Battery-based Solar Electric Systems and Code Criteria - Online

Description: This course will build upon the core concepts from PV 101, with a specific emphasis on battery-based system design.  Students will work through step-by-step design process for battery-based applications, including stand-alone (off-grid), grid-tied with battery back-up, and hybrid systems.  Topics such as load analysis, component selection, battery safety, voltage drop, and commissioning procedures will be presented.  In addition to sizing exercises and calculations, students will explore additional design considerations unique to battery-based systems.  The in-person workshop is 5 days of classroom lecture with tours, and can be followed by PV 301L Battery-based Lab Week for hands-on installation experience.  The online course is six weeks long and covers all of the material presented in the in-person workshop.

This course is ideal for people looking to design and install battery-based systems, and for solar professionals who have been working in the grid-direct market and need to learn about battery-based systems in preparation for the NABCEP Solar PV Installer Certification Exam.

Prerequisites:  PV101 (or PV D&I or Grid-Tied PV prior to January 2010)

Course materials include a copy of the 2008 National Electric Code book, which will be mailed to you before the start of the course.

NABCEP Training Hours:  5 Day In-person = 40 credit hours, 6 Week Online = 60 credit hours

Students who complete the workshop will be able to perform the following:
•    Diagram a battery bank in series and parallel configurations
•    Identify the proper safety protocols for working with batteries
•    Draw a three-line schematic of a residential battery-based system, including the array, controller, batteries, inverter, disconnects, overcurrent protection, and grounding  (including the equipment grounding conductors, ungrounded conductors, grounded conductors, the grounding electrode(s), and the system grounds)
•    List the pros, cons, and applications of hybrid and AC and DC coupled systems
•    Define depth of discharge, days of autonomy, equalization, and efficiency of a battery
•    Create a maintenance schedule for batteries
•    Calculate maximum charge rates for batteries and determine state of charge
•    Identify the pros and cons of using valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) verses flooded batteries in specific system designs
•    Specify either a PWM or MPPT charge controller depending on system parameters
•    Specify a battery-based inverter given electrical load and surge requirements
•    Evaluate a client’s electrical load and size a stand-alone system (including inverter, controller, battery bank, and array)
•    Perform sizing calculations for their battery-based system
•    Size a grid-tied with battery back-up system (including inverter, controller, battery bank, and array)
•    Calculate voltage drop for all circuits in a system
•    Calculate and diagram appropriate series fusing for a battery-based system
•    Identify appropriate disconnect and overcurrent protection placement
•    Provide all NEC required labeling for a battery-based system
•    List the order of commissioning and decommissioning, as well as potential safety hazards, for battery-based systems

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP): After completing this course you have met the minimum education requirement to sit for either the NABCEP Entry Level Exam or the NABCEP Solar PV Installer Certification. The NABCEP PV Installer Certification requires additional qualifications to sit for the exam and rigorous review of NABCEP’s PV Study Guide. See www.nabcep.org for information on the additional requirements for the PV Installer Certification.

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