NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Prophyvoltaics Indeed! I think you're going to have a hell of an uphill
battle to banish all contractors other than electrical ones after the state
specifically was inclusive of a purposefully diverse group. (We are talking
about California, right?) Like it or not, general contractors are allowed to
perform "usual" electrical work which, obviously, is every bit as
potentially dangerous as a PV system. Homeowners are also allowed to do
their own, eminently unqualified, installations. It seems to me that the
rubber meets the road with the individual inspector. It's the inspectors who
need the training in identifying proper and bad installs, even more so than
professional installers.

This is a subject which has very deep roots in American culture. Everybody
has the right to build their own home and choose the people they want to
work on it. Being able to advertise your services as meeting the
requirements of Professional Practitioners of Photovoltaic Paraphernalia
should serve that portion of the buying public interested in employing
qualified individuals, just like any other trade specialty. The point is,
they don't, and never will, have to - by law.

One of the solar water heating companies in this area suddenly "saw the
light" (see MONEY) right around the Y2K thing, and is now out there
installing PVs like crazy. They went from knowing 0 about PV to being
"experts" in the space of one month. They spend lots of dough advertising. I
suspect they simply do the usual amount of "engineering" for groups like
that, which is to take system A. B or C out of a manufacturer's catalogue,
and sell it as their own. Humbug! Even if someone becomes a member of a
particular trade association, it doesn't automatically make them good
craftsmen or designers; that's why there's such a thing as a building
department with field inspectors making sure that the things people build
are designed, and perform up to acceptable norms.

I'm for certification too, but face it; its' doubtful that the program will
actually change the status-quo that much. Or?

Matt

----- Original Message -----
From: "Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services" <toddcory at finestplanet.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 4:21 PM
Subject: Re: NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]


Photovolactics? Oh my... maybe he got it confused with prophylactics.

I think we are seeing the writing on the wall here and need for some kind of
certification. I have seen general contractors do horrible electrical wiring
in CA. I think only licensed electricians should be the minimum standard for
ANY electrical work, and then maybe an additional certification for PV. I
hate more hoops to jump through like everyone, but I would hate to see bad
installs shoot us in the foot.

Todd



Graham Owen wrote:

> Bill,
>
> I am afraid you are right.  Last week I drove to my local distributor in
> L.A. and actually had to wait in line.  There were three trucks in front
> of me waiting to load up PV equipment.  One of the guy's was a landscape
> contractor, about to do his first installation, and he pronounced PV as
> photovolactics.  He knew absolutely nothing about PV systems except that
> one of his customers wants one.  One of the other trucks was driven by a
> middle eastern guy who spoke broken English and didn't understand what
> rafters were.  The truck was covered with signage mentioning "free
> electricity - no more electric bills - cost effective".
>
> I have noticed that the L.A. building inspectors have had more PV
> training and know what to look out for.  The first thing they do is go
> on the roof and make sure each individual module is grounded.  I think
> some of the hatchet installers will have a hard time getting shoddy
> systems past final inspection.  If the system doesn't pass the rebates
> will not be forthcoming.  I think thoroughly training building
> inspectors may prove to be the most effective way to ensure all
> installations are high quality.  Should inspectors be able to refuse to
> pass installations which have modules in series facing different
> orientations?  This is the most common design flaw that I am noticing.

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