Benn,
You kind of smacked the hornets nest on this one, the IAEI (International Association of Electrical Inspectors) magazine had a good article on this topic in the recent March/April issue.
I think the argument is best framed around the experience required to obtain the solar contractors/installers license if offered. In some states such as FL no real solar electric or electrical experience is required to obtain the solar contractors license, many individuals are currently qualifying for the license based on solar thermal experience only which does not necessarily qualify one to perform med-high vDC installations. In all fairness some individuals with extensive solar electric experience and a comprehensive understanding of the NEC are qualifying for the solar contractors license in FL; however, they are in the minority.
20 years ago when the solar contractors license was originally offered in FL the electrical board was approached to grant permission for a single pv panel at less than 50vDC, the prevailing thought was what could go wrong at low voltage with minimal short circuit current, now that we have grid tied systems approaching 600vDC and with the recent high profile solar electric related fires; FL (along with other states), is reviewing the experience requirements to insure that individuals qualifying to obtain the solar contractors license actually have wiring experience, and if not, then some states are starting to require that the wiring be performed by licensed electricians.
In FL for example per the electrical contractors licensing board no commercial vAC or vDC wiring and no residential vAC wiring is allowed to be installed by solar contractors due to the lack of experience required to obtain the license. This is also reflected in the minimum liability/property damage insurance required for the solar contractors license.
As far as solar and electrical contractors go, a 40 hour comprehensive hands on training class or NABCEP certification is a good requirement to have to ensure that the quality of the installation is above average; however neither teach or require much actual wiring experience and many find it difficult to pass the NABCEP exam. In the march NABCEP exam sitting in Orlando FL, I believe only 6 out of 24 made it onto the certified list for FL which is low (2 of the 6 are instructors), and although many of those sitting for the exam were solar contractors, only a few actually passed the exam, even though they had passed the FL solar contractors exam, in some areas of the country the NABCEP pass rate is closer to 50%.
At the end of the day what we all want is a safe, reliable (with customer expectations met), code compliant installation that does not pose a life-safety issue at some point down the road (25 - 40 years). Minimal experience requirements may allow more individuals to become licensed and own their own shop installing solar electric systems, but that is not in the best interest of the grid tied solar electrical industry IMHO as we go forward.
Concerning homeowners pulling owner/builder permits for plug and play solar electric, I think it is a bad idea from a life-safety perspective and I don't believe that the NEC code making panel will allow plug and play into existing branch circuits any time soon (the homeowner installed route), existing branch circuits are rated for loads only and are not rated for both power generation and loads at the same time, this is no different than a homeowner plugging a generator into an existing branch circuit designed for loads, neither are allowed in FL.
The plug and play connected to an existing branch circuit route appears to be more likely targeted to the unlicensed inexperienced handyman who can't pull a permit for solar electric.
Going back to the nest now!
Jamie Johnson
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer
#031310-118
General Manager
SOLAR POWER ELECTRIC
EC13001765
(941)380-0098
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