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PV Associate, at your own pace.

Forty hours of recorded instruction, sectioned into modules with knowledge checks. Start any day, twelve months of access. $645.

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Most people who buy this are already working. The course is built around that: modules that fit an evening, and a knowledge check at the end of each so you know whether it went in.

How it is structured

  1. The solar resource. Irradiance and insolation, sun path, orientation and tilt, shading analysis, and why the same array produces differently in Calgary and in Halifax.
  2. Modules and cells. Cell technologies, module construction, the specification sheet, temperature coefficients, degradation and what a warranty actually covers.
  3. System configuration. Series and parallel strings, voltage and current at design temperature extremes, and sizing against an inverter's real window rather than its headline rating.
  4. Inverters and balance of system. String, optimized and microinverter topologies, conductors and ampacity, overcurrent protection, disconnecting means and combiners.
  5. Mounting and structure. Roof types, attachment and flashing detail, ballasted and ground-mount systems, wind and snow loading, and where a structural review is not optional.
  6. Code, bonding and interconnection. The Canadian Electrical Code path, bonding and grounding, labelling, and how a grid connection is actually filed and inspected.
  7. Safety. Site hazards, fall exposure, CSA Z462 shock and arc flash boundaries, PPE, and lockout on a system that generates whenever the sun is up.
  8. Commissioning and documentation. Verification tests, performance expectations, handover documentation and the records the owner will need for a warranty claim or a tax credit.
What is included

Forty hours of recorded instruction, downloadable materials, knowledge checks throughout, and twelve months of access from the day you enrol. Email support on course content is included.

Not included: NABCEP's application and examination fees, which are paid directly to NABCEP (US$25 and US$125 for PV Associate), and the exam seat, which is $95 here.

Self-paced or live?

Choosing between the two formats
If this is youTake
You work full time and cannot take four consecutive daysSelf-paced
You want to be finished and examined inside two monthsFast-Track
You are outside Toronto, Calgary and Abbotsford and dislike scheduled video callsSelf-paced
You know you will not finish something with no deadline on itFast-Track
You want the exam fees and the booking handled for youFast-Track
You are revising material you already half knowSelf-paced, plus the question bank
The honest comparison

The completion rate on any self-paced course is lower than on a live one, everywhere, in every subject. If you have bought an online course before and not finished it, that is information about which format to buy this time — not a character flaw.

Common questions

How long does it really take?

Forty hours of content. Most people spread it over six to ten weeks at a few evenings a week. The twelve-month access exists so that a busy season does not cost you the course.

Do I get the exam booked for me?

Not automatically. Add an exam seat when you are ready and we will schedule it, or test at any other authorized centre you prefer.

Is there any live contact?

Email support on content is included, and the live half-day review session can be added separately for $245.

Can I download the material?

The written materials, yes. The video is streamed within your access period.

Related

Where to go next

AlternativeFast-Track, 4 daysLive, with exam fees included. Add-onExam preparationQuestion bank and live review. ExamsBook a seatSame fee, wherever you trained.

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Pick a date. Pay. Turn up.

No consultation call, no quote, no sales sequence. The prices are on the site and the seats are on the calendar.

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