Open-circuit voltage

Open-circuit voltage (abbreviated as OCV or V ) is the difference of electrical potential between two terminals of a device when disconnected from any circuit. There is no external load connected. No external electric current flows between the terminals. Alternatively, the open-circuit voltage may be thought of as the voltage that must be applied to a solar cell or a battery to stop the current. It is sometimes given the symbol V. In network analysis this voltage is also known as the Thévenin voltage.