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Photovoltaic (PV) systems come in all shapes and sizes, from the small cell that runs a wristwatch to multi-megawatt utility power generating systems. This course will take a quick look at these solar electric systems from the perspective of an electrical contractor. As a minimum, an electrical contractor should understand how these systems work in order to work around them while doing routine electrical work on a building that has a PV power source. For that matter, electrical contractors and solar contractors are the primary professionals who install, commission and maintain PV systems. In an industry that continues to grow at nearly 25% per year, it is likely that more and more electrical contractors will find themselves moving into PV along with their existing business. Furthermore, the electrical contractor who specializes in service calls will likely find that some of the calls will be coming in from PV owners. PV systems are highly reliable, but even a highly reliable system will occasionally need some maintenance. |
