CONTENTS
1. Introduction to Photovoltaics: How & Why
The Age of Photovoltaics Is Here
A Brief History of Photovoltaics
How PV Cells Work: Light to Electricity
Single-Crystal PV Production
Polycrystalline PV Production
Amorphous Silicon PV Production
PV Production Cost & Energy Payback
Electric Power Production Options
Future Trends in PV
The Boiling Frog Story
2. Government, Utilities & PV
Federal Government
Federal Incentives for Photovoltaics
State Governments, Utility Programs & Incentives
Make Change Happen
3. Conservation & Energy Efficiency
How Much Electricity Do I Use?
kW or kWh?
Your Electric Bill
Conservation, Conservation, Conservation
Utility Audits
Simple Steps to Conservation
Two Examples of Conservation Design
4. Living with PV
Joel’s PV-Powered Country Home
Back to the City
Our PV-Powered City Home—Part 1
Hassle-Free Urban PV
You Can Do It, Too
Our PV-Powered City Home—Part 2
5. Making the Decision: Your Off-Grid Solar
Electric Home
How an Off-Grid PV Systems Works
Getting Started
Cost Comparison: PV vs. Bringing in a Power Line
Safety Considerations
Insurance
Loans, Grants & Rebates
Don’t Wait—Go Solar Today
6. Making the Decision: Your On-Grid Solar
Electric Home
How an On-Grid PV System Works
Net Metering
Getting Started
Start-Up Costs
A Commercial Net-Metered PV System
PV Systems & Home Resale Value
Financing Photovoltaics
Safety Considerations & Insurance
7. Residential Building Codes & Inspections
Structural & Mechanical Requirements
Electrical Codes
Installing a Code-Compliant PV System
Avoid Installation & Inspection Problems
8. A Short Course in Electricity & Safety
Electricity
Wire Resistance & Voltage Drop
Series & Parallel Circuits
Electrical Safety
9. Solar Modules
How Solar Modules are Made
How to Read a Solar Module Spec Sheet
What to Know Before You Buy Your Modules
10. Site Selection & Mounts
Site Selection
Solar Access
Mounts
Concentrators & Reflectors
11. Charge Controllers, Meters & Diodes
Charge Controllers
Meters
Battery Equalizers
Diodes
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12. Battery Storage
Battery Construction
How Batteries Work
Battery Size
Battery Capacity
Sulfation
Battery Efficiency
Buying Batteries
Alternatives to Batteries
Installation & Maintenance
Connecting Your Battery Bank
The Battery Box or Battery Room
Battery Testing
Battery Charging
Equalization
Replacing Your Batteries
Battery Safety
13. Inverters
How Inverters Work
The PV–Grid Connection
PV UPS
Selecting an Inverter for Your Off-Grid PV System
Warning!
Buying an Inverter
Inverter Problems
Inverter Wiring
14. Wires, Grounds, Connections & Labels
Wire Basics
Grounding & Ground Fault Protection
Connections
Labels
Putting a PV System Together
Array Wire
Voltage Drop
15. Calculating Wire, Fuse, Breaker &
Conduit Sizes
A Step-by-Step Guide to Wire Sizing
Specifying Conductors, Overcurrent Protection
Devices, Grounds & Conduits
Tables for Calculating Wire, Fuse, Breaker
& Conduit Sizes
National Electrical Code Tables
Sample Calculation—Off-Grid
Sample Calculation—Batteryless On-Grid
16. Designing Your System: Off-Grid
Sizing an Off-Grid PV System
Sizing: An Example
The Art of System Sizing
Sizing Your Own PV System
17. Designing Your System: On-Grid
Sizing an On-Grid PV System
Do I Really Need a UPS?
Putting Your PV System Together
18. Combining PV & Other Electric Generators
The Standby PV System
Wind & Solar
19. Installation, Testing & Maintenance
Installation Guidelines
Off-Grid PV Installation: An Example
Hiring a PV Installer
Monitoring & Testing
Maintenance
Think Safety
PV Installation Checklist
20. The Future of PV
Appendix A. Solar Radiation Data & Peak Sun Hours
Appendix B. Conversion Factors
Appendix C. Web Sites
Appendix D. National Electrical Code Excerpts:
Article 690. Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Glossary
Index
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