[RE-wrenches] Archive searches (was Battery Cables)

[ASAP POWER! 2]

Jeff, last line especially, very well said.  Makes the case for solid
archiving/retrieval schema for each and every post, for keywords, member
names, topics, etc within.  We should all encourage research of archives on
one's own if we know it's been addressed before, as I recall was done often
in past years, not so much today.  But topica issues played a part in all
that too I think.  

With ease of access and "search-ability" for and by members, and not
necessarily the public, some pretty rich density has been created among the
distinct threads over time (if not from the years of archives that are
available at the link in every post).  

Michael, you know what would help, is if there was better instruction for
filling out the "form" on the RE-wrenches Archives via Dig.  I don't know
what the terms mean in the Match: Format: and Sort by: fields nor what they
do for or against search term or terms I put in the actual Search: field.  

Perhaps this should only help list members do some research before they
post, since only list members can post.   But are the archives googled in
any way, or otherwise "public" to the "public?"   

And then there are internet searches etc., that anyone can do on a
relatively specific "wrench-like" topic even, and find info and answers to
questions.  More often than not, I'd bet it's a piece written by a wrenches
list member!

But there is something about the immediacy of the information/knowledge
shared/gained that a committed group can quickly achieve that makes the
email receipt and list so valuable - and vital.  Cuz we all know it never
ain't that easy.  

Besides, the perception of the right answers or resolutions achieved is
still like witnesses to a car accident to some extent, and we, as accident
investigators are/will be continuously doing that investigation, revisiting
crime scenes time and time again if necessary.


Ok, have to tell this story.  Not even the easy stuff is easy for the
"greenie weenies" (as a local VC firm CEO calls them) like siting the
midpoint of a 4:12 180S array (ok, good) but just north of a tall chimney.
This by a crew from a 2-year-old 3-initial "major solar installer" in CA
with several offices and who knows how many crews.  How do I know?   It's my
neighbor's house.  I see the nicely shaded 2.1kW array everytime I am on the
stairs in my house and it's an amazingly stupid reminder thing and all but
really just makes me upset, I want to go...chop the chimney off.

They also had to patch the exterior stucco wall in several places where they
had mounted and piped in the DC and AC disco's on the wrong sides of the
inverter, and Albert (the neighbor) should demand a paint job.  They
corrected this after a couple of days, but had gone through the eave into
the AC disco, and had the DC box to the main panel, and all wired in, and
had to "patch" the boxes too, with a nut/bolt and flat washers... 

My wife told me about some OTHER solar company dumping rails in his driveway
one morning and the noise startled her (and the whole neighborhood I'm
sure).  

Turns out Albert had contracted and paid his money in July of last year and
they got around to him in January of this year.  I assumed this because of
long outlook on uncapped ITC, but he said it was because of their "backlog,"
meaning who knows how many more screwball setups are out there with just
this one company with a bit'omoney behind them, reedy to cash in for more,
on the solar "boom."   A state "rebate" Albert knew was going to them and
"that's why it was so cheap", but didn't seem to know or care about a tax
credit.  Why Albert didn't have me do it to begin with and why he didn't
take my advice about what he should do next after we talked about it...is
another story.

By the way, Jeff, at least from what I've seen, most or more often, sad to
say, their hearts are not really in the right place either.

Peter  D.

-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Yago
Sent: Friday, March 13, 2009 1:08 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Cables

This thread started with a simple question, but it shows exactly why there
is a sub-group of us on the another wrenches list trying to work out a
national installers association. 

There is a huge influx of solar "installers" coming into this field and
although their hearts may be in the right place, they need the guidance of
those of us who have been around a lot longer. I have heard several TV
interviews with solar "installers" and when asked how they learned this
trade, they replied "I went to a 1-day manufacturers training class,
after-all, it isn't that hard".

This list is a great resource for those more experienced to ask more complex
questions, and yes, we can get frustrated when the same thread starts up
again that we settled 3 years ago, but to me this is just more reason to get
this national solar installers association going and let it take over some
of these newbee issues.  No there are no dumb questions, but there are some
good questions that have been answered many times before.  

Jeff Yago

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