PHOTOWHAT?
b y Richard Gottlieb
Besides hard to
pronounce, photovoltaics
or "PV" presents a
number of challenges to
both contractor and
consumer. Even so, it's
often the best choice for
electrical power on
remote sites.
Nicely integrated PV
installation in coastal Maine
In my work as an installer of and consultant
on photovoltaic systems, I often
work with electrical contractors assigned
to wire a home using photovoltaic
power. After the initial "Photo-what ?"
or better yet "Did you say 'photogalactics?'"
most contractors settle down to a
half-hour discussion, ending with "Oh,
so we wire the same way, only with
fatter wire." For the electrical contractor,
it's usually as simple as that,
In essence, what we do is bring solar
electricity to the house (not unlike
when