Solar

Fundamentals

• How Solar PV Works

  How photovoltaic cells turn sunlight into DC electricity, the physics every installer builds on and the first NABCEP PV Associate exam domain.

• PV System Components

  Modules, inverters, racking, and balance-of-system parts: what each component does and how they connect into a working PV system.

• Grid-Tied, Hybrid and Off-Grid Systems

  Grid-tied, hybrid and off-grid architectures compared, and why the interconnection choice drives design, code path and equipment selection.

• Inverters: String, Micro, Optimizers

  String inverters, microinverters and DC optimizers: how each converts and manages power, and when installers choose one over another.

• Battery Storage Systems

  Battery storage for PV systems: chemistries, kWh sizing, coupling options, and the work that leads to NABCEP's Energy Storage Installation Professional certification.

Installation

• Racking and Mounting

  Racking and mounting systems for roofs and ground mounts, from layout and structural loads to torque specs and manufacturer listings.

• Roof Attachments and Waterproofing

  Roof attachments and waterproofing done right: flashing details, penetration sealing, and the mistakes that cause leaks years later.

• PV Wiring and Rapid Shutdown

  DC and AC wiring for PV arrays, wire management, and the rapid-shutdown functionality the NEC requires on buildings.

• Interconnection and Net Metering

  Connecting PV to the grid: utility interconnection applications, net metering, and the NEC Article 705 rules for parallel power sources.

• Commissioning and Testing

  Commissioning and testing a finished PV system: verification measurements, inspection sign-off, and the documentation that proves it works.

Safety

• Fall Protection on Solar Roofs

  OSHA fall-protection requirements for rooftop PV work: the 6-foot construction trigger, anchor points, harness systems, and ladder safety.

• Electrical Hazards in PV Work

  Shock, arc flash and thermal burn hazards specific to PV: why arrays cannot be switched off by unplugging, and the lockout and PPE practices OSHA expects.

• OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 for Solar Work

  What the OSHA construction outreach cards are, why NABCEP requires OSHA 10 for installer certifications and OSHA 30 for storage and maintenance ones, and why a card is not a certification.

Maintenance

• PV Operations, Maintenance and Troubleshooting

  Keeping installed systems producing: performance monitoring, IV-curve and insulation testing, common fault patterns, and the service records that back warranty and certification claims.

Sizing

• Site Assessment and Shading

  Reading a site before designing a system: shading analysis, roof condition, orientation, and the measurements that make or break production estimates.

• System Sizing

  Sizing a PV system from load data and site conditions: array capacity, inverter matching, and the kW DC versus kW AC decisions designers own.

• NEC Article 690 Compliance

  NEC Article 690 for PV systems: conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, grounding, and the code checks an AHJ inspects against.

Codes

• Rapid Shutdown Under NEC 690.12

  The rapid-shutdown rules for PV on buildings: initiation devices, controlled conductors, module-level power electronics, and what inspectors test at the array boundary.

• NEC Article 705: Parallel Power Sources

  The interconnection article of the NEC: supply-side versus load-side connections, the 120 percent rule, and how Article 705 governs any source operating in parallel with the utility.

• NABCEP PV Associate

  The NABCEP PV Associate credential explained: the education, experience and veterans pathways, the 70-question two-hour exam, and the 3-year renewal.

• NABCEP PVIP: The Gold Standard

  NABCEP's PV Installation Professional board certification: OSHA 10, 58 training hours, 6 project credits in a decision-making role, and a 4-hour 70-question exam.

• Solar Licensing by State

  Who may legally install solar in each state: dedicated solar classifications like California's C-46, statutory categories like Florida's solar contractor, and electrician-track licenses like Oregon's LRT.

• Becoming a Solar Contractor

  Going from installer to licensed solar contractor: state license classifications, business and exam requirements, and the scope limits that come with a solar-only license.

• NABCEP Specialist Certifications

  The three NABCEP specialist board certifications, PVIS for installation, PVDS for design and PVCMS for commissioning and maintenance, and how their 24-hour training and project-credit requirements differ from PVIP.

• NABCEP Energy Storage Installation Professional

  The ESIP board certification for battery storage installers: OSHA 30, 58 hours of advanced ES training, project credits measured in kWh, and the same 70-question 4-hour exam format as PVIP.

• NABCEP PV Technical Sales

  The PVTS board certification for solar sales professionals: sales-credit categories, the requirement that at least half of submitted proposals were sold and installed, and its 30-hour recertification cycle.