Horror Stories in time for Halloween [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Bill,

How do you accurately determine which systems are bad and which are good?
Who decides this, the homeowner, the utility, the inspector? If a system
fails to live up to an advertised claim of performance (which will probably
be way more that your hypothetical 20%) it could also be from a number of
other
circumstances, such as unexpectedly low insolation, (smog, contrails, smoke,
etc.), failure to keep panels clean (like most installations on inaccessible
roofs), periods of very hot weather, bad utility conditions, and so on.

No amount of certification will eradicate poor system performance entirely
in even the most careful of installations. I have seen several very tidy
installs done by good installers with Zomeworks trackers which will only
live up to expectations if the arrays are tied-off in windy weather. I have
also seen Sunnyboys installed on a south-facing board with insufficient
spacing between the inverter top and overhead sun protection. Sometimes even
good wrenches don't read the instructions. Everyone makes inadvertent errors
in judgment no matter how well trained they feel themselves to be. It just
happens. The important thing is to avoid thinking yourself infallible,
certification or not.

I feel that long experience is the only true way to really learn any
particular discipline. Maybe your certification requirements need to include
a minimum time in trade before you can even take the test.
There are a lot of us who wouldn't mind that a bit.

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Brooks" <billb at endecon.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Cc: "Chuck Whitaker" <chuckw at endecon.com>
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 10:10 PM
Subject: Horror Stories in time for Halloween [RE-wrenches]


> Bob, William, and Wrenches,
>
> Do you want to hear a story that should scare the hell out of you for
> Halloween?
> The CEC reported today that they are receiving 300 Buydown requests a
month
> now!
>
> Of those 300 systems to be installed each month, how many are being
> installed by people that actually know what they are doing? Half? 75%?
Okay,
> I'll be generous and say 80%. That means 60 systems a month are going in
> with half-baked and flat-out wrong designs and installations. How many
> systems is it going to take to ruin the grid-tied business in California?
> 200? 1000? How many? Does this strike horror into anyone else out there?
>
> Getting rid of the bad installations will save rebate funds, but how can
we
> tell the difference between a good installer and a bad one--very difficult
> right now.
>
> Bill.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bob ollerton [mailto:lizard at mcleodusa.net]
> Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 9:50 PM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> Thats good.  I don't think you will find any disagreement on those goals.
>
> But what we want are more good installers,  not fewer.  Certification is a
> way to stack the odds in favor of someone being a good installer.
>
> How do we keep this from becoming an old boys club, because frankly a lot
of
> talk here and other places sounds that way, no offense meant.
>
> Once again, what we need are more good installers, dealers, sales people,
> advocates.
>
> There are tech companies advertising jobs that ask for 10 years experience
> in a technology thats less than 3 years old...
>
>
> bob.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "William Miller" <wrmiller at slonet.org>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 11:19 PM
> Subject: Re: NABCEP Call for comments [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> > Bob:
> >
> > I can't speak for the motivation of others, but I support certification
> and
> > licensing to promote higher quality installations.  I try to do only the
> > best quality work--code compliant, sold and reliable, and I'd like my
> > competition to be forced to so the same.  It is good for the industry
and
> > only fair to the customer.
> >
> > There will be a few that want cheap work, not good work, and if the
shoddy
> > contractors are deprived of much of their work, maybe they will find
other
> > employment.
> >
> > William Miller
> >
>
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