Terminology
Glossary
Absorption Charge | The second stage of |
constant and current reduces as the battery becomes charged. This | |
| ensures complete charging. |
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Alternating Current (AC) | The type of electrical power supplied by the power utility or an |
AC generator. The unique characteristic of this form of electricity | |
| is that it reverses direction at regular intervals. For example, 120 |
| VAC 60 Hz power reverses flow 60 times a second, hence the |
| rating 60 Hz (cycles per second). |
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Ambient Temperature | Refers to the air temperature around the inverter, which will affect |
its output power. | |
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Ampere (Amp) | A measurement of the flow of electrical current. One amp is equal |
to the current that flows when one volt is acting across the | |
| resistance of one ohm. (Ohm’s law: I = V/R where I=current, |
| V=volts, R=resistance) |
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Ampere Hour | One amp of electrical current flowing for one hour. One way to |
(Amp Hour/Ah) | measure the capacity of batteries. |
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Bulk Charge | The first stage of |
| to the batteries at a constant rate while voltage gradually rises. |
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Charger, DC | A device that is used to replenish the capacity of a battery (its |
| “charge”) by supplying DC current to the battery. |
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Current | The rate of flow of electrical charge measured in amps. |
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Direct Current (DC) | The type of electricity stored in batteries and generated by solar |
electric devices. Current flows in a single direction without | |
| alternating. |
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Disable | When a function is disabled, it is not allowed to occur and if it is |
occuring, it is terminated. Regardless of other conditions, the | |
| function will not be activated. For example, even if AC power is |
| present, if the charger is disabled, the unit will not charge. The |
| charger must be enabled. See “Enable” in the glossary. |
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Discharge | Stored energy being released from a battery |
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DC Loads | These loads are those that run off a DC electrical system (battery). |
| A few examples of DC loads are pumps, lights, fans, power vents, |
| toilet, inverters, and some water heaters. DC loads rely on the |
| batteries for power. |
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