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First Edi on, March 2017

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Electronic Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI)

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Email: info@[Link]
Website: [Link] -[Link]
Phone: +91-11-46035050

Disclaimer

The informa on contained herein has been obtained from sources reliable to ESSCI. ESSCI disclaims all
warran es to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such informa on. ESSCI shall have no liability
for errors, omissions, or inadequacies, in the informa on contained herein, or for interpreta ons
thereof. Every effort has been made to trace the owners of the copyright material included in the book.
The publishers would be grateful for any omissions brought to their no ce for acknowledgements in
future edi ons of the book. No en ty in ESSCI shall be responsible for any loss whatsoever, sustained
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 Skilling is building a be er India.
If we have to move India towards
development then Skill Development
should be our mission.

Shri Narendra Modi

Prime Minister of India

iii
 COMPLIANCE TO
QUALIFICATION PACK - NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL
STANDARDS
is hereby issued by the
ELECTRONICS SECTOR SKILL COUNCIL OF INDIA
for
SKILLING CONTENT : PARTICIPANT HANDBOOK
Complying to National Occupational Standards of
Job Role/ Qualification Pack: “Solar Panel Installation Technician” QP No. “ELE/Q5901, NSQF Level 4"

Date of Issuance : March 10th, 2018

Valid up to* : March 10th, 2020 Authorised Signatory
*Valid up to the next review date of the Qualification Pack or the (Electronics Sector Skill Council)
‘Valid up to’ date mentioned above (whichever is earlier)

iv
Acknowledgements
The need for having a standard curriculum for the Job Role based Qualifica on Packs under
the Na onal Skills Qualifica on Framework was felt necessary for achieving a uniform skill
based training manual in the form of a Par cipant Handbook.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed in developing this
Handbook for the QP Solar Panel Installa on Technician.

The Handbook is the result of reless pursuit to develop an effec ve tool for impar ng the
Skill Based training in the most effec ve manner.

I would like to thank the team of KontentEdge for their support to develop t he content, the
SME and the team at the ESSCI along with the industry partners for the reless effort in
bringing the Handbook in the current format.

CEO

Electronics Sector Skills Council of India

v
Par cipant Handbook

About this Book

This Par cipant Handbook is designed to enable training for the specific Qualifica on Pack
(QP). Each Na onal Occupa onal (NOS) is covered across Unit/s.

Key Learning Objec ves for the specific NOS mark the beginning of the Unit/s for that NOS.
· Measure voltage, current and power of solar photovoltaic modules
· Iden fy the components of solar photovoltaic system
· Iden fy types of solar photovoltaic systems
· Define solar cell parametersList the types of connec ons of solar photovoltaic panel
· List the types of PV modules and their characteris cs
· Iden fy the ba eries used in PV system
· Describe standard parameter of ba ery
· Recognize func ons of a charge controller
· Recognize the roles of a solar panel installation technician
· Iden fy prerequisites for installing a solar PV system
· Construct the design of the solar PV system
· Analyse the size and calcula on of the components
· Evaluate the loca on for installa on
· List the types of charge controllers
· Explain work ethics
· Interact with supervisor
· Interact with colleagues
· Evaluate the prac ces of working in a team
· Implement quality and safety procedure
· Explain the meaning of health
· List common health issues
· Discuss ps to prevent common health issues

Symbols Used

Key Learning Steps Role Play Unit

Tips Notes
Outcomes Objec ves

Ac vity Prac cal

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

Table of Contents
S. No. Modules and Units Page No.

1. Basics of Electricity and Solar Energy (ELE/N5901) 1

Unit 1.1 – Basics of Electricity and Power Genera on System 3

Unit 1.2 – Renewable Energy and Solar Energy System 13

Unit 1.3 – Solar Cells 22

Unit 1.4 – Photovoltaic (PV) Panels 28

Unit 1.5 – Electrical Power System 37

2. Components for Solar PV System (ELE/N5901/ ELE/N5902) 44

Unit 2.1 – Solar PV Modules 46

Unit 2.2 – Batteries in a PV System 53

Unit 2.3 – Charge Controller 66

Unit 2.4 – Inverters 75

Unit 2.5 – Moun ng Structures 80

3. Role of a Solar Panel Installa on Technician (ELE/N5901, ELE/N5902) 88

Unit 3.1 – Responsibili es of Solar Panel Installa on Technician 90

Unit 3.2 – Installa on Pre-requisites 92

Unit 3.3 – Site Analysis 112

Unit 3.4 – Installa on and Maintenance of Solar Panel 119

4. Work Ethics and Workplace Safety (ELE/N9952, ELE/N9953) 150

Unit 4.1 – Work Ethics 152

Unit 4.2 – Workplace Safety 160

Unit 4.3 – So Skills 179

5. Employability & Entrepreneurship Skills 188

Unit 5.1 – Personal Strengths & Value Systems 192

Unit 5.2 – Digital Literacy – A Recap 209

Unit 5.3 – Money Ma ers 214

Unit 5.4 – Preparing for Employment & Self Employment 223

Unit 5.5 – Understanding Entrepreneurship 232

Unit 5.6 – Preparing to be an Entrepreneur 257

vii
Par cipant Handbook

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

1. Basics of Electricity
and Solar Energy
Unit 1.1 – Basics of Electricity and Power Genera on
System
Unit 1.2 – Renewable Energy and Solar Energy System
Unit 1.3 – Solar Cells
Unit 1.4 – Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
Unit 1.5 – Electrical Power System

1
ELE/N5901
Par cipant Handbook

Key learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Measure voltage, current and power of solar photovoltaic modules
2. Iden fy the components of solar photovoltaic system
3. Iden fy types of solar photovoltaic systems
4. Define solar cell parameters
5. List the types of connec ons of solar photovoltaic panels
6. Explain the main factors affec ng the output of solar photovoltaic modules

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

UNIT 1.1: Basics of Electricity and Power Genera on System

Unit Objec ves

At the end of this unit, you will be able to:
1. Measure voltage, current, power and energy
2. Define Ohm's law
3. Explain the difference between alterna ng current (AC) and direct current (DC)
4. Iden fy the use of mul meter
5. Explain the power genera on system

1.1.1 Introduc on to Electricity

Electricity is a natural force that comes into existence whenever there is a flow of electric charge
between two components. When working with circuits, there is need for the users to be aware about
some of the basic concepts of electricity, otherwise an incorrect connec on in a circuit may cause high
damage to people and the circuit components.

The main terms associated with electricity are as follows:

· Current
· Voltage
· Power
· Energy

Current

When electrons inside any material move, flow of electricity takes place. This flow is called current. It is
measured in ampere.

Voltage

In an electrical circuit, the current flows only when there is a voltage source. Voltage is the force pushing
electrons through the wire.

Power

When electricity flows in an electrical circuit, it results in some work done. For example, when
electricity flows in a fan, the blades of the fan rotate and when the electricity flows in a refrigerator,
it cools things inside. Thus, when electricity flows through an appliance, it results in some work done.

Electrical power is the rate at which an electric circuit transfers electrical energy. Electrical power is
similar to mechanical power and can be considered as the rate at which electrical work is done. It is
measured in wa s (one joule per second) and represented as P. Electric power in wa s is also called
wa age. Consider the formula:

P= work done per unit me = VQ/t = VI

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Par cipant Handbook

Where P is the electric power in wa s determined when an electric current represented by I in

amperes with a charge Q in coulombs passes through an electrical poten al difference denoted by V
in me t seconds.

Electric power is produced by electric generators in an electric power genera on unit called a grid.
This power is further supplied to residen al and commercial loca on. It can also be produced by other
sources such as electric ba eries. The energy delivered and consumed by electric u li es is measured
using an electricity meter.

Energy

If the electrical power is the rate or speed of work done, then electrical energy is the total amount of
work done in a given me period. It is product of power of electrical appliance and dura on of its
usage. Consider the following equa on to determine electrical energy:

Electrical Energy (E) = Power (P) x Dura on of Energy usage (T) = Power (Wa ) x Time (hour)

E (Wh) = P (W) x T (h)

Power = Energy / Time

1.1.2 Ohm's Law

According to Ohm's law, current flowing through a conductor is directly propor onal to the voltage
across the conductor. The mathema cal equa on of Ohm’s law is as follows:

I=V⁄R

Where,

I is current flowing through the conductor,

V is the poten al difference or voltage across the conductor, and

R is propor onality constant, known as the resistance of the conductor.

Problem Statement: A fan works on 24V DC and while running it takes 3A current. Calculate the DC
power consumed by the fan?

Solu on: The fan is a DC fan and the current flowing through the fan, I dc is 3A. The voltage of the fan,
Vdc is 24V. Then DC power consumed by the fan is:

Pdc=Idc x Vdc

Pdc= 3 x 24= 72 wa s

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

1.1.3 Electrical Circuit

The interconnec on of various electrical components is called electrical circuit. The basic
components of a circuit are:
· Power source such as a ba ery
· Wire running from the hot side to a load
· Wire running from the load to the power source
· Switch to open or close the circuit

The load will operate when the circuit is closed or complete. The following figures show an open and a
close circuit:

Fig. 1.1.1: An open and a close circuit

In an electrical circuit, power flows in two forms:

· DC power
· AC Power

DC Circuit and AC Circuit

DC power flows in a DC circuit. A DC circuit is a circuit in which current flows in only one direc on. The
direc on of current does not change with me.

In AC circuit, current flows in both the direc ons; clockwise and counter clockwise. For me period 0
to T/2 current flows in clock wise direc on and for me period T/2 to T, the charge flow reverses to
counter clockwise direc on. It is not only the direc on but the value of current that keeps changing
with me.

The AC current changes its direc on 50 mes in one second which means the power supply has 50
Hertz frequency. The following figure shows the voltage- me rela onship between AC and DC:

Fig. 1.1.2: Voltage-Time rela onship for AC and DC

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Par cipant Handbook

Most of the home appliances such as light bulbs and TV, fans operate on AC power at 220 volts. Solar
panels and ba eries produce DC power. Appliances such as DC CFL lights, DC LED lights and DC fans
can run on DC power by connec ng them to solar panels or ba eries. These are incapable of running
on AC power supplied from the na onal grid.

Series and Parallel Circuit

Complex circuits, in which more than one load is connected, may be either in series or in parallel or a
combina on of both. The basic working of the circuits is explained as follows:
· In a series circuit, all the components are connected as a chain and the current flowing
through the components is same all over the circuit. There is only one path in the circuit in
which the current can flow. So, the current passes through each and every component.
Opening or breaking any point of a series circuit causes the whole circuit to stop func oning
and the en re circuit needs to be replaced.
· In a parallel circuit, two or more components are connected in parallel. All the components
have the same voltage across them. The current flow varies across the components. If any
point of the circuit gets damaged, only that part needs to be replaced.

The following figure shows a series and a parallel circuit:

Fig. 1.1.3: Series and parallel circuits

Typically circuit breakers and fuses are in series with the load and mul ple loads are in parallel.

1.1.4 Measurement of Electrical Parameters

There are many types of measuring tools available such as voltmeter, ammeter and mul meter, which
can measure voltage, current, power and energy. Among these, one of the most versa le measuring
tools is called mul meter.

Measurement Voltage, Current and Resistance

A mul meter can be used for measuring voltage, current and resistance. It can also be used for fault
detec on in small circuits or to find out the broken wires in a circuit.

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

It can be of two types:

· Analog Mul meter
· Digital Mul meter

The following image shows the different types of mul meters:

Analog Mul meter Digital Mul meter

It consists of a It is an electronic
needle which points meter which
at the scale built on displays the
it for giving the measured values in
measured value. digital form.

Fig. 1.1.4: Types of mul meters

Usually, a standard mul meter can measure the following electrical quan es:
· DC Voltage
· AC Voltage
· DC Current
· AC Current
· Resistance

Measurement of DC Voltage and Current

Voltage can be measured by directly connec ng the voltage meter or the mul meter to the terminals
of the voltage source. To measure the voltage using the mul meter, it should be used in voltmeter
mode. The range selector knob of the meter should point towards the sign, volts or 'V'.

Current can be measured by connec ng the current meter or the mul meter to the terminals of
voltage source, provided the current is controlled by appropriate value of resistance or load in path.
Mul meter should be in current mode to measure current. The range selector knob of the meter
should point towards sign, amperes or 'A'.

Appropriate precau on should be taken to posi on the knob or the probe properly for:
· Expected range of voltage or current level
· AC or DC form
· Posi on of the red probe for AC or DC current measurement
· Posi on of the red probe for AC or DC voltage measurement

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Par cipant Handbook

The following figure shows measurement of DC voltage using mul meter:

Fig. 1.1.5: Measurement of DC voltage

Measurement of AC Voltage and Current

In principle, the procedure for measurement of both DC and AC, current and voltage are similar. For
measurement of AC voltage by using a mul meter, it is essen al to select the AC form (~) with the
range selector knob on the mul meter. It is also essent ial to check the posi on of the red probe, as it
should be kept in voltage or current mode in the mul meter as per the measuring parameter.

The red and black probes are to be connected to phase and neutral points in the circuit, respec vely.
The following figure shows measurement of AC current using mul meter:

Fig. 1.1.6: Measurement of AC current

Measurement of Resistance

Resistance measurement is an important part in the field of electricity. The flow of current in a circuit
depends on its resistance. Thus, it is very important to know the value of resistance in a circuit.

For measurement of resistance using a mul meter, the range selector knob should be first placed on
the 'Resistance' mode or Ohms mode, which is normally shown on a mul meter with Ω symbol.

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

The following figure shows measurement of resistance using a mul meter:

Fig. 1.1.7: Measurement of resistance

Measurement of Electrical Power

Current and voltage can be measured by using an ammeter and a voltmeter respec vely. The outp ut
power in an electric circuit can be measured using the formula:

Power = Voltage x Current

Measurement of Electrical Energy

Electrical energy is the power consumed by a load during a specified me period. The product of
power and me gives the value of electrical energy consumed by the load in wa -hour.

The meters available for measurement of energy are called energy meter. As the unit of energy is
wa -hour, the meters are also called wa -hour meter. The following image show a meter:

Fig. 1.1.8: Energy meter

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Par cipant Handbook

1.1.5 Power Genera on System

There are different processes, such as chemical, photo-voltaic, and electromechanical, with which
energy is transformed into an electrical form to generate electrical power. This transforma on or
conversion process happens at a power sta on or a power pl ant. A power sta on has generators and
a rota ng machine that converts mechanical power into electric power.

Typically, electricity is generated using fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Nuclear power is
also used to generate electricity but nowadays renewable source of energy are such as solar, wind,
wave and hydroelectric are becoming popular choice. The fuel cost and the efficiency of the power
sta on determines the opera ng costs of genera ng electrical energy.

The following image shows the electric power being generated at a plant and supplied to the customer
or end user:

Fig. 1.1.9: Electric power supply from genera ng plant to end users

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 Solar Panel Installa on Technician

Ac vity
1. Fill in the following table for various DC loads.

2. Fill the following table on es ma on of electrical energy consumed by electrical appliances.

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Par cipant Handbook

Ac vity
Solve the following problems.

Problem 1.0: What does electric power depend on? An electrical appliance is connected to 48V which
results in 3A current through the load. What is the power consumed by the load?

Problem 2.0: For a 75W lamp, a voltage of 220V is applied. What is the value of the resultant current?

Problem 3.0: An electrical bulb consumes energy at the rate of 40 W per hour and is used for 12 hours.
What is the energy consumed by the bulb?

Problem 4.0: Consider two bulbs, A and B with same power of 100 W. Bulb A is used for 12 hours and
Bulb B is used for 25 hours. Which bulb will consume more energy? Assuming u li es charges of Rs.
6, what would be the cost of electricity consumed by the bulbs?

12