA 70E
What is the largest conductor?
3 AWG or 300 kcmil
300 kcmil
For the open spaces for the inverter's 240-volt circuit breaker, it should be located where on the panelboard?
Bottom
What charges on the electrical bill are for commercial and not typically residential?
Demand charges
What type of PV module has a microinverter embedded within the unit?
AC module
What inverter type is required for a grid-level PV system?
Sine Wave
What is one thousand watts of power used for an hour?
kilowatt-hours or kWh
Which test lead port on a digital multimeter is almost black?
Common (COM)
Which tool is used to measure solar irradiance in W/m2?
Pryanometer
What method is best to prevent unknowing individuals from energizing an electrical circuit while its being serviced?
Lockout-tagout procedure
What is a critical design consideration for a stand-alone PV system quote?
Load management
Temporarily shorting the output terminals of a PV module will do what?
Have no effect on the module
What conditions WOULD NOT cause the maximum power point to shift on an I-V curve?
Humidity fluctuations
What is the infrastructure used to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity?
The utility grid.
What does the NABCEP stand for?
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) A certifying agency for PV, solar, thermal, and small wind installers.
One amp of current flowing for one hour equals what?
one amp-hour or Ah
What do you use to protect batteries from being overdischarged?
load controller
When should a new Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) be conducted and documented?
At the beginning of each day or shift and if new workers arrive or the scope of work changes
The ideal tilt angle of a PV array during the spring equinox and fall equinox is
Latitude of the site
What law defines the relationship between voltage (V), current (A), and resistance (R), and, by extension, watts in electrical circuits?
Ohm's Law
A rail overhang
Cantilever
What is PPE
Personal Protection Equipment
If the magnetic declination is 13 degrees east (positive), where is true south on your compass needle?
167 degrees
What is the purpose of the 3-foot setback rule along the ridge and sides of a rooftop?
Provide access for emergency fire responders
What should you carefully identify when scouting a location that is fundamental to cost-effective photovoltaic performance?
a shade-free location
Watertight junction or transition enclosures that contain overcurrent protection devices for paralleled PV source circuits
Combiner boxes
The ideal portion of the solar window that should be open (no shade) for maximum PV production
9am to 3pm
A group of PV modules or panels wired and mounted together to produce specific levels of current and voltage
PV array
What does the NFPA stand for?
National Fire Protection Association
If the magnetic declination of (positive) 8 degrees east, the compass needle will point to at what degrees?
172
What electrical value should only be measured with a digital multimeter when power is off?
Resistance
The Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit - Reduction Act of 2022 means a tax credit of
30%
Where is the ground fault protection device in a PV circuit?
In the inverter
What is the ideal operating temperature for most batteries?
77 degrees
An electrical term synonymous with RESISTANCE and may include an indication beeper on a digital multimeter?
Continuity
What does SEIA stand for?
Solar Energy Industries Association
Output power divided by input power, or how well a PV module converts sunlight into electricity is know as its rated
Efficiency
What is the best way to avoid leaks in penetrations when installing a PV system on a composite-shingled roof?
Lag bolts with sealant and flashing
PV installation belongs to what industry?
Construction trades like HVAC and commercial construction
PV cells that are wired together and laminated between glass a backing material and then framed with aluminum is called a
PV module
What is the top cause of workplace fatalities in the construction sector?
Falls
Electrical measurement that must be taken with the digital multimeter test leads wired IN SERIES with the rest of the live circuit
Current
What does the EIA stand for?
Energy Information Administration
The sum of the angles in a triangle must equal how many degrees so the number of the degrees that represents the tilt of the angle is?
180 degrees and 15 degrees
What is the backbone of most mounting systems?
aluminum rails that run under each row of modules
What is PV generated electricity cost equal to or less than the retail price of conventional generation?
Grid parity
A device such as a computer, dishwasher, or refrigerator that uses either ac or dc electricity to operate
Electrical load
What do you remove to prevent circuits from becoming energized before intended?
Fuses
What ownership model is where you invest in a larger common PV system and purchase a share of its production to offset your energy use?
Community Solar