This is a bundle of these 3 courses:
- 18-hour Solar PV Boot Camp – Electricians, contractors, or career-changers: learn the fundamentals of solar PV systems and learn from an expert. You’ll have access to an expert instructor, lecture videos and other useful resources.
- 40-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training and CEUs – This course qualifies for 40 hours of advanced training required for the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification Exam as well as hours for all other NABCEP PV Certification Exams and CEU hours for recertification.
- NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Practice Exam – NABCEP’s PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Board Certification is considered the gold standard for PV professionals in the renewable energy industry. Recognized and demanded by organizations worldwide, the PVIP Board Certification validates your competence to perform in the role of PV Installation Professional, which encompasses PV design, installation, operations, commissioning and maintenance. This PVIP Practice Exam is included with the prep course (we recommend taking the full course), but you just need to review sample test questions, this practice exam is for you.
Students will:
- Understand and apply the National Electrical Code (NEC) and other relevant codes and standards.
- Perform site assessments and system design calculations.
- Select and size PV system components, including modules, inverters, and batteries.
- Install and commission PV systems, ensuring safety and performance.
- Troubleshoot and maintain PV systems.
- Understand the fundamentals of PV technology and system operation.
- Prepare effectively for the NABCEP PVIP certification exam.
Course Outline:
18-hour Solar PV Boot Camp Curriculum:
Module 1: History of Solar, Markets and Applications for Solar PV, and Safety Basics
You’ll learn about the beginnings of solar PV technology, current markets and applications for the technology, and the basic safety considerations and requirements for solar PV installers. Topics include: different types of PV systems, OSHA, National Electrical Code (NEC), arc flashes, overcurrent protection devices, fall protection, and lockout-tagout (LOTO).
Module 2: Electricity Basics + Solar Energy Fundamentals
This module covers concepts, definitions, terminology, and formulas related to electricity. It also lays out the science, data, and principles you must understand to grasp how solar energy is collected. Topics include: Ohm’s Law, power, energy, voltage, current, batteries, multimeters, measurement, types of DC connections, transmission, insolation data, solar time, sun paths, shading, and solar radiation.
Module 3: PV Module Fundamentals and System Components
This module covers how solar photovoltaic (PV) technology works, the materials used to make PV modules, module efficiency, important formulas, temperature and voltage considerations, and how to test a PV system. It also provides definitions for the primary components that comprise a solar PV system.
Module 4: PV System Sizing and Electrical Design
This module covers the factors to consider when sizing a grid-tied or off-grid system, system losses, tilt, factors that increase or decrease PV system output, single-line diagrams, ampacity, Ohm’s Law, voltage drop, charge controllers, AC- and DC-coupled battery systems, battery charging stages, overcurrent protection devices, and determining voltage ranges.
Module 5: PV System Mechanical Design, Performance Analysis, Maintenance and Troubleshooting
In this module, you will study PV System Mechanical Design, which goes along with Chapter 9 in Solar Photovoltaic Basics.
Also included in this module is Performance Analysis, Maintenance and Troubleshooting which goes along with Chapter 10 in Solar Photovoltaic Basics, which means you are getting close to the end!
Module 6: Voltage Temperature Calculations + Practice Exams
In this module, you’ll learn about voltage temperature calculations, review some useful resources and take exams to see how well you’ve mastered the material presented during the course. These exams can be repeated here as many times as you want and are highly recommended to be used to prepare for the NABCEP PVA exam!
Note: Since 2019, NABCEP has not had any voltage temperature calculations on their PVA exams.
Conclusion: Feedback and Additional Resources
40-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training and CEUs Curriculum:
Module 1: Introduction and the National Electrical Code (NEC)
In this opening module you will get to know your instructor, explore various solar resources, do some foundational reading, learn about important terms and concepts that you’ll need to memorize or at least familiarize yourself with, and do an in-depth review of the sections of the National Electrical Code (NEC) that relate to solar PV design and installation.
Module 2: National Electrical Code – Article 690 – Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
This module, you will go through Article 690 of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Familiarity with this part of the NEC is critical for solar designers and installers.
Module 3: National Electrical Code (NEC) – Other Solar and Storage Related Articles
There are many NEC Articles besides Article 690 that are important to know about. This includes:
- Article 705 Interconnected Power Production Sources
- Article 706 Energy Storage Systems
- Article 710 Stand-Alone Systems
- Article 712 DC Microgrids
- Article 625 EV Power Transfer Station
- And more!
Module 4: Safety, Wire Sizing, Building Codes and Fire Codes
Always good to be safe, so safely size your wires and to understand some of the building and fire codes. For the NABCEP exam, do not worry so much about Bill’s Building Codes and Fire Codes, however it is important information and for those of you looking for NABCEP Continuing Education (CE) this is a requirement.
Module 5: Practice Exam for NABCEP PV Certification and Trig
Here we have a full practice exam that will prepare you for the NABCEP Certification exams. Be sure to check that you also have access to other NABCEP Certification exams which is organized as a separate course. Also covered in the module are trigonometry concepts you’ll need for some solar calculations. The NABCEP certification exams have been known to have 1 or 2 questions that you can use trig to solve.
