Owner`s manual

9
www.gpelectric.com
GP-RV-80
GP-RV-95
GP-RV-155
GP-RV-80E
GP-RV-95E
GP-RV-155E
Weekender SW
Weekender HD
Solar Elite
Solar Extreme
8.4 Out of Warranty Items
Go Power! electronic products are non-repairable, Go Power!
TM
does not perform repairs on its
products nor does it contract out those repairs to a third party. Go Power!
TM
does not supply schematics
or replacement parts for any of its electronic products.
9.0 System Glossary
Ampere A unit of electrical current. Designates the number of electrons owing per second through a
conductive material.
Ampere-Hour (Ahr or amp hour): A unit of energy, typically referring to battery capacity. One ampere
of current owing for one hour.
Azimuth of the Sun: The angular measure between due south and the point on the horizon directly
below the sun.
Array: A number of photovoltaic modules electrically connected to produce a single electrical output.
Angle of Incidence: The angle between a ray of sunlight striking a surface and a line perpendicular to
that surface. Rays perpendicular to a surface have a zero angle of incidence.
Battery: Two or more electrochemical cells connected to provide energy storage. May be used to designate
one cell. PV system batteries may be “sealed” or “ooded”.
Blocking Diode: A diode application that prevents a battery from discharging through the array at night
or if the array becomes shaded. Most charge controllers are equipped with a blocking diode.
Charge Controller (regulator): The PV system component that controls the battery’s state of charge. It
may also provide other system control functions. Also known as a regulator.
Charge Rate: The current applied to a battery to restore its energy capacity. The battery manufacturer
will usually have a recommended charge rate for their product. The rate is typically 10 – 20 percent of the
amp hour capacity at the 20-hour rate.
Current: DC or Direct Current is the type of electron ow provided by a battery or solar cell, which ows
in one direction. The unit for current is ampere or amp for short and designated by the letter A.
Cycle: One battery cycle equals one discharge and one charge.
Deep Cycle Battery: Batteries that are designed to discharge as much as 80% of their capacity as
opposed to engine-starting or shallow cycle batteries which are designed for heavy cranking but will not
stand up to repeated deep discharges.
Depth of Discharge: A measure of how much energy has been withdrawn from a battery, expressed as
a percentage of full capacity. A 100 Ahr battery from which 30 Ahr has been withdrawn has undergone a
30% depth of discharge (DOD). This term is the inverse of state of charge (SOC); the example battery
would be at 70% SOC.
Diode: A semi-conductor device that allows current to ow in one direction only. “Blocking diodes” and
“isolation diodes” are standard diodes that have specic applications.
Electrolyte: Battery acid.
Equalization: The process that equalizes the specic gravity of all the cells in a battery by means of a
controlled overcharge that breaks down sulfation on the battery plates. Most inverter/chargers and some
charge controllers are equipped with this feature. Usually performed only on ooded batteries.
Flooded or Wet Cell Batteries: The most common type of PV battery. Battery caps may be removed
to expose the electrolyte inside the battery. Need proper ventilation due to gassing and may need to be
topped up with distilled water at regular intervals.
Grid-Connected: A power system interconnected with the grid (or mains) of the local electric utility. Also
referred to as utility-interactive or grid-tie.