The type of electrical connection between a solar array and a battery can be either Alternating Current (AC) or Direct Current (DC). AC is when the current flows rapidly forward and backward (this is what the electricity grid uses to operate) and DC is where the current flows in one direction. Most electronic circuits use DC, while solar panels produce DC, and batteries store DC energy. However, most electrical appliances operate on AC. This is why all homes and businesses have AC circuits. DC can be converted to AC using an inverter but, as explained below some energy is always lost in the conversion. Click the diagram to edit it directly or you can start from scratch in EdrawMax Online.
