NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Jeff,

O.K. I employ a number of electrical contractors, as required, but am in a
partnership situation with a holder of a B1! Not an electrical contractor,
as I am not, but a very good craftsman and a dedicated reader of the NEC, as
am I. I also work with 2 engineers, electrical and mechanical. We also take
advantage of the manufacturers experience as regards proper sizing and other
engineering issues, as do most of us. My largest personal design project was
a 5 megawatt windfarm back in the 80's, I employed a power distribution
engineer for some of it and left the main and sub-transformers to the
transformer companies involved. I also acted as a wind energy consultant to
several corporations, the California Energy Commission and the Air Force for
a project (which never got funded) at Shemya Island in the Aleutians. We
designed and installed major wind farms with a B 1 license! Scared yet?

I helped install a 60 kW turbine in Santa Ynez once, where the head Santa
Barbara County electrical inspector stuck his trusty screwdriver into our
(very expensive) 480 v controller. He managed to vaporize his handy little
tool and blow himself a few feet back. This was the Head Cheese for the
County!! Another reason to train inspectors.

Even though I've worked in this biz for over 20 years, I couldn't go get an
electrical license because I haven't worked for an electrician for five
years. Go get one? Why? The solar industry needs an entirely separate ticket
for it's installers, not an endorsement on an electrical contractors
license. It is a unique field and deserves a unique form of recognition, not
a coat-tails position.

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffery Wolfe, Global Resource Options"
<jeff at globalresourceoptions.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 10:50 AM
Subject: RE: NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]


>
> William,
>
> How do I, a registered professional engineer (mechanical), get an
electrical
> license? I'm not working for an electrician, and our work does not get
> inspected (inspections not required or even available here). When I hire
an
> electrician to do some work for us, we train them on the PV, then they do
> the work, on their schedule. (Usually quite a ways out.)
>
> >From what I've seen, I need to work full time for a licensed electrician
for
> a number of years to get a license. So I put my company in storage (shut
> down) for 5 years and do this? Sure I can. Pretty tough on the business
> though.
>
> If you know of another way to get a license, please let me in on it.
>
> As a side, I'd like to know how many wrenches on this list are licensed?
Am
> I in the extreme minority?
>
> Jeff
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: William Miller [mailto:wrmiller at slonet.org]
> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 11:51 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: RE: NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]
>
>
>
> Jeff:
>
> If these people you refer to are that great as wrenches, they can get a
> license.  It is the first and most basic consumer protection and it is in
> place now.
>
> William
>
>
> At 02:44 AM 10/24/02 -0800, you wrote:
> >Will,
> >
> >Yes exactly.  But the point is how do we come up with a certification
> >program that proves those skills - both the basic and advanced code
> >wiring knowledge, design, AND takes into account actual PV/RE
> >experience without excluding those of us that obtained our knowledge
> >and experience without going through the normal license route?  If we
> >simply start from the license and add a PV test on top of it, you'll
> >exclude a whole lot of good wrenches.
> >
> >Jeff
> >
>
> __________________________________________________________________
> William Miller
> Miller Power and Communications
> PO Box 50, Santa Margarita, CA 93453
> Voice :805-438-5600 Fax: 805-438-4607 VMail: 805-546-4875
> email: wrmiller at slonet.org
> http://millerpowerandcomm.com
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