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Langley |
A unit of solar irradiance; one calorie per square centimeter. 1 L equals 41.84 kJ/m2. |
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LDSE |
Laser doped selective emitter. |
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Lead-acid battery |
A type of battery that consists of plates made of lead, lead-antimony, or lead-calcium and lead-oxide, surrounded by a sulfuric acid electrolyte. The most common type of battery used in RAPS systems. |
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Life |
The period during which a system can operate above a specified performance level. |
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Life-cycle cost |
The estimated cost of owning, operating and disposing of a system over its useful life. |
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Light emitting diode |
A semi conductor device composed of a p-n junction designed such that electrons emit visible light during their migration across the junction. |
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Light trapping |
The trapping of light inside a semiconductor material by refracting and reflecting the light at critical angles. Trapped light will travel further in the material, greatly increasing the probability of absorption and hence of producing charge carriers. |
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Light-induced defects |
Defects, such as dangling bonds, induced in an amorphous silicon semiconductor upon initial exposure to light. |
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Line wire loss |
Voltage or power lost due to the resistance of any wire or wires in any electrical circuit. |
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Linear current booster |
An electronic circuit that matches PV output directly to a motor. Used in array direct water pumping. |
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Liquid electrolyte battery |
A battery containing a liquid solution of an electrolyte in a solvent (e.g. sulfuric acid in water). Also called a flooded battery because the plates are covered with the electrolyte solution. |
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Load |
The electrical power being consumed at any given moment or averaged over a specified period. The load that an electric generating system supplies varies greatly with time of day and to some extent season of year. In an electrical circuit, the load is any device or appliance that is using power. |
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Load circuit |
The wiring including switches and fuses that connects the load to the power source. |
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Load current |
The current required to power the electrical device. |
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Load resistance |
The electrical resistance of the load. |
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Low voltage cut-off |
The voltage at which a controller will disconnect the load from the battery. |
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Low voltage disconnect (LVD) |
The voltage at which the charge controller will disconnect the load from the batteries to prevent over-discharging. |
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Low voltage warning |
A warning buzzer or light that indicates the low battery voltage set-point has been reached. |
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LPCVD |
Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition. |
