NABCEP requirements [RE-wrenches]

[Peter Parrish]

I took the exam in March 2006, and I have three comments:

(1) It was hard. I and everyone else who took the exam with me stayed the
full four hours. (I've heard the failure rate was ~50% in 2006. Does anyone
have reliable statistics?)
(2) The exam I took _was not_ skewed to off-grid
(3) When I took the exam there was one ambiguous question that was thrown
out (I know because I raised the issue with NABCEP after the exam)

(2) and (3) above, would indicate that the exam continues to change and
maybe off grid now has significant emphasis.

Finally, I would take with a grain of salt anyone who failed the exam and
claimed it was unbalanced. If you really want to know for yourself... 

Peter T. Parrish
California Solar Engineering, Inc.
820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
peter.parrish at calsolareng.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: Conrad Geyser [mailto:conradg at cape.com] 
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 2:25 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: NABCEP requirements [RE-wrenches]


Hi Ezra & all,

In a slightly different vein, my understanding of the PV exam is that it
weighs heavily towards off grid systems which we see very little of here in
eastern Massachusetts.  That coupled with the lack of course work available
to be able to get brought up to speed has presented what seems to be a
barrier to installers around here.  I personally haven't taken the PV exam
because of this and I know of several experienced installers who have failed
it, some of them more than once.  Perhaps there should be an off grid and
grid tied classification...

I found the thermal exam to be fairly reasonable but maybe needing a little
more overlap with plumbing code.

Other than that I think that NABCEP hopefully presents us with an
opportunity(way down the road) to permit our own tie ins in states (like
Massachusetts) that have no licensing diversity.  And yes I agree that
homeowners should be able to do and (wherever possible) permit their own
work!  Perhaps states requiring NABCEP certification could be urged to adopt
that policy.

Are the jurisdictions requiring NABCEP certification allowing tie ins by to
be permitted by solar installers?

Conrad
Cotuit Solar
NABCAP thermal TM


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 11:37 AM
Subject: Re: NABCEP [RE-wrenches]


>
> Wrenches.
> I've asked Allan Sindelar to post this for me as I have limited internet
> access whilst traveling. NABCEP is a voluntary certification and yes,
> despite our best efforts more and more jurisdictions are considering
> requiring the NABCEP Certification. In each instance NABCEP staff
> contact the jurisdiction and urge them to encourage rather than
> mandate certification.
>
> Having said that I'll go on and address Joel's
> question about NABCEP actively refusing to allow jurisdictions to
> require certification. We have no authority to direct jurisdictions
> as to what to require or not. If we did all programs would encourage
> NABCEP but not require it. The fact that many jurisdictions are
> requiring certification simply points to the need for an accountable
> professional certification program which NABCEP provides.
>
> NABCEP will continue to encourage all jurisdictions to provide extra
> incentives to certified installers and will continue to oppose
> mandatory requirements.
>
> Best regards,
> Ezra Auerbach
> Chairperson NABCEP
>
> ezra at lasqueti.net
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dan Rice" <danrice at scinternet.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 10:23 PM
> Subject: Re: NABCEP again (was opportunity to address pumbing code issues)
> [RE-wrenches]
>>
>> Joel,
>>
>> I actively sought input from NABCEP on this issue, due to the PV
>> licensure
>> requirement for NABCEP certification in Utah. I've been underwhelmed by
> the
>> response from NABCEP on this issue (and I'm an "Inaugural" NABCEP PV
>> certificant, so I'm not anti-NABCEP). I'm told that they "discourage"
> govt.
>> agencies from requiring or utilizing NABCEP certification in licensure
>> requirements, but they claim that they can do nothing to stop it. It's
>> not
>> hard to see that any requirement for NABCEP certification represents a
>> potential revenue stream for NABCEP, so I'm dubious about how vigorously
> the
>> "discouragement" may be.
>>
>> Having every PV licenseholder in the state NABCEP certified potentially
>> reduces the marketing advantage of certification, although one does not
> need
>> to retain current certification to remain licensed -only be NABCEP
> certified
>> when applying to become licensed. I won't go in to the objections I've
>> raised with the Utah licensing officials here, but if this issue is of
>> concern to anyone else, I can share those off-line.
>>
>> For what it's worth, Utah also relies upon other industry certifications
> for
>> other licensure classifications. The one that comes to mind is in the gas
>> appliance and piping industry. I expect, with gubment budget tightening
> and
>> privatization in vogue, this paradigm will continue to grow.
>>
>> Dan Rice
>> Abundant Sun, LLC.
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Joel Davidson" <joel.davidson at sbcglobal.net>
>> |
>> | Since 2001, NABCEP said that certification is voluntary, yet NABCEP
>> | certification requirements keep popping up. Does NABCEP actively refuse
> to
>> | allow jurisdictions to require certification?
>> | Joel Davidson
>
>
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