I did not reply to this post originally, because it was pertaining to
Canadian contractor laws, but in California, the acceptable license
classifications for installing solar are C-10 (electric), C-46 (solar), General
Contractor B, or General Engineering Contractor A. These classifications are
the classifications listed as acceptable by SunPower in its online SunPower
University.
I was really excited when the CEC was considering only paying rebates to
C-10 and B contractors (in 03'/04'), but that never panned out, just like the
requirement for NABCEP never panned out either. The C-46 license was primarily
focused on Thermal systems for many years and was created to address thermal
contractors, but now includes PV, too.
I have personally received the licenses for C-10 and B, and AAES holds a
General Engineering A license. I have had to defend the A license to some
jurisdictions, who have limited the license requirements to C-10 and B, but the
license is classified for 'power plants' and I have always been approved.
Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
CSL 806325
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell: 707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax: 707-769-9037
________________________________
From: "solar...@aol.com" <solar...@aol.com>
To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
Sent: Fri, October 15, 2010 8:12:34 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] What is a solar installer...?
Hello:
The reason California instituted the (C46) solar classification 25 years ago
is
simple: to resolve these issues. At a point in the past, before the C46, in
order to operate as a 'solar contractor', one needed a license in the
following
specialties:
Plumbing
Electrical
Sheet Metal or
Heating and Air
Swimming Pool
Roofing.
This being a forum dedicated to discussing technical issues, I feel compelled
to restrain my political self.
A great percentage (>90%) of the problems we are asked to resolve for stranded
adopters have been caused by properly licensed electricians, roofers and
general contractors. This not to say that these licensed professions are not
qualified, but instead that solar is unique... a separate license is for this
trade should be instituted in every jurisdiction.
Patrick A. Redgate
State license 483280 (C46)
Ameco Solar, Inc.
In a message dated 10/15/2010 6:22:07 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
peter.parr...@calsolareng.com writes:
Hello Benn,
>
>I have some pretty strong opinions about this subject but some of them are
>reflections on politics as opposed to sound engineering design and best
>installation practices.
>
>See my comments interspersed below:
>
>Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
>California Solar Engineering, Inc.
>820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
>CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
>peter.parr...@calsolareng.com
>Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
>
>
>________________________________________
>From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org
>[mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of benn kilburn
>Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 1:12 PM
>To: Wrenches
>Subject: [RE-wrenches] What is a solar installer...?
>
>Wrenches,
>a colleague of mine is looking for feedback to the following email he
>received regarding PV installers and electrical work. I have responded to
>him, however, I am quite interested to hear this list's response....
>
>
>LETTER--
>'Colleague' - next week Alberta’s “major municipalities” electrical chief
>inspectors are getting together to talk about issues. One item I have
>asked
>to put on the agenda is qualifications of solar installers. I hope to see a
>start on forming some type of agreement on is who is qualified to do what
>work on a solar installation and what is considered electrical work that
>only electricians can perform.
>
>>>> In California, we have two specialty contractor licenses Solar (C-46)
>and Electrical (C-10) and well as the General license (B) -- which are
>qualified to install PV systems. I myself am a C-46 but I will probably step
>up to taking the C-10 for political reasons.
>
>There seems to be courses popping up all over to teach everyman to be a
>solar installer, but what work is clearly reserved for electricians to do?
>The Safety Codes Act speaks to Electrical Systems, CE (Canadian Electrical)
>Code defines electrical installation and electrical equipment.
>
>>>> Most (but not all) of the authorities having jurisdiction over PV
>installations (here in California these are City or County Building and
>Safety Departments) see PV as just an electrical system and check plans and
>do inspections accordingly. However, the design and installation of the
>racking system is an essential part of the overall picture. PV systems need
>to be attached to properly transfer the dead and live loads from the PV
>array to the major structural elements of the roof (e.g. rafters) and done
>in such a way to preserve impermeability of water (and snow). In many parts
>of CA we get 90 mph winds, which can transfer substantial loads to the
>racking system. Finally, Fire Departments have begun to analyze PV array
>layouts from the perspective of access to, and movement on, a roof during a
>fire. Most of the racking systems are pre-engineered, and if you follow the
>design guidelines, you should be okay. What I am trying to say is that
>proper mechanical/structural design is important (maybe a 1/3 of the design
>and 1/2 the installation) but the manufacturers to a good job of
providing
>guidelines for the installers.
>
>>>> Electrical design is more involved and there are more opportunities to
>commit design errors: PV string sizing, voltage drop and ampacity
>calculations, over current protection, component selection, and grounding.
>But here's the catch: almost all of this material is PV-specific, and very
>few electricians have been educated or trained in this area. They pick it up
>as they go along (poor choice) or take a course specifically in the area of
>PV design and installation (better choice).
>
>>>>Let me make a WAG. If one were to randomly pick a C-10 electrician out of
>the statewide pool and do the same for a C-46; the C-46 would be better
>prepared to design and install a PV system than the C-10. The overwhelming
>majority of residential installs in CA are done by solar contractors, I am
>less sure about small commercial (say up to 15 kW to 50 kW).
>
> What I hope we accomplish is a stance we can take to the EIAA (Electrical
>Inspectors Association of Alberta) conference then to Apprenticeship and
>Industry Training who ultimately enforces who does work in the trade.
>
>>>> IMHO, the first thing you should look at is a Solar Contract license --
>if you don’t already have one. The second thing is to make available PV
>classes for electrical (or other) contractors. There are scores of
>consultants/instructors in the US that are prepared to provide this service
>on an ad hoc basis. However, an on-going program at a local college offering
>courses on PV as well as other renewable energy disciplines (e.g. wind)
>would be the best long term solution.
>
>To me the PV module racking can be done by anyone, but almost all of the
>rest of the installation – from wire pulling to interconnecting modules,
>mounting of the inverters etc falls clearly into the scope of practice for
>electricians.
>
>>>> You are wrong about that. And the way I know you are wrong is this. We
>get about one call a month from a PV system owner who wants us to take a
>look at their system and fix it. About 1/2 of these calls involve bad
>inverters (a relatively straightforward test and swap out procedure) but
>almost all of the other half involves bad rooftop installations: poor DC
>wiring management, poor grounding of PV modules and racking, poor flashing,
>poor mechanical design and attachment. Leaky roofs represent maybe a 1/4 of
>the total service calls. We rarely find bad wiring down on the ground.
>
>>>> In my "Hall of Shame" there is a system that were asked to look at by a
>large PV integration company that had sub contracted out work to a local
>electrician. Here is what we found:
>
>(1) The attachment to the roof was done with L-brackets without flashing
>or
>caulking (roof was perhaps 3:12).
>
>(2) The racking system was comprised entirely of strut and galvanized
>fasteners.
>
>(3) The module "clamps" were comprised of galvanized machine bolts with
>fender washers. The bolts were torqued sufficiently to deform the fender
>washers. I wondered to the extent that the "point stresses" were transferred
>to the PV modules and how long the PV modules would last.
>
>(4) The DC wiring lay on the roof in many places. Modules were grounded but
>the strut wasn't.
>
>(5) The conduit, wiring, component selection and grounding on the ground
>were fine.
>
>So you can see that ALL of the problems with this particular install had to
>do with the PV-specific nature of the design and installation, and none had
>to do with general electrical work.
>
>One of the bigger players in the industry is saying “its now getting to be
>all plug and play” and anyone can be an installer.
>
>>>> Big players in what industry? There is a trend to more integrated
>design, but "plug-and-play"? Not yet.
>
> Hoping an agreement like this can make it a level playing field and
>consistent across the Province.
>
> What are your thoughts?
>
>>>> you've got them.
>
>
>BACK TO ME
>my thoughts are similar to the ones above, that the racking alone can be
>installed by any 'properly trained' person. However pretty much every other
>aspect of a PV install directly falls under the scope of an electrician and
>needs to be preformed by a journeyman or apprentice under the supervision of
>a journeyman electrician.
>
>>>> And how do you propose to insure that Joe Blow is "properly trained"?
>
>>>> How do you insure an electrician has the PV-specific knowledge and
>training?
>
>
>the following paragraph is from recent past EIAA technical conference
>minutes.
> "Alberta Municipal Affairs (AMA) was asked (earlier in 2009 by a
>Municipality) for an opinion on the Permit Regulation regarding Homeowner
>Permits. The Permit Regulation states a homeowner may be issued a permit
>where the electrical system serves that dwelling. A photovoltaic system that
>is tied to the grid (utility interactive) serves other than that dwelling.
>The response back from AMA confirmed utility interactive PV systems do serve
>other than the dwelling and as such permit issuers should not be issuing
>homeowner permits for utility interactive PV systems."
>
>>>> I am not sure if the question is about the requirement for a Contractor
>vs Homeowner to pull the permit., or not. I don’t think owner/builders
>should be allowed to install PV.
>
>My thinking is that this would include the addition of 'plug and play'
>modules/inverters to an existing system as well ...any comments on this
>one?
>
>>>> I wouldn't get too involved with the ramifications of "plug-and-play"
>until it becomes a reality.
>
>cheers,
>benn
>
>DayStar Renewable Energy Inc.
>b...@daystarsolar.ca
>780-906-7807
>HAVE A SUNNY DAY
>
>
>
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