NABCEP test disclosure [RE-wrenches]

[Jeff Clearwater, Village Power Design]

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Hey Jeff Y. and all,

I agree with Jeff Y.  Jay 's point is well taken that we need tests 
that test true skills - not the ability to take a test - but I see 
basic solar trig as a required skill as Jeff Y states below.  Sure, 
everyone uses a calculator to do the actual trig but you have to know 
what a sin or tan applies to to put in the numbers.  SOH TOA CAH is 
not much to memorize, I use it on every job to check either north leg 
height, adjustable rack ranges, row spacing or shading from adjacent 
roof lines etc.

I would like NABCEP to improve the test so that true skills are 
tested and we can all work together to help them with that, but I 
also think that the NABCEP testing  will reveal to all of us our 
strengths and weaknesses.  I learned new things from the study guide 
and it's references to the code and calculation assumptions - things 
that I had estimated rather than calculated before - the test honed 
my understanding and made me come to terms with things I had avoided 
or simply was lazy to apply fully.  I say, if you don't know solar 
trig - take the half hour it would take to learn it and thank NABCEP 
for the extra push.

AND NABCEP definitely needs input from us for the test to be a better 
test of true skills.  From what contact I've had I've find them wide 
open to input.

Forward,

Jeff C.
Village Power Design



>"Thank you all for proving my point to the exam committee
>that trigonometry is beyond the scope, and maybe the ability, of a
>competent
>PV installer."
>
>No, I don't think a pv system installer needs to memorize 3
>dimensional trig functions. However, I do think it is reasonable to
>expect an installer to know how to calculate array spacing, rear array
>support leg lengths for a sloping roof, and potential shadow lengths
>from nearby objects using basic everyday trig.   All solar system
>designers and installers must understand the basic path of the sun,
>and how time of day, latitude, and day of year impacts this path.
>
>In the late 70's there was a major solar hot water project that
>involved a large number of plumbing contractors retrofitting simple
>solar hot water heaters on hundreds of homes in the same residential
>development.   I am sure there were no leaks(they were all licensed
>plumbers), but when you viewed their work from an airplane, each solar
>array faced a different direction, including due north, and many were
>in the shade.
>
>I have worked with many licensed electricians hired to help with pv
>installations, and although their wiring work would pass code, most
>had no understanding of how to locate an array, its relationship to
>the sun's path, or why a nearby chimney could be a problem.  In
>addition, most did not want to know either.
>
>Jeff Yago
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design Associates
http://www.villagepower.com
Sustainable Energy & Water Solutions for Home & Village

Office:  (413) 256-6777,  Cell: (720)480-8455 
Fax:  (413) 825-0372
61 Baker Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072;
PO Box 115
Boonville, CA  95415
(707) 895-9015
Fax: (707) 897-0224

Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas - http://www.ecovillage.org
Advisory Board - Living Routes - Ecovillage Education - 
http://www.livingroutes.org
Founder:  Ecovillage Research, Development, and Demonstration Program:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~clrwater/RDD/rdd.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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