solar classes
- Thread starter Ponchik
- Start date
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tallgirl
Senior Member
- Location
- Great White North
- Occupation
- Controls Systems firmware engineer
The ability to try out what you've learned, then ask questions when you do something wrong.
Unless you're an experienced installer and are just taking a class in some new technology -- like, micro-inverters, not that they are new -- you're not going to have the time to try things out. You'll be too busy with class to get out in the field and put what you've learned to practice.
On the other hand, if you've got a day job and can't afford the time to take the semester-long version, the one week version is probably the only way to learn.
Unless you're an experienced installer and are just taking a class in some new technology -- like, micro-inverters, not that they are new -- you're not going to have the time to try things out. You'll be too busy with class to get out in the field and put what you've learned to practice.
On the other hand, if you've got a day job and can't afford the time to take the semester-long version, the one week version is probably the only way to learn.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
I am in the ninth week of a 12 week long college class on solar and wind systems. We have class twice for three hours each week, making for 6 hours per week.
I am really taken back by the amount of things there are to learn. Beside class, I find myself spending hours looking stuff up and discussing things on the Internet.
That being said, I don't think a week long class will do anything but whet your whistle. Of course, that's my personal opinion.
To me, the 72 hours I will be spending is not enough and I sincerely hope to find a source for additional training and continuing education.
If all you can do is a week, that's much better than doing nothing at all.
My class was not cheap. It is a class at Muskegon Community College and with books and tuition the bill for the 3 credit hour class was in the neighborhood of $600.00
But....I got to install, wire, take apart and play with SMA and Outback inverters. We are mounting a 225 watt module on a small building next week. We get to build frames and supports. We get to see the output of the inverters on an 0-scope. We have taken one of the modules outside and connected a load while measuring current and voltage and then did things like adding shadows, changing position and covering small areas (like a few tree leaves might do) while watching the changes in the current and voltage levels.
We are doing an actual site evaluation on an old train depot that will be re-modeled and used as a coffee shop or similar.
We will be measuring temperature on the underside of the modules. (I can tell you they get really hot, even in Michigan).
The instructor is an electrical engineer that is actively involved in designing and installing systems, has built several and we can look at some of them and their current conditions on the Internet.
The number of companies making solar and wind energy machines alone is staggering. When we do site surveys we have a choice of I would have to say 40 or 50 different companies that make modules and inverters. For solar, SMA and Fronius rule the roost. We start wind technology next week. (Which is great for me......my county is going to build a 300 MW land based wind turbine facility about 4 miles from my house)
If you are really planning on getting into the business, I think the more training, the better. If you are just interested in seeing what is going on, I think a shorter class would be better. The reason is that the industry is changing so fast that what I am learning today will be obsolete knowledge in just a few short years and without plans for continuing education just taking a single class may not be the best way to spend money.
I am really taken back by the amount of things there are to learn. Beside class, I find myself spending hours looking stuff up and discussing things on the Internet.
That being said, I don't think a week long class will do anything but whet your whistle. Of course, that's my personal opinion.
To me, the 72 hours I will be spending is not enough and I sincerely hope to find a source for additional training and continuing education.
If all you can do is a week, that's much better than doing nothing at all.
My class was not cheap. It is a class at Muskegon Community College and with books and tuition the bill for the 3 credit hour class was in the neighborhood of $600.00
But....I got to install, wire, take apart and play with SMA and Outback inverters. We are mounting a 225 watt module on a small building next week. We get to build frames and supports. We get to see the output of the inverters on an 0-scope. We have taken one of the modules outside and connected a load while measuring current and voltage and then did things like adding shadows, changing position and covering small areas (like a few tree leaves might do) while watching the changes in the current and voltage levels.
We are doing an actual site evaluation on an old train depot that will be re-modeled and used as a coffee shop or similar.
We will be measuring temperature on the underside of the modules. (I can tell you they get really hot, even in Michigan).
The instructor is an electrical engineer that is actively involved in designing and installing systems, has built several and we can look at some of them and their current conditions on the Internet.
The number of companies making solar and wind energy machines alone is staggering. When we do site surveys we have a choice of I would have to say 40 or 50 different companies that make modules and inverters. For solar, SMA and Fronius rule the roost. We start wind technology next week. (Which is great for me......my county is going to build a 300 MW land based wind turbine facility about 4 miles from my house)
If you are really planning on getting into the business, I think the more training, the better. If you are just interested in seeing what is going on, I think a shorter class would be better. The reason is that the industry is changing so fast that what I am learning today will be obsolete knowledge in just a few short years and without plans for continuing education just taking a single class may not be the best way to spend money.
ggunn
PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
- Location
- Austin, TX, USA
- Occupation
- Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
As I said before the system crashed and got restored from backup from night before last...
If your prior educational experience left you somewhat deficient in basic math (high school level algebra and trigonometry) and electrical concepts, then the one week "boot camp" approach may give you a bit much to assimilate in that length of time.
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