Solar questions

[pogson6]

Hi Guys,

Just looking at getting into the solar game (wrong timing?) and have a couple of questions,
For a bit of background Im a 16th edition JIB trained electrician with the part C technicians qualification (pointless) and 17th edition upgrade. I've been self employed for the last 8 years but have been working in the commercial sector for the past 14 years. I have now got the brand new C&G 2399 but never did the C&G 2391. I am about to join a CPS scheme probably ELECSA (I'll get the 2391), and am looking into the MCS.

Questions

1.Do the MC4 connectors need a specialist crimping tool and if so a general price of that crimping tool.
2. I am looking at buying a fronius IG20 inverter, am i right in thinking that this inverter has a transformer as there is no TL code attached to it?
3. Regarding the MCS- are any of the CPS companies helpful or do you feel any try to catch you out when they assess you.

Any help is appreciated, this is my first post- be nice lol.

 

[poheZ]

1. No, you can get some general cheap crimpers that provide a olid connection. You also have the option of soldering the connection, if in doubt

2. Is has a high frequency transformer

3. dunno what they are!

 

[pogson6]

Thanks for the quick reply,

By CPS I mean Competant Persons Schemes like -

NICEIC
NAPIT
ELECSA
BRE
CORGI

etc,etc....

 

[Noddy67]

elecsa are good from a general competent person scheme perspective, but the bloke i had for the MCS accreditation part was pretty unpleasant. I don't know if they're all the same but I can't recommend Elecsa from my experience.

 

[BillyH]

If i were you i would'nt bother with solar at all. Save your time and money and continue with what you know best. If i could have the last 6 months again i would've steered well clear of solar/mcs.Cost me a small fortune in time and money with very little return.
The present government is hell bent on making sure there will be no solar industry to speak of come April 2012 aswell

 

[moggy1968]

you will need a specialist crimping tool, which isn't cheap. you will also need a specialist cable stripper, you can't use side cutters as the cable is fine stranded. You will also need a light meter, a DC/AC clamp meter. You will then need specialist insurance, which is a lot more than general electrical insurance. You may also need roofing ladders and a van big enough to carry panels with a roof rack for mouting rails.
You will need to attend a specialist PV course, you will then also need help with MCS accreditation.
You will then need to register with ELECSA or the like again as an MCS installer and have another assessment, REA, and Gemserve and any number of other people will also be queing up to take your money. The number that want/need a slice of your cash to even get started is startling.
you may of course have known nothing of this if you read Professional Electrician or listen to the NICEIC who have been selling PV as the new gold rush without going into any detail about what is involved.
All told I spent over £12000 and 6 months getting registered. Such is the competition out there with too many installers already chasing too few installations it took a year to get that money back.

so, as above, save your money and do something else.

I would reccommend to no one to get into PV at the moment, it's going to be tough enough for the companies that are well established out there, let alone newcomers

 

[Markc]

I have to say I need to agree with Moggy1968/ I've been doing PV for almost two years and I'm not entirely sure there will be an industry in four months time to talk of. Given the cost of MCS, training, tools, insurance, plant etc I can't see you getting anything back. Being established with a proven history on installations, first class referrals and 100% customer satisfaction I'm still not sure we could continue with it judging the climate and the Governments ability to kill PV off in the UK. Also seeing the numbers of emails I'm getting offering teams of installers for £120 per day shows me people are being laid off now let alone after 12/12. And this at a time when everyone is fitting as much as they can in such a short time span. So seriously consider the options and costs. If you went into your bank manager with a business plan I think he would laugh at it!

 

[Harry Worth]

elecsa are good from a general competent person scheme perspective, but the bloke i had for the MCS accreditation part was pretty unpleasant. I don't know if they're all the same but I can't recommend Elecsa from my experience.

Just read as far as this line - We've just had a Corgi MCS assessor for our install - A really helpful, knowledgeable chap. It was an interesting experience discussing our project with him. He came over as someone there to help you not to catch you out! We went with EasyMCS to get us up and running and again very helpful with an excellent coursebook that takes you through all the stage. Invaluable in a tight time frame.

 

[pogson6]

I have already spent over £11k...

decisions, decisions

 

[moggy1968]

Then your between a rock and a hard place.
how about some subcontracting and wait to see how it all pans out?
mind you, there's going to be a lot of installers looking for subbing work!

 

[dansk]

I also agree with the above. On the other hand, the only thing that's going to kill it of is the EPC of C or above, if this comes into force (so no reason why not) then it's stuffed for good. But if they don't, or lower the grade then I think they will be a future, albeit not as good as it is now.

 

[pogson6]

True

I have had 3 different offers that I turned down before the 12th december deadline was announced as they were less than I get doing general electrical commercial work. But now thats drying up the 3 job offers have vanised with the announcement.

Tough times ahead maybe?