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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">Certification is just a business, whether it’s for computer Techs or Solar Installers, and they seem to be entities unto themselves. I have heard all the arguments
for certs, but like you said some folks don’t test well but are knowledgeable others test well but are clueless as to practical applications.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">Back a decade or so ago I taught Computer Tech certification (A+) at our local university. In one class that I taught I had 23 network admins (Employed as such)
and managing large networks. Only three tested and one passed. The point is all were capable network admins.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">The real question is… how does one prove their expertise? Especially to the general public. I have seen some real nightmarish off grid systems setup by NABCEP installers
and Non-NABCEP as well. It is a problem and though I don’t believe in certification, I also don’t have an alternative suggestion either. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">Kind Regards<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#009900"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">Tom Duffy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#009900">Senior Solar Design Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#009900">Toll Free 888-895-8179<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#009900">tom@thesolar.biz<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806">For: Customer Service and Accounting
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-6810</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"> Grid tie sales
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-7847</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806">Off Grid sales
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-7765</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"> Other Product Sales
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-9612</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806">Shipping and Receiving
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-6497</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"> Tech Support
</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:black">888-895-8179</span><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial Rounded MT Bold","sans-serif";color:#984806"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Dana<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 24, 2012 12:04 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] NABCEP<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<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 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 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><span style="color:#99CC00"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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