SPAM: NABCEP & Training [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

When I saw things that I thought weren't right, I use to complain that "there
ought to be a law." One of my teachers would say, "Deal with it."

This is a true story. A homeowner called to complain that his PV system was not
putting out as much current as he thought it should. His PV system was installed
by a licensed electrical contractor who specializes in PV. The homeowner
described the array. I told him how many amps he should be getting. He was
getting much less current. I asked him to check the wiring. All wires were
nicely fastened, but the homerun was under-sized. I called the contractor and
asked why he used #12 wire for the homerun. He answered, "Because it's the right
ampacity." I asked if he did a resistance calculation and he answered, "No." I
could tell by his voice that he was unfamiliar with resistance calculations. I
explained the importance of "I-square-R" especially on 48-volt systems, told him
how to do the calculation and that the homerun should be #2. He replaced the
homerun. Nobody got sued. Nobody lost his license. The homeowner was happy. The
contractor did not lose face. It feels good to deal with it.


"Jeffery Wolfe, Global Resource Options" wrote:

> A certified installer should know how to connect the wires, but not
> necessarily what size the wires should be. That's the difference between
> design/engineering and installation. Never ask a licensed electrician to
> design, it's beyond the training and skill level of most. Similarly, it's
> pretty unusual to find an engineer who can competently install. (I can hear
> the arrows coming already.) My view comes from 20 years in the construction
> industry, outside of PV.

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================