[Question] Solar installations courses and green cards make you legit ?

[Isetech]

This has become an interesting topic. Customers are under the impression that a person who has a green card is a legit installer and can do a complete installation , including the AC/DC and the work in the DB.

What qualifies you as a legit solar installer?

A 3 days course and a green card only, with no electrical qualification ?

A 3 day course with a green card and an electrical background, not being a registered electrical contractor how do you work on an electrical installation and sign off the COC ?

Or do you actually have to be a qualified electrician, with or without a green card, registered as an electrical contractor with the DOL as an electrical contractor ?

How do you know if the course you have attended is even legit. There are courses at a dime a dozen, I have at least 5 courses pop up in my inbox a day, from wholesalers to random individuals, pop up training facilities you name they are just as common as solar installers.

[Dylboy]

This Green card thing I'm feeling is a bit of a waste... Basically green card holder means you can issue paperwork of their layout with info on....

I guess it shows the client you have some idea but they are not actually electricians...

Also the course I find lacking in that they don't teach the proprietary working of each inverter from their settings to monitoring to what they can and can't do etc. If they did proper training on Axperts, Victron, Sunsyunk then I would be a lot happier to flog the bucks. All what I know is self tought and no one wants to share any info as they also had to self learn and feel it gives them the edge... Which it does.

Even phoned Voltex inverter helpline thing for a client last year as had an issue and I asked the guy if they do training or where can I go and he said they just learn from reading the manual and exposure to all the calls and figuring it out.... Not even the people selling the inverter know how to operate it....

Same as Segen, asked my Technical guy on set up of things and the Aux ports and he said I don't know and for the battery sent me the same document I had.... Eventually figure lt out but not 100% satisfied...

Most people don't know of "let through current" and I don't think the Greencard courses would even explain it and that is vital for system choice and design.

I have tried to get training on Sunsyunk only but no one does it and I asked Segen and the guy said they don't do training and they can put me in touch with installers who have done a few but he said they don't want to show anyone else as it's their "secret"..

So the solar industry is a bit of a farce with green cards and training....

If someone knows a place I can go and they can teach me everything about the sunsynk or Axperts then please share

I am working my way through Victron online training but that is nearly full time job hahaha.

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[Madek]

I know of so many customers that go to the green card option VS a qualified IE that can issue a proper COC. Most of the installations require a split of the DB board. The COC s that is issued is in many cases not compliant. They don't calibrate their elect metre s or attach proof of the calibration to a COC it's a nightmare and then try and explain to a customer that tbe COC that was issued is not valid. They just don't understand

[Dylboy]

First time hearing to calibrate a Meter ?
Where can I get more info on that please bud ?

Side question... Do solar systems need to be registered with a department of sorts ? I used to here if registering a system but not 100% sure on what that entails ?

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[Justloadit]

I have used Instech before. Not a cheap exercise.

[GCE]

First time hearing to calibrate a Meter ?

To a point , calibration of meters is a pointless exercise - A meter calibration is only valid if the meter is used within a constant room temp and does not get bumped or dropped. There are not many meters used on site that will stay calibrated for longer than a week

Side question... Do solar systems need to be registered with a department of sorts ? I used to here if registering a system but not 100% sure on what that entails ?

NERSA requires all PV systems to be registered. I understood that the municipalities need to keep NERSA updated as to how much and where the system are connected.
Your local municipality will require you to register the system with them even if you are not grid connected

[Dylboy]

Is it the main meter that is calibrated i.e the municipal meter? Or your actual Multi Meter and IR tester etc ?

And thanks GCE for above reply ! Will look into NERSA and Gauteng municipality.

Will probably tell the clients to do it so I don't have to and take any fall for that crap... I smell a tax being done on these registersred system hahaha

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[Isetech]

I am not aware of general test equipment requiring calibration. I have a Fluke 435 which is a class A tester. I do work for metering companies which requires a calibration certificate for my equipment.

[Dylboy]

In the UK they need calibration certs yearly for their testing equipment but here I do not know of such law

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[Isetech]

In the UK they need calibration certs yearly for their testing equipment but here I do not know of such law

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Just smile

Why do you need to test your equipment calibrated, if you just use the common required readings, if you get caught, your response is the same as I hear every time. "It was correct when we did the test"

[Dylboy]

Hahaha yes that is true. It was fine when I was here... Also you can see if your readings up to shit and then change the battery and all is well hahaha.

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[Madek]

Our company pays R5000 annually to calibrate equipment. Note this equipment is also kept in a specialized suitcase due to it being expensive . It's not thrown under a bakkie seat. This is important for testing hazardous areas. Someone said when you change your battery it will but my expectation would be to ensure that you replace your batteries before you send it to the lab. Someone also asked where. I don't know it I m allowed to name the company (lab) name on this forum.

[Isetech]

Does anyone have a document or regulation that indicates that it is required by law, who would police it, maybe on a site which has consultants/engineers managing the site ? Even then, I have worked on a site were I was required to verify the standards were being followed and COC had to be verified as part of the contract, I didnt get paid because I refused to sign off the documents, they just got someone to come in behind me and pass what I recorded as incomplete.

I think it boils down to the type of equipment and the customer. I have found that the cheaper test equipment doesn't last long enough to require calibration or in some cases the equipment goes missing faster than it would require calibration.

Something we need to understand on this forum, at what level the forum member operates, if you are a domestic electrician, its literally a free for all, equipment calibration wouldn't even be considered even if there was a law in place.

Commercial construction sites would have safety measures in place but I doubt calibration would be required. Commercial maintenance, I doubt anyone bothers with calibration.

General Industrial construction once again, there would be safety measures in place, calibration, maybe on a large sites which have specialised requirements.

The calibration would be required for more specialised application, as someone mentioned, hazardous location or hospitals etc ?

[Firepool]

Just smile

Why do you need to test your equipment calibrated, if you just use the common required readings, if you get caught, your response is the same as I hear every time. "It was correct when we did the test"

To be fair if it was correct when tested how would you predict it's going to click out in future and how would you prevent it.That is why we take photos of our earth loop test readings.