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Dana, <br>
I know where you live because I once lived there, and even worked
with you for a short spell in 1994. It's called "mountain paradise",
and you have been able to make a decent living there, doing well the
work you love while living in the heart of it. Part of why it's
paradise is that it's far from any big cities. Seems like a pretty
fair tradeoff to me.<br>
<br>
As I understand it, there's a six week wait because the test is
structured to meet national (ANSI?) standards for legitimate
certification. The test is revised each time it's offered; each has
some questions that are different from the last. All of the test
question are checked for the number of incorrect answers, in order
to determine if some questions are sufficiently misleading or
confusing as to warrant being thrown out. That especially benefits
someone such as yourself who doesn't test well.<br>
<br>
I'd love to see a separate certification for battery-based systems.
I'd get that one too, as it would mean a much smaller crowd. I'd
also like to see a separate certification for "Commercial GT over
50kW" - I wouldn't even try for that one.<br>
<br>
I see the typical electrician's exam, with its immediate results
(for an additional "fee") as the joke. A skilled and knowledgeable
electrician can pass it. A skilled test taker can get 25% right on
that skill alone, and another 50% by taking one of the "no pass no
pay" private test prep courses. You can't do that with the NABCEP
Certification exam. To me that's a good thing.<br>
<br>
Methinks you complain too much, sir.<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><font
color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font
face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;">NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
Founder and Chief Technology Officer<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3209 Richards Lane (note new address)<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
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On 5/24/2012 12:03 PM, Dana wrote:
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">NABCEP has been a
strangely quiet subject on this forum. FYI - I checked with
our honorable moderator prior to posting this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">If we are attempting to
expand the field of “certified“ installer and designers why
is NABCEP run the way it is?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">Getting the NABCEP cert
and living in w.CO has been a virtual nightmare & living
where I do and having to travel 7 hours each way, stay in a
hotel etc, this is a joke. I may be in the minority but
point to make here. Beyond that I became a wrench because I
do not test well [avoided a 4 year degree] yet I can outline
a schematic for electrical or plumbing in my head and build
it the first time correctly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">The test schedule and
availability - NABCEP needs to open up to local proctoring,
libraries, schools, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">2 tests a Year?
Electricians can re- test 24 or 48 hours? later and use a
variety of resources. Why can we not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">When an electrician
tests they get their results as they walk out of the test
room. Why do we have to wait 6 weeks? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">The NEC book is the
only reference material at the test when is not doing a
trade about knowing your resources and utilizing them? From
what I understand any number of professions and trades get
to use several resource books. You would think we were going
to be secret agents or the like. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I have done off grid
for 24 years. Most NABCEP folk who are GT only have not a
clue as to battery based design and should not be allowed to
do the same. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I am "certified" and
probably very competent up to 50KW would be just fine but
100KW or 1MW? This is probably not a brilliant idea without
a backup coach.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">Questions on 3 phase on
the test? I would ask my licensed master electrician yet we
are asked several questions on 3 phase. I have asked masters
and they have had to go look up the answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I would suggest a basic
GT cert up to 50KW with a supplemental for >50kw and a
separate adder for off grid. Tests every 2 month or on a
scheduled basis with you local librarian<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I fly my NABCEP cert in
the bathroom and upside down. It is in distress, stinks, and
needs help. The re-wrenches is strangely silent on this much
damaged product called certification.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I see some major issues
and would like to start a discussion about how it is
managed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">I think it needs
rethinking.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">Thanks for considering
& your opinion?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">Dana Orzel - Great
Solar Works, Inc - E - <b><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dana@solarwork.com">dana@solarwork.com</a></b> - V <b>970.626.5253</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">F - 970.626.4140 C
- 970.209.4076 web - <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.solarwork.com">www.solarwork.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Century
Gothic","sans-serif"">"Responsible
Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;color:green">P </span></i></b><b><i><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;color:green">Please consider the
environment before printing this email</span></i></b><b><i><span
style="color:#99CC00"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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