A photovoltaic array of photovoltaic solar cells; a smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker for electrically providing a pulsed 100 microseconds duration short circuit to the photovoltaic array electrical outputs, wherein a response time for the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker is more than 1 millisecond when responding to a short circuit; a computer program comprising instructions that when executed by the processor perform functions that control the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker, the computer program comprising: instructions to command the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker to initiate the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; instructions to measure a current magnitude and current rise time of the smart photovoltaic system outputs during the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; and instructions to select a behavior curve from a plurality of smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker behavior curves 10% above the current magnitude and current rise time during the pulsed short circuit.

A power supply system includes at least two photovoltaic module groups, one photovoltaic module group includes at least one photovoltaic module, the at least one photovoltaic module is connected to at least one photovoltaic adapter, and photovoltaic adapters connected to photovoltaic modules in a same photovoltaic module group are connected in series. The power supply system further includes a junction box, a bus, and a centralized monitoring system. The photovoltaic adapters of each of the at least two photovoltaic module groups are connected in parallel to the junction box after being connected in series and are connected to the bus by using the junction box.

A device, system, and method is disclosed for improving safety of a power system. For example, a differential current may be detected using at least one sensor by temporarily enabling sampling of current flowing through one or more conductors. Additionally, current flow may be temporarily altered in order to sample current in a system. The measurements may be handled locally and/or remotely and appropriate actions may be taken to enhance the overall safety of the system.

A portable cooler is disclosed herein. The portable cooler includes a cooler body portion, the cooler body portion defining an interior compartment configured to hold beverages and/or food items; and a cooler lid portion coupled to the cooler body portion, the cooler lid portion operable between open and closed states so as to allow a user to gain access to the beverages and/or food items in the interior compartment. In one or more embodiments, the portable cooler further includes a telescopic handle assembly pivotally coupled to the cooler body portion with an upper handle portion telescopically extendable from a lower handle portion. In one or more embodiments, the portable cooler further includes a solar panel disposed on the cooler lid portion, and an electrical power output device electrically coupled to the solar panel for transmitting electrical energy generated by the solar panel to an electrical device.

A portable cooler is disclosed herein. The portable cooler includes a cooler body portion, the cooler body portion defining an interior compartment configured to hold beverages and/or food items; and a cooler lid portion coupled to the cooler body portion, the cooler lid portion operable between open and closed states so as to allow a user to gain access to the beverages and/or food items in the interior compartment. In one or more embodiments, the portable cooler further includes a telescopic handle assembly pivotally coupled to the cooler body portion with an upper handle portion telescopically extendable from a lower handle portion. In one or more embodiments, the portable cooler further includes a solar panel disposed on the cooler lid portion, and an electrical power output device electrically coupled to the solar panel for transmitting electrical energy generated by the solar panel to an electrical device.

A modulating circuit adapted to modulate between an energy harvesting mode and a wireless transmitter mode is disclosed which includes a solar cell, an energy-harvesting circuit, a first switch coupling the solar cell to the energy harvesting circuit and controlled by a first control line, a second switch coupling the solar cell to a programmable current source and controlled by a second control line, a transmitter/energy harvesting mode circuit adapted to select between a transmitter mode and an energy harvesting mode, and a symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to encode data to be communicated by the solar cell, the symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to adjust the programmable current source to thereby provide a metered current to the solar cell.

A modulating circuit adapted to modulate between an energy harvesting mode and a wireless transmitter mode is disclosed which includes a solar cell, an energy-harvesting circuit, a first switch coupling the solar cell to the energy harvesting circuit and controlled by a first control line, a second switch coupling the solar cell to a programmable current source and controlled by a second control line, a transmitter/energy harvesting mode circuit adapted to select between a transmitter mode and an energy harvesting mode, and a symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to encode data to be communicated by the solar cell, the symbol-to-current mapping circuit adapted to adjust the programmable current source to thereby provide a metered current to the solar cell.

Provided is a photovoltaic system wherein potential induced degradation (PID) is simply and efficiently suppressed. This photovoltaic system is provided with a bypass electric path that connects an inverter and a positive electrode of a solar cell module array to each other by being connected in parallel to a first electric path between the inverter and the solar battery module array. The bypass electric path is provided with a second switching circuit, and a first switching circuit is provided to an electric path between the inverter and a negative electrode of the solar cell module array, the electric path being a part of the first electric path.

Provided is a photovoltaic system wherein potential induced degradation (PID) is simply and efficiently suppressed. This photovoltaic system is provided with a bypass electric path that connects an inverter and a positive electrode of a solar cell module array to each other by being connected in parallel to a first electric path between the inverter and the solar battery module array. The bypass electric path is provided with a second switching circuit, and a first switching circuit is provided to an electric path between the inverter and a negative electrode of the solar cell module array, the electric path being a part of the first electric path.

The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for generating solar power. In some examples, a solar unit can have multiple solar panels (and one or more non-solar panels), a set of hinges, and air driven cooling. The unit can be configured to couple the plurality of panels to one another in a geometric shape. In an example, a set of hinges can include at least one rotatable hinge that can be coupled to at least one respective rotatable solar panel of the plurality of solar panels.