In the NM cable used for wiring homes, each cable has three wires inside a sheath with each wire covered in a different color of insulation to indicate its type. The wire with the black insulation is the 'hot' wire, white is the neutral wire, and the ground wire is either covered in green insulation or left bare.

Connecting the 8 batteries in series multiplies their voltage while keeping their current the same yielding a 96V 20A configuration. Connecting the 8 batteries in parallel multiplies their current while keeping their voltage the same yielding a 12V 160A configuration. Using a series-parallel connection, 4 batteries can be connected in series and 4 can be connected in parallel resulting in a 48V 80A configuration.

Resistors can be chosen in a wide variety of values to control the voltage in a circuit, limit the current, or moderate the heat produced by the components in the circuit.

A photovoltaic cell (also known as a solar cell) converts energy from the sun into electrical energy.

A diode allows current to pass easily in one direction and blocks current in the other direction. A zener diode is a diode which allows current to flow in one direction as normal and will also allow current flow in the reverse direction when the voltage is above a certain value. This value is called the breakdown voltage.