Solar Training - Advanced PV System Design and the NEC (Grid-Direct) - Online

PV202 focuses significantly on the National Electrical Code, including interconnection calculations, grounding, workspace clearances, and disconnect and overcurrent protection sizing and considerations.

Commercial system equipment specifications including inverters, racking, and commercial voltage service panels are covered; as well as site considerations for roof and ground-mounted arrays, including layout and inter-row shading. PV 202 thoroughly addresses array sizing with various inverter configurations, in order to assess design options and optimize performance. Students will learn to evaluate system performance under various operating conditions, and identify and correct installation errors including ground-faults. This course combines class lectures with individual problem solving exercises covering common design considerations.  The online course is six weeks long and covers all of the material presented in the in-person workshop.

To view in-person sessions of this workshop, click PV202.

Prerequisites:  PV 101 or PVOL101 (or PV D&I or Grid-Tied PV prior to January 2010)

Course materials include a copy of the 2011 National Electric Code book, which will be mailed to you before the start of the course.  (*International students please see disclaimer below)

PVOL202 students receive 1 full year of FREE access to Solar PRO Magazine Online. You will receive your login in an email 1 to 2 weeks after your course starts.

Students who complete the workshop will be able to perform the following:

• Determine requirements for disconnects and series fusing, including labeling
• Perform interconnection and labeling calculations for single- and three-phase AC services
• Specify inverters based on system variables, and size inverter subpanel combiners
• Perform calculations related to mounting PV arrays, including inter-row shading and uplift forces
• Examine array mounting options for large systems
• Size grounding conductors for the AC and DC side of the system, and identify causes of, and troubleshooting procedures for ground-faults
• Optimize the match between an inverter and array, and perform sizing and interconnection calculations for commercial-scale systems
• Identify installation considerations to meet NEC requirements and ensure long-lasting, safe systems
• Locate and troubleshoot common installation errors when commissioning a system
• Perform production analysis calculations to compare expected output to measured output for an operating system

SEI Contact Training Hours: 6 Week Online = 60 hours

NABCEP Training Hours:

• PV Installer Certification Requirements: This course counts for 60 advanced training hours.

• PV Technical Sales Certification Requirements: This course counts for 20 hours, which covers the PV Technical Sales JTA.

• PV Installer Recertification Requirements: This course counts for the following:
  • 6 NEC (Code Based) Hours
  • 6 Job Task Analysis Hours
  • 6 Non-Technical Hours

• Solar Heating Installer Recertification: This course counts for 6 Non-Technical continuing education hours.

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP):  See our NABCEP information page at www.solarenergy.org/nabcep-certification or www.nabcep.org for more information on the additional requirements for the PV Installer Certification.

For information on SEI's Solar Professionals Certificate Program please click here.  For information on SEI's workshop and training program policies please click here.

*For international shipping addresses, course materials will be mailed out by USPS International First Class.  SEI is not responsible for confirming international delivery.  If materials do not arrive and need to be reshipped, student may be responsible for additional shipping cost. 

Recent quotes from the PVOL202 November 2012 session:

• A good, practical course for individuals who want advanced knowledge of PV design and installation issues.This class was comprehensive and convenient. I highly reccommend.
• I appreciate the professional level of service offered by SEI staff and instructors during the entire course. I always received prompt informative replies to questions, and felt that the expense for the class was worth it. This was my second class with SEI and I would likely take another.
• Kathy Fontaine provided excellent helpful information and service before and throughout this course. She seems to go the extra mile to provide assistance and exceeds expectations. Thank you Kathy!
• The best class I've taken in PV design!I learned the answers to some long standing questions I had on various issues. Also, I really enjoyed the PV commissioning chapter.
• The information was presented in a clear and applicable manner. Examples of actual installations helped to clarify abstract concepts. The flexibility of the online course was helpful with my schedule.
• I appreciated the rapid and thorough responses from both instructors to my questions. Because the class was online it was more difficult to ask questions since I wanted to research my questions and then form them into coherent statements, but each time the instructors took time to give me excellent feedback.
• Ability to get questions answered about tough technical aspects of system design. Since I work as an installer its great to be able to ask questions over the six week course as I applied the class knowledge to my current work projects. If this had been a concentrated in-person class I don't think I would have had as much time to process class material and consider it applied to actual projects.