Re: [RE-wrenches] NABCEP

[Allan Sindelar]

Dana, 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. 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. 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. 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. Methinks you complain too much, sir. Allan Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Founder and Chief Technology Officer Positive Energy, Inc. 3209 Richards Lane (note new address) Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com On 5/24/2012 12:03 PM, Dana wrote: NABCEP has been a strangely quiet subject on this forum. FYI - I checked with our honorable moderator prior to posting this.   If we are attempting to expand the field of “certified“ installer and designers why is NABCEP run the way it is?   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.   The test schedule and availability - NABCEP needs to open up to local proctoring, libraries, schools, etc. 2 tests a Year? Electricians can re- test 24 or 48 hours? later and use a variety of resources. Why can we not? When an electrician tests they get their results as they walk out of the test room.  Why do we have to wait 6 weeks? 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.   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. 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. 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. 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   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. I see some major issues and would like to start a discussion about how it is managed. I think it needs rethinking.   Thanks for considering & your opinion?     Dana Orzel -  Great Solar Works, Inc -  E - d...@solarwork.com -  V 970.626.5253 F - 970.626.4140     C - 970.209.4076     web - www.solarwork.com  "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" P Please consider the environment before printing this email   _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org

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