Go Power GPR-25, Owner'S Manual

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Owner’s Manual |
GPR-25 Regulator
15
Carmanah Technologies Corp. Copyright © 2007
Document number: GPR-25_Manual_v4.doc
Last revised: June 21, 2007
Hydrometer : A device used to measure the specific gravity (SG) of the electrolyte in a wet acid battery.
A hydrometer provides a very accurate way to see the true charge of a battery.
Insolation : The solar energy received at a place over a given period. May be expressed as sunhours per
day, watts per square meter per hour, or any number of other units.
Inverter : A device that converts DC electricity to AC.
Isolation Diode : A diode application that prevents one segment of a PV array from interacting with
another array segment. Usually used in situations where two parts of an array are facing in different
directions therefore one part of an array may experience shading while the other does not. Prevents array
energy from flowing backwards through a low voltage string of the array. May also serve the function of
blocking diode .
Maximum Power : Also referred to as peak power. The point of a solar array, panel or module output
where the product of “Imp” and “Vmp” (“Pmax”, measured in watts) is maximized. The points used to
calculate Pmax are Imp (current @ max power) and Vmp (voltage @ max power.)
Module : A number of solar cells electrically connected, and protected from the environment usually by
an aluminum frame covered with a pane of glass. A module is self-contained and not sub dividable,
therefore providing a single electrical output.
Nominal Operating Cell Temperature
(
NOCT
): The temperature at which cells in a module operate
under Standard Operating Conditions ( SOC ), which are: irradiance of 0.8 kW/m2, 20ºC ambient
temperature, and average wind speed of 1 m/s, with the wind oriented parallel to the plane of the array,
and all sides of the array fully exposed to the wind.
Open-Circuit Voltage ( Voc ): Refers to a photovoltaic device’s voltage potential when it is disconnected
from the rest of the PV system.
Parallel Connection : Electrical connection where the positive terminals of a number of devices are
connected together, as are their negative terminals. The output voltage is usually limited to the device
with the lowest voltage, and the total current is the sum of the current of all the devices.
Photovoltaic
(
PV
): Capable of producing a voltage when exposed to radiant energy, especially light.
Sealed Batteries : Electrolyte will not spill out and gassing is kept to a minimum . A sealed battery is
maintenance free and may be installed in several orientations.
Series Connection : Electrical connection where the positive terminal of one device is attached to the
negative terminal of the next in a series string; in this connection, the string voltage is the sum of the
device voltages and the string current is limited to the current of the least productive device in the string.
Short-Circuit Current ( Isc ): Refers to a photovoltaic device’s current output when the positive terminal
is directly connected to the negative terminal.
Solar Panel : A group of photovoltaic modules mechanically mounted on a single frame. A single module
on a frame may be referred to as a solar panel.
Specific Gravity : In relation to a wet acid battery, it is the density of the electrolyte (battery acid)
compared with the density of water thereby measuring the battery state of charge.
Standard Operating Conditions ( SOC ): A set of reference PV device measurement conditions
consisting of irradiance of 0.8 kW/m2, 20ºC ambient temperature, and average wind speed of 1m./s, with
the wind oriented parallel to the plane of the array, and all sides of the array fully exposed to the wind.
Standard Test Conditions ( STC ): A set of reference PV device measurement conditions consisting of
irradiance of 1 kW/m2, AM 1.5, and 25ºC cell temperature.
Standalone System : A power system not connected to the utility grid ( mains .) Sometimes referred to
as an autonomous system.
State of Charge ( SC ): The percentage of energy in a battery referenced to its nominal full capacity.