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<font size=3>Larry:<br><br>
I don't think he said, "don't talk to them." I think he
said they are "still in training."<br><br>
William<br><br>
<br>
At 07:59 AM 10/9/2011, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Again, with all due respect, the
don't talk to anyone with less than 50 installs is a bit extreme and
quite frankly a little arrogant.<br><br>
<br>
Larry Liesner<br>
Wirewiz<br>
31 Lincoln St<br>
Westport, CT 06880<br>
Phone: 203-644-2404<br>
<a href="mailto:wirewiz@gmail.com">wirewiz@gmail.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.wire-wiz.com/" eudora="autourl">www.wire-wiz.com</a><br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
On Oct 9, 2011, at 12:31 PM, North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
wrote:<br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><font face="System" size=2>With
all due respect to your experience in California Joel, total
installations is not a very accurate indicator of ability in todays PV
industry imho. A good start is how many years have you been in the
business, really in the business. This does not include the PV pump in
your koi pond but real verifiable, green-tagged installs. 20+ year
electrical contractors with a half-dozen installs don't count either.
NABCEP certification is another excellent filter but several ECs around
here simply hired a NABCEP cert to be able to fly the logo. <br>
</font><font size=3><br>
</font><font face="System" size=2>I have sat through Bill Brooks classes
almost as many times as John Wiles classes. Just spent 8 hours in a James
Stallcup Sr. class in Austin Friday and had lunch Saturday with the
25 year Exec. Dir. of <a href="http://treia.org">treia.org</a>. My www
site doesn't emphasize the number of installs but it does show a list of
training classes, and conferences etc I have attended over the last 18
years.<br>
</font><font size=3><br>
</font><font face="System" size=2>I won't go into the politics of why
Texas is a decade behind the leading edge of PV in the US but I probably
don't have to when you consider our political situation here. And our
working with TREIA at the state capitol for the last 6 years
"greasing the skids" in favor of pro-RE legislation gives a
whole new perspective on those politics. There's a reason SEIA & SEPA
brought SPI to Dallas. <br>
</font><font size=3><br>
</font><font face="System" size=2>And since you mentioned it, I don't
know how many Wrenches will be at SPI in Dallas but be sure to check out
the pulled pork sandwiches and "first-drink-free" meetup at
Poor Davids Pub on the 19th from 6-9. It's sponsored by the Texas Solar
Energy Society and it's just a couple of blocks from the big show. We'll
be looking for NABCEP shirts.<br><br>
Jim Duncan<br>
North Texas Renewable Energy<br>
NABCEP Certified Solar PV<br>
Installer No.031310-57<br>
TECL 27398<br>
<a href="mailto:ntrei@1scom.net">ntrei@1scom.net</a> <br>
817.917.0527<br>
<a href="http://www.ntrei.com/" eudora="autourl">www.ntrei.com</a><br>
</font><br><br>
<font size=3>Dear Jesse,<br><br>
1. Go to the Dallas solar exhibition and spend a lot of time on the
floor<br>
talking to real engineers with field experience (not salespeople).
First<br>
question to ask is "How many PV systems have you installed?"
Anyone with<br>
less than 50 systems under their belt is either reading from the book
or<br>
still in training.<br><br>
2. Attend a Bill Brooks training session. Bill has strong opinions that
some<br>
wrenches disagree with but has seen more PV installations than over 99%
of<br>
the people on Earth and has spend decades thinking about what is good
and<br>
bad PV.<br><br>
3. Meet with and walk the exhibit floor with and talk shop day and
night<br>
with as many wrenches as you can (at least 3 a day).<br><br>
4. Go to the exhibits all the time they are open and keep your ears
open.<br>
Wrenching is parts and the people who put parts together. Only go
to<br>
sessions and workshops when the exhibits are closed.<br><br>
5. Don't become a true believer in any one part or one way to put
parts<br>
together. There are many good and bad parts and techniques. The quest
is<br>
finding something better.<br><br>
Have fun.<br>
Joel Davidson<br>
"Not all change is for the better, but nothing gets better without
change</font><font size=2>."<br>
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