PV green card

**ians** · 06-Nov-21, 02:22 PM

I have noticed people offering solar courses ... one being just over R12000 for a 5 day course.

I havent really done any research ... but it sounds live a move in the right direction or should I say I need to get my butt into gear if I plan to go down this rabbit hole.

Like gas installations ... will you require a separate COC for solar installations ... I would assume that every solar installer with a PV green card would have to be a qualified electrician with either a single phase/installation electrician/master electrician depending on the type of installation and its location.

the owner would require a COC for the electrical .. COC for the gas and COC for the solar and a COC for the electric fence ( have I missed any)

**Dylboy** · 06-Nov-21, 07:00 PM

Also interested in doing it next year.

What are the actual laws at the moment with regards to whom can install a solar system?
I have seen a few installs happen and in my opinion there is no real form of training or regulation structure. Bearing in mind the Sans book for PV is still out for comment or what ever it is.

Basically i am wondering what stops the home owner from doing it all himself or even an electrician with no "PV qualification" ? Are their laws against any Joe soap doing it?
Or is it a law of insurance where the insurance will not cover your house if not installed by a qualified person and with that what is the standard for a "PV qualification"?who decides who is a qualified PV installer ? Is it a PQRS certificate, a PV green Card from Green Solar or what is there some other form factor ?

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**Derlyn** · 06-Nov-21, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dylboy

Also interested in doing it next year.

What are the actual laws at the moment with regards to whom can install a solar system?
I have seen a few installs happen and in my opinion there is no real form of training or regulation structure. Bearing in mind the Sans book for PV is still out for comment or what ever it is.

Basically i am wondering what stops the home owner from doing it all himself or even an electrician with no "PV qualification" ? Are their laws against any Joe soap doing it?
Or is it a law of insurance where the insurance will not cover your house if not installed by a qualified person and with that what is the standard for a "PV qualification"?who decides who is a qualified PV installer ? Is it a PQRS certificate, a PV green Card from Green Solar or what is there some other form factor ?

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Reg 7.12 in SANS 10142 deals specifically with alternative supplies INCLUDING PV installations.

Peace out .. Derek

**Dylboy** · 06-Nov-21, 07:33 PM

Yes ya, Sorry I may have not worded the previous one correctly... had a few dops while braaing in the rain haha.

,

but my question is more of what it the actual law. Like my sister can buy an entire PV setup and her Boyfriend can google how to do it and install it... is there a law that states this can not happen ?

So if there is no law then why must I spend 12k on a course to be certified if a Joe Soap can install it? Also the public dont even know about the PV green card as my boss is PV green and no one bar one electrical engineer has asked.

I feel its a case of the good proper electrician, the straight and narrow guy, gets screwed over when Any random cowboy can just do what they want and undercut the electrician who has paid is 12k and done CPD and has insurance and follows the regs.

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**Derlyn** · 07-Nov-21, 04:37 AM

Originally Posted by Dylboy

Yes ya, Sorry I may have not worded the previous one correctly... had a few dops while braaing in the rain haha.

,

but my question is more of what it the actual law. Like my sister can buy an entire PV setup and her Boyfriend can google how to do it and install it... is there a law that states this can not happen ?

So if there is no law then why must I spend 12k on a course to be certified if a Joe Soap can install it? Also the public dont even know about the PV green card as my boss is PV green and no one bar one electrical engineer has asked.

I feel its a case of the good proper electrician, the straight and narrow guy, gets screwed over when Any random cowboy can just do what they want and undercut the electrician who has paid is 12k and done CPD and has insurance and follows the regs.

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Yes. Braaing in the rain. Lekker man.

As far as the law is concerned, YES, there is a law.

Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993. Electrical installation Regulations.

6. (1)

No person may do electrical installation work as an electrical contractor unless that person has been registered as an electrical contractor
in terms of these regulations.

Peace out ... Derek

**ians** · 07-Nov-21, 06:57 AM

Someone has already jumped on the band wagon and created an association ... why have I never thought to start one ... then convince everyone that anyone not throwing money at me ... are pirates out to steal your money ... then approach the insurance industry and offer them a cut ... to scare people into throwing money at the insurance industry otherwise you claim is rejected ... as I am typing this I am thinking man I am stupid ... why didnt I think making money cream on the scones

The question is who is moderating them .. to make sure their members are doing the job right ... I saw it in the electrical industry ... customers think the hand of safety is for their protection ... yet so many of the electrical contractors doing the crap workmanship are registered ... I got to a point where I clicked onto the money making racket and got even more tired of reporting shyte workmanship and the response.

Just because a company is signed up with an ass. doesnt make them legit.

https://www.sapvia.co.za/

**ians** · 07-Nov-21, 08:12 AM

My question ... maybe I am out of line with my comments ... please feel free to correct me ... but are all the member of this ass. :

Registered with the department of labour as electrical contractors...

Registered licensed electricians...

With the correct electrical qualifications and years of experience in the electrical industry.

or do you just do a 5 days course and you are a fully compliant installer?

An example of the results of a 5 day course ... nothing to do with solar ... just a bit of jiba jab for a Sunday morning.

2 weeks ago I get a report from a thermographer ... fully qualified as a level 1 thermographer (5 day course) ... scanning open electrical panels 1500 amps fault levels over 35 ka ... with just a camera in hand ... I am given a report with 1 "hotspot" ... which I then checked ... the rewas no visible signs of discolouring on the PVC ...no visible overloading on the copper (not turning black) and no loose connection ... all verified in front of the customer ... however ... I had some work to do in the main DB ... opened the cover (found screws missing which werent put back after the inspection) ... the first thing I noticed was visible bad connection ... the PVC was bubbling ... the copper was already black and a loose connection ... taking into consideration that these inspection are done for insurance cover every 6 months ... I didnt need my camera to see the hot spot .. .the response from the company when I pointed it out to the inspection company ... "we do a check at a specific time ... it might not have been hot at the time of inspection.

The reason I am not allowed to carry out thermal inspection ... with 15 years experience using my camera ... and 40 years experience in the electrical industry ... but told I dont qualify to do thermal inspection because I havent paid and completed the 5 day level 1 course ... yip you can only smile.

So why waste all those years of training ... 7 years of my life doing all the tech blocks (NTC courses) theory in training centres and practical training in centres and on site for me to become a qualified all round electrician (not just a construction electrician) .. then back to school to become a installation electrician ... have to show proof of experience and good standing with the priest ... then back to school again for the theory and exams to become a master electrician ... but still no red card ... I then had to get years of experience in the industry ... show proof of it ... once again ask the priest and other member for a letter of good standing .. then finally got my red card ... it took me not 10 days or 10 month ... 10 years of my life.

Thinking back ... what would I change ... I should have done the 5 days courses for whatever field I wanted to create an income ... got business smart and made a lot of money.

Something you must always remember ... if you ever get into trouble ... the more qualified you are in the field ... the more they are going to throw the book at you and say "you should have know better" ...as opposed to being a semi skilled ... you were just trying something you didnt know any better.

**ians** · 07-Nov-21, 08:27 AM

After all that ... is the PV green card recognised by the DOL ... the OSHACT and SANS and all the other required regulations?

Like my red card ... does it come with all the info ... for example

Registration number ......

ID number .....

Department of manpower badge ...

Chief inspectors signature ....

date ...

in terms of regulation 9 of the electrical installation regulations made under the occupational health and safety act 1993 . been registered as an accredited person ?

**Dylboy** · 07-Nov-21, 08:10 PM

Thanks Derlyn for the OHS act ! Should have looked there hahaha.

And Ians good reading and points made !

I do want to add a bit that I really feel there is no policing and a huge amount of knowledge not made public.

For example the electrical contractor as above in OHS act then why do the wholesalers of PV equipment not ask for the correct qualifying information to potentioal buyers, this would eliminate almost every chance taker.

Same goes for builders where any joe soap can buy everything needed to rewire a house and do it them selves or sell their service cheapy and not be correctly qualified. This is when the client is also messed around.

In my opinion there should be things that a licence or qualification should be presented before purchase.

We spend years of training and even 12k on a PV card and the wholesalers nor clients ask for the card, potentially due to no knowledge and people being aware of such things and the laws etc. and that opens it up to the cowboys and chance takers too

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**ians** · 08-Nov-21, 08:45 AM

The problem with the system is simple ... it has nothing to do with who sells products or installs it for that matter ... the key factor missing is policing the installations.

Paying some ass. to be a member doesnt make good installer ... all it does is protect the members ... I see it all the time with hand of safety ... one of the reasons I stopped wasting my money and got tired of being the bad guy for reporting people ... if the ass. was any good it would have a register of every single COC and installation carried out by its member of skilled people doing frequent random checks.

I could see Brian Biltons eyes rolling back when he heard my voice.

I had a call out on the weekend thanks to load shedding earth leakage unit ... a quick R2k to pull an earth leakage out and replace it ... I just put my blinkers on pulled the unit out and ran ... I couldnt even get the DB cover back on properly ... that is how bad it was.