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Advanced Photovoltaic Systems

AET 230-8204 Notes-Week 7

Our guest today is:

Bill Reaugh of Draker Laboratories

Bill is an expert and works with PV monitoring systems. You can see more about his company at www.drakerlabs.com.

I met Bill at the NABCEP PV installers exam a few months ago.

He will talk about the National Electric Code, which is our topic today.

Here is a quote about Bill on his company's website:

"He has been active in the development of codes and standards including the PV industry’s NEC working group for the 2011 NEC cycle, stakeholder meetings with the CalFire groups, and working with building departments across Northern California to install code compliant PV systems."

Final Exam in one week...

Next week, the final exam will cover the same material that we covered to prepare for the quizes. Before the exam, I will report on the ASES Convention in Buffalo, which I will be attending. Also, we can go over some green job searching ideas and students can bring their resume ideas, which we can go over.

After the exam, we have a field trip scheduled to Scott & Dean Cornell's solar house and electric car charging station.

This class looks like a good deal for some good information:

Inverter University

www.dcpower-systems.com/services_t-inverteru.aspx

2 Days for $50 June 11 & 12 in Las Vegas

Presentations: Since this is the last day of class before the final, we will have a few different class presentations.

Adrian, who is a professor from Modesto Junior College will give a talk on 3-phase power and relate it to inverters.

There are a few other presentations that will probably take place & if you have an idea for a short presentation, please participate.

This weeks topics are: Inspectors, NEC, John Wiles and Bill Brooks (not in person).

Bill Brooks personal website: www.brooksolar.com

John Wiles links:

Bill Brooks & John Wiles help write the NEC, they teach the inspectors and they are on tour speaking all over the country often, so download and read their articles and go and see them.

NEC PV Flashcards

I am making flashcards for NEC related PV and you can find them at:

www.flashcardexchange.com

When you get there, search for "photovoltaic" or "AET 230" to find the right deck of cards.

This will be an ongoing project, so be sure to check back as time goes on.

Some basic things to know for the NEC:

  • The NEC is published by the National Fire Protection Association.

  • Different Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) adopt the NEC as they see fit.

  • California has the California Electric Code, which you can buy in book form. Presently, The California Electric Code is about the same, word for word as the 2005 NEC.

  • Many times, you can talk an inspector in California into letting you use parts of the 2008 NEC.

With everyone citing the NEC,

you wouldn't think this book was the law of the state.

The final say however lies in the hands of the local jurisdiction.

Here is a link to the Wheel of Accountability on the QuickMountPV website:

As you can see, the final say for everything lies with the AHJ. To see the definition of the AHJ, or anything else on the wheel, click on the part if the wheel that you want to learn about.

Here are the answers to the quiz:

quiz week 7 answers.pdf (PDF — 53 KB)

This webpage is an archive and has not been updated in over 10 years. Much of the information is still relevant. To see our more recent website, go to www.solarSEAN.com

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