What are
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 | Stretch your imagination and view in your mind a cascade of two water falls, the higher one feeds the lower one. The electrical terminology to cascading two “cells” is “connecting in series”. Connecting in series provides higher voltage (e.g. if you connect two AA batteries in series you get 2 times 1.5V = 3V |
 | Now, imagine two water falls flowing side by side, the amount of water they both flow is the summation of their individual flows. In the electrical terminology it is called “connecting in parallel”. (e.g. if you connect two AA batteries in parallel you can draw twice the current than what a single AA will give you) |
The solar electric panel picture is attributed to Dominic's picks (taken from Brighton Earthship Solar Panel).
A Photovoltaic Array (also known as solar panel) is an array of photovoltaic cells connected in series (to get higher voltage) and in parallel (to get higher current).
The solar panel voltage is specified in Volts (DC) and its available current is specified in Ampers
Another specifications you will find is the KWHP (Killowatt Hour Peak), one watt is the power delivered by 1 Amper over 1 Volt. One Kilowatt is 1000watts. Killowatt Hour is an energy of 1 Killowatt over 1 Hour.
The Peak stands for what the panel will produce in noon time of a sunny day. Since the sun doesn't shine in night and since its angle is not optimal early and late in the day, the total energy the panel produces in 24 hours is not 24 times the KWHP rating. It is around 6 times the KWHP rating.
The solar Electric Panel Video
I invite you to watch a short video on the assembly of a solar panel
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