All Efficient Products AEP Solar Electricity How it Works

(954)474-9350

All Efficient Products, Inc.

Solar Contractor Serving South Florida Communities of

Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Dade

The Word Photovoltaic comes from the word “Photo” meaning light, and “voltaic” referring to producing electricity. The photovoltaic process is producing electricity directly from sunlight. Photovoltaic Panels are often referred to as PV.

Photovoltaic Panels are comprised of Photovoltaic cells, material that has the ability to cause a positive and negative charge to separate , by using the photon energy from the sun, thereby creating a flow of electricity.

Dozens of PV cells are connected together in a weatherproof frame called a module. When two modules are wired in parallel their current is doubled while the voltage stays constant. Modules wired in a series and parallel are called an Array. These can be designed to create a PV system that can meet a wide variety of electrical needs.

There are several main types of PV systems, “Off the Grid” or stand alone. meaning they do not connect to main power lines, a “Grid Tie System” and a “Hybrid System”.

Grid Tie System converts DC current directly into AC using a utility interactive DC-AC inverter. A utility interactive inverter has built-in safety features required by electric utilities.

Off the Grid System utilizes direct current from the array and stored in batteries, or can convert the power into AC. Converting DC into AC can consume up to 20 percent of the power produced by the PV System. The batteries used for PV Systems are called secondary or deep cycle batteries.

Hybrid Systems use Photovoltaic and some other form of energy, such as wind or diesel.

PV systems require proper wiring, switches and fuses for safety, controllers to prevent batteries from being over charged or discharged, diodes to allow current to flow in the right direction and grounding mechanisms.

Uses: PV Systems are economical in remote areas where electricity is not available such as cottages, farms, recreational vehicles, boats, on highway signs and parking lots.

“It’s very important that we expand our use of clean energy and make a long-term commitment to it.”

- Julia Roberts