California C46 Solar Free Practice Exam

A forced hot air system is compatible with all collector types. A hot water radiator is compatible with liquid flat plat and concentrator collectors while a steam radiator is compatible with concentrators and evacuated tubes collectors. Radiant hydronic floors are compatible with liquid flat plate collectors. However, Electric baseboards and electric radiant ceilings require a separate heat distribution system to be compatible with solar collectors.

In addition to the above, this type of system also has metering and other components such as a utility switch. It might also include batteries and battery enclosures, a battery charge controller, and separate subpanel(s) for critical load circuits.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems with batteries are good to use where power is unavailable and when line extensions would be too expensive.

When installing a roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) system, the first thing you should do is make sure the roof can support the weight of the system. If you think it is too heavy for the roof, you need to alter the roof structure so that it can support the weight of the system.

When installing radiant floor tubing in an area where damage might occur, you should sleeve the tubing. The sleeve should be two pipe sizes larger than the tube it is protecting. Any pipe such as PVC or ABS plastic pipe that is used by plumbers is usually acceptable for sleeving the tubing.

A check valve allows liquid to flow in one direction. When you install a check valve, make sure the arrow on the valve points in the direction of the flow.

For a solar domestic hot water (DHW) system, the collector should be tilted to the local north latitude to achieve the optimum angle. You can tilt it 10 degrees one way or the other without seriously affecting the system's total annual performance. Also, in mind that a greater tilt favors winter system operations when the sun is low in the sky. A tilt of 50 degrees allows snow to easily slide off the collector.

An active system requires mechanical energy and hardware such as pumps and fans to distribute heat; on the other hand, a passive system depends on the natural circulation of a fluid for heat movement.

When testing the pipes in a radiant heating floor system, you should use an air pressure of 50 psi (pounds per square inch). A system should be able to maintain this pressure for 24 hours. If the tubing expands during the testing period, the air pressure on an air gauge will drop.

PV systems with batteries can be designed to power DC or AC equipment. An inverter is necessary for applications in which the
DC power from a battery must be converted to AC. Although a small amount of energy is lost in converting DC to AC (typical
inverter efficiencies are in the range of 90 to 95 percent), an inverter makes PV-generated electricity behave like utility power to operate everyday AC appliances, lights, and electrical equipment.