Chapter 3
Powering through Electricity Basics
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding current, voltage, and resistance
Getting to know Ohm’s Law
Differentiating between power and energy
Calculating series, parallel, and series-parallel connections
When you discuss electricity with someone, you tend to get one of two responses: the bobblehead response and the know-it-all response. The bobblehead is the person who just nods at everything you say because he has no knowledge about electricity so he can’t challenge any of it. The know-it-all is the person who’s just waiting for you to slip up so he can correct you.
You, as a PV system designer and installer, need to become the person somewhere between these two extremes. You absolutely must be educated in your language and understanding of the basic electrical terms and concepts. Some people will never catch you when you use the wrong term in conversation (it happens to the best of us), but if you continually mix up your terminology, you’ll lose your credibility before you can even finish speaking.
In this chapter, I take you through the fundamental ...
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