This is the most popular post I wrote back in 2008 but is still valuable today!
If a hurricane is heading straight for your area, do you evacuate? You should. But stop and think about your refrigerator. How long will it be before you can return to your home? Two days, a week, or maybe longer?
If you have no whole house generator back up, your refrigerator will stink and may need replacing. If you have a whole house generator, and leave for an extended period of time, your refrigerator will continue to work and you may be able to save your food. But what about maintenance? It is absolutely necessary for any generator.
If you run your generator on propane, your generator will continue to run until your power comes back on or you run out of fuel. Generators need maintenance. They need oil and filter changed every 100 hours, or every four days, if it is running continuously. If you do not perform maintenance, you may blow up the generator. If that happens, you will have to buy a whole new generator.
If you run your generator on natural gas, it will run until the power comes back on, no matter how long that takes. If you come back in 8 days, and your generator has been running continuously, you should have changed the oil and filter twice.
Generators are great but need maintenance. Is there a way around the maintenance so that you won't have to worry about it? Yes, solar. You can install a small start up system that will run your refrigerator and a few lights. There is no maintenance on a solar system - at least not for 25 years. And you won't need to worry about blowing up your solar system due to lack of maintenance. Consider solar with a back up generator.
And now I invite you to leave a comment below. Let me know how you take care of food in your refrigerator when you leave town for an extended period of time.
Global warming is the hot topic of conversations. A scientist determined to deny or prove that scientists were wrong has had an enlightening moment. He looked at the earth surface temperatures and found that the temperature has increased since the 1950’s and even before then. Global warming is happening. What is it and how does it affect you?
Global warming, according to Wikipedia, “refers to the rising average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans and its related effects.” It goes on to say that
Our surface has increased in temperature with the most increase in temperature within the last 30 years. Can you guess why the increase more in the last 30 years? “Scientists are more than 90% certain most of it is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels.”
Are you a skeptic? This physicist, Richard Muller, said “it makes sense to reduce carbon dioxide created by fossil fuels.” We all know that carbon dioxide is dangerous for the environment. Carbon fuels are generally from coal, gasoline, or diesel. Leading scientists that are skeptical can now realize the problem of greenhouse gases. This study surprised those skeptics because this study was funded by an oil company who supports and funds the tea party and other skeptic groups. It was funded by a company who would not want this information to get out and yet, it was printed in the Wall Street Journal.
How does global warming affect us? Some scientists have been saying that we have experienced it. It’s just that the public has been denying it saying it’s just a part of climate control or part of our evolution of the earth. They don’t want to have anything to do with environmental issues and don’t want to hear that their environment is changing. 7 billion people now live on this planet. We need to learn how to live together without damaging our environment.
How do we prevent global warming? First let me ask you a question: if your roof in your house was leaking, would you patch it or would you just let it leak into your house? You would patch it, right? So if the environment needs attention and you could help the environment and your children’s future, would you do it?
The skeptics respond by denying that there is nothing happening to the environment. They say that it’s normal wear and tear. No, it is not normal wear and tear. We use so much fossil fuel that it’s in the air every day. Our air content is changing. Our food is changing. Our living is changing. Many animals have to get shots to counteract for the unhealthy food they eat. Animals eat grass and other food supplies that contain chemicals. They spray vegetables and fruits for bugs. Then we eat the animals and we eat the vegetables and fruit. It ends up making a cycle through us. That’s why more people are switching to whole foods to get away from the chemicals.
People are slowly starting to accept our changing environment. Do you notice the summer temperatures are increasing and getting hotter? When I was young, there was never a time that we couldn’t work or play outside. I was never told don’t go outside because it’s too hot. We could play all we wanted to play outside, every day and never worry about the heat. Nobody ever mentioned the ‘heat index.’ Air conditioning has changed us. A lot of people keep their central air conditioning set on a cool 68 degrees. Once you get your body used to such a temperature, you have to keep it.
As the temperatures change due to global warming, the environment is changing. There are some things you can do as a homeowner. There are many tax incentives from states and from the federal government. So why not do something, even if it’s a small system? Solar, wind, geothermal, solar hot water tank system, energy efficiency in your home – you choose.
As the environment changes, so does our eco-system. Over the years I used to see streams of ducks. Now they say fewer ducks are due to the heat in the south and that they started landing further up north. I disagree. I believe there are fewer ducks due to the heat, the ozone layer, or they are just not producing as much as they used to. Fewer ducks, fewer bees, something is going on.
Are we getting older and can’t take the heat? That sounds like skepticism. Does the Bible say anything about global warming? No, but it doesn’t say anything about cleaning and performing maintenance on your car either. We should be stewards of everything God has given us.
Global warming is here. It is real. What are you going to do about it?
Could our environment be hurting our children? Children are more vulnerable to our environment because they are still growing. Forty years ago, lots of kids rode their bikes to school. These days, children are driven to school in a vehicle that increases pollution in the air. Children need to be our focus. Their bodies are still developing. Adults and children interact with the environment in a different way.
What impacts our kids’ health can be found where they spend the most time which is:
• at school
• the playground
• at home
I read that children can spend as much as 10 hours a day inside a school building. Is the air in your child’s school safe? Poor air quality could trigger breathing problems.
Everyone knows that exhaust fumes from vehicles pollute the air we breathe. When your children play outside, you could be monitoring the air they breathe.
More and more kids stay inside to play video games. Is the air in your home safe for your children? If your children play inside at home, there are some options you can do to help keep the air clean. One is not to smoke - especially in your home. Keep the air in your home as clean as can be. That means getting rid of dust allergens, mold and pet dander. There are several central air filters that are available to eliminate or reduce allergens.
Going solar reduces the emissions which in turn changes our environment. Any change is an improvement, and is a good thing. Making the air cleaner is easier for our children (and us) to breathe.
Electricity is usually created using diesel (which is the cheapest) or coal. We need to reduce the amount of coal we use to produce electricity and use other means. You can use solar or natural gas to generate power. Solar is getting cheaper and more efficient. You can generate more power in less space.
Many people are under the notion that it would take an acre of ground to generate a lot of power. Many roofs average 20’ x 40’ or 800 square foot. In 800 square foot, you can get up to 10,000 watts of power. In that situation, the power company has to generate little or no power to you. With a grid tie system, you don’t want to generate more than what you need. You need to generate exactly what you need. You only get a credit back from the power company, not cash or a refund. People are under the impression that you get monies back, and that’s not true. You only get credit. And if you don’t use the credits after a time, you can lose them, depending upon where you live. If you don’t use them, you lose them!
For our environment and the sake of future generations, alternative energy needs to be utilized to the fullest. Go solar! How are you helping the environment?
Solar power for homeowners is changing again due to the DOE’s (Department of Energy) Sun Shot initiative. They designed a program to lower the cost of solar energy. They hope to make it competitive by cutting the installation costs.
“Reducing the installed cost of solar energy systems by about 75% will drive widespread, large-scale adoption of this renewable energy technology and restore U.S. leadership in the global clean energy race.” What that means is that they are trying to cut costs on labor, the installed costs. Who do they try to cut first? It ends up being the electricians.
A few years ago, generator companies did the same thing. If a company wanted to sell lots of generators, how could they do that? They cut the installation costs of the installer by limiting their installation cost and telling the installers what they can charge. By forcing pricing-lowering on installers, generators were poorly installed.
The state of Louisiana is complaining about poorly installed solar powered systems. The state wants to upgrade electrical contractors who have already been doing electrical work to a better status. Electricians have been running conduit, building panels, wiring, putting supports for their equipment, high voltage equipment, motor control cabinets, boards and installing a lot more. Now, since solar installations have increased rapidly, anybody who already has a state license can apply for a solar installing license and go install solar. You should be licensed within the electrical field to install solar.
Licensed electrical contractors have been installing electrical equipment for years. I think you must be mechanically inclined first, electrically knowledgeable, and be able to do control work if necessary, for voltage control work, and very knowledgeable on high voltage and low voltage DC.
If the government wants to cut anything, they should cut the costs of the materials. Just like the people who sell generators don’t want to cut their costs, they would rather cut the labor of the installer.
Americans use more electricity than any other country. That statement alone should help you realize that America needs to get on the ball to lead the world in alternative energy technology. We have the greatest resources available to everyone.
• Solar is good for our environment
• Solar is quiet.
• Solar has no harmful emissions while operating
The other day, I learned that my local power company (Cleco) is building a new multi-million dollar energy producing power plant. Cleco is building a coal fired plant so that they can use coal instead of natural gas. If they want to reduce their emissions, they should use natural gas. Why do they use coal? They make more money using coal or diesel. Natural gas is a clean source of energy. Coal is the worst, followed by diesel because of their emissions into the atmosphere. They also use diesel instead of natural gas to generate electricity. Know why? It’s cheaper.
According to DOE, “Even taking into account construction, the overall carbon footprint for generating solar electricity is 30 times less than using coal.” The US is part of the global rate race for clean energy. If we become the leader in clean energy, it will lead to America’s energy future.
Is it alright to do this on the backs of the working people? That’s like saying ‘kill the messenger.’ Let’s cut the costs of the materials and not the costs of the labor to install it.
How does your local power plant produce electricity? Do they use diesel or coal?
Electrical costs can vary for each type of project you have. Your projects can run between adding a receptacle to installing a solar powered system. Many times an electrician must come out to your house to view your particular situation instead of giving a price over the phone.
For example, let’s say you hire a good electrician to wire a simple problem. Do you think you are going to get an electrician that is cheap? Maybe in this economy you might. But you can’t get them for nothing. In order to keep their license, an electrician must pay workman’s compensation and liability insurance. They must also have business insurance on their work trucks. On their vehicles, they also have upkeep, fuel, and maintenance.
Many electricians who work for themselves don’t make that much on a per hour basis. One job I did I figured that by the time I pay for fuel, time and all the insurances, it cost me more to do a job than it is to work for somebody else. It’s just not worth it sometimes when an individual homeowner wants you to work for low wages. I agree that I would want something for a low price, as low as I can get it, but not lower than what the electrician can afford. If that happens, he may try to cut corners to save. If an electrician cuts corners, that means you, as a homeowner, can lose.
I can understand calling to get another price. But some people call around so much that they get confused. And then when I am their 9th caller, they get offended when I tell them the truth. The truth hurts. I seem to be the only one who tells homeowners that you can’t run a 2400 sq. ft. house on 4000 watt solar powered system.
Recently, this happened. One person called me up and said he has a 2400 sq. ft. house and wants to run his house with air conditioning on a 4000 watt solar powered system. I explained to him that a 4000 watt system would run his lights, and small appliances, certainly not a central air conditioning and heating system. He kept referring back to another price he had received from another solar installer. He didn’t believe me so I told him good luck with that.
It gets dark you know at night. Not all solar powered systems have battery backups. What about cloudy and overcast days? OK, that was one day of autonomy, or days without sun. If you don’t have sunlight there will be no battery charging available. How many days can you go without electricity? Can you go 3, 4, 5, 10, or 15 days? It is ridiculous to try and get a battery backup system for a home, unless you are a billionaire. It is not cost effective. There are incentives available but they are not enough to cover a battery backup system for a whole house that runs your central air conditioning, lighting and electronics.
Little things in a house mount up like you washing machine, dryer, microwave. It doesn’t matter if you have a 2400 sq. ft. house that is the most energy efficient house in the world. All houses have a refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, and then some. There are appliances that you use even in an energy efficient house that has natural gas. It doesn’t matter if you have a natural gas stove, gas furnace, and gas dryer. A washing machine (and other appliances) still needs amperage to run.
The only way you know what you need is to monitor it for a month. Monitor your usage: what you use, and how you use it. I can use a washing machine every day and my usage is different than someone who uses it weekly. Usage is a total cost of what you use per month. It is usually listed in detail on your electrical bill. 4000 watts is not going to generate that much power. Look at it like this: 4000 watts for 5 hours a day is 20,000 watts a day, or 600,000 a month. 600,000 watts a month is not even close to an average cost of 1.5 million watts the average homeowner uses. Electrical costs for solar installation can range but you need to study your usage to be prepared. I still agree that going solar is the best!
Electricians are trained as an apprentice up to 4 years (depending upon how fast you learn and understand): then trained as a journeyman for another 2 to 4 years under a master electrician. There are trainings available for electricians who want to specialize or just learn. But some industry trainings are discouraging to those who went through the training especially if they automatically failed you on your first test. Some training falls short. They think that their training and knowledge is better than anyone else’s that’s been doing electrical work longer than 30 years. If you want to deceive and discourage somebody on a test, it is very easy to do that. But I disagree with computer generated tests that cannot be reviewed.
Have you ever gone through a class and were given sample tests? Then the class would talk about how you arrived at that answer. What if you took a sample test online, passed it and then failed the actual test? What if the teacher would not give back his test for review? How do you know if the correct answer key was used with a computer generated test? If you gave the wrong key for the wrong test, then guess what? You are going to fail the test.
One organization that does not return the test for review is NABCEP, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. This is a group that formed out of the solar power industry. They are not encouraging anybody: they are discouraging people. If they are the ones to oversee an industry, then they are making money falsely. In other words, if I create an industry and give a test from Farbe’s Electric that I want you to take and I don’t match up tests with the correct answer key, I can’t expect people to learn anything. It actually sounds like I am hiding something.
Any other school will give you the test back along with your answers to see any mistakes and to learn from them. NABCEP falls short. Is that really encouraging people to learn? No, it is not. What they are doing is dispensing a computer generated test and sending back a pass or fail grade. Take it or leave it.
There should have local reviews for local tests. If you can’t give local reviews for local tests then we shouldn’t be testing because that’s a waste. In other words, if you can’t review what you have done wrong, then how do you know what you have done wrong? How can you improve on what you have done? If they said you didn’t pass something or you didn’t complete something, you won’t know what you didn’t complete or pass. Sometimes a lot of the questions are based on the same ideas. That doesn’t mean anything. It means something only if you learned something.
They have schools for adults where you can study to get licensed within a field along with your training. If you create a school for the sole purpose of training people, then you need to help them correct the problems they fail. But NABCEP falls short because it doesn’t do that.
Should somebody be NABCEP certified in order to install solar? No. I don’t think so because NABCEP was formed to increase the knowledge of solar installers. But I don’t think anyone installing solar should be anything less than a state licensed master electrician to begin with. I don’t think solar installers should be outside the realm of electricians. Period.
Some states (like the one I live in) allows anyone to take the test to install solar. You can’t install solar unless you pass the NABCEP test. But this state has failed with that aspect because they allow anyone to go to school to take the solar installing exam. If you are not licensed, you must pass the test. If you are licensed as a general contractor, you don’t have to pass the test but can still install solar. I disagree with that totally. I know that some people are good at taking and passing test but are unable to figure or calculate (if necessary). Apprenticeships were formed so that they could engage in long term understanding of what they are doing. Not just saying A is A and B is B. The problem is that once you become tested, do you really know what you are doing? Can you install it? Do you have mechanical knowledge or the electrical knowledge to put that together? Some engineers come out of school, knew all the criteria (like standards and codes), but could not put items together. They needed an electrician to do it for them.
An industry has sold its concept to engineers that they have formed an organization across the US. This organization is accredited to installing solar. I’m not saying their curriculum is wrong or anything about their curriculum. What I have a problem with is their testing. If you can’t review a test, then don’t give a test.
High voltage systems can be very dangerous. It is described as “electrical circuits in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements.” High voltage is commonly used in electrical power distribution. There are two factors that are considered when classifying high voltage. One is with a spark in the air. The second is the danger of electric shock by contact or just being close. These can refer to the voltage either between two conductors of a system or between any conductor and a ground.
High voltage is too dangerous for individuals. Some solar powered systems deal with DC or direct current up to 600 volts. I have experience with 480 volts (AC)at a shipyard. But DC is a lot different than working with AC. DC reaches out and touches. “Voltages of greater than 50 V applied across dry unbroken human skin are capable of producing heart fibrillation if they produce electric currents in body tissues that happen to pass through the chest area.” In other words, DC can be a heart stopper. DC is very dangerous. If you have an accidental contact with high voltage, you may experience severe injury, burns, or death. Because of its arching capabilities, DC is commonly known for burns. Many people think DC is nothing because they use it every day like in batteries.
Electricians are trained but not in every facet of the electrical field. Take generators for instance. Not every electrician knows how to fix problems that occur within a generator. Many electricians are identified with one field. For instance, an electrician might be known for residential, commercial, or industrial. They can specialize within an area like conduit bending. But just because someone is an electrician doesn’t mean they have encountered every facet within the electrical field.
A lot of the jobs that I have gone to that was done by the homeowner have actually made more work for me. I had to help them to do the work. Once on the site, I explain to the homeowner the things he did wrong and what he needs to do to correct it. It is usually 90% of their work will need replacing and repairing. I know that discourages homeowners by pointing out the problems but I must point out code. Many times the things that homeowner Harry does every day is not as simple as they think. You must follow the NEC, National Electric Code.
If you are planning on installing solar powered system, I suggest you hire a contractor that is a certified solar installer with an electrical license to install it. He is designated within that field. Just like a generator repair man, he is designed to install and repair generators. You need to find the same within the solar field. High voltage is nothing to play with. Hit the comment button below and tell me how you found your solar installer.
DIY or use a solar pro? That’s a question many homeowners have. If you buy a product, you can do whatever you want with what you buy. Some people are able to change the oil in their automobile. But can they take apart the engine and put it back together? I believe the same is with purchasing and installing a PV system for your home. You shouldn’t attempt any kind of installation of a solar powered system. And I’ll tell you why.
I don’t understand why someone would choose the option of installing it themselves. Where I live, you must have a licensed electrical contractor to install it. But you know there are always electricians who will sell themselves for $1. That is unfortunately a bad thing. PV installations and all its codes are listed in the National Electric Code (NEC) book which electricians must follow.
According to the Home Power Magazine (October-November 2011) issue, there is an article that addresses this question. It says,
“Installation of most PV systems is usually better left to the pros.”
I agree with that. The learning and schooling that I had for solar as well as my 30 years as an electrician has also taught me that there is a lot to be learned, especially in installing solar systems. Going to school and learning statistics may sound easy. But do you know how you are going to series and parallel your system together? How much amperage and how much loss you are going to have? How much voltage? It’s a lot to consider for an everyday homeowner. Changing a receptacle or putting up a fan is simple. But installing a complicated solar system with all the code knowledge that has to be known is more advanced. For instance, do you understand the information that these inverters give you? What should do with A or B or C? What do you need to know about Delta Y systems?
Homeowners don’t know what a Delta Y system is and what to do with it. If the voltage is incorrect, electricians know how to change it over to the correct voltage for your situation. An electrician knows how to make the taps correctly.
Many codes are known to electricians because they encounter them every day. Do you know box fill calculations? Do you know voltage drop? Do you know formulas? Do you know what can occur with high and low voltage systems? I’m not saying you shouldn’t do anything on your own. I’m saying to get a trained electrician. Every electrician is not the same or trained within every facet of their field. Some electricians were only trained to run conduit. Some were trained to pull wire. Some were trained for terminations (to connect the wires).
Should the electrical industry allow individuals to perform installations when solar codes are in the NEC?
Home safety is always a priority. But, we sometimes go overboard. The 2008 National Electric Code came out with code for installing receptacles within your home that are designed to prevent electrical shock and other dangers. But I think kids can overcome almost anything. Why should we get tamper resistant outlets or TRO?
The first time homeowners use these receptacles they are very hard. You may need to put some muscle into it because it’s almost impossible to plug into them. After you use a few hundred times, they start to loosen up. My wife broke plugs that folded back into themselves because they were made in China. That’s creating a danger within itself by trying to force a cheaply made plug into a tamper resistant outlet.
Anything is possible within a home. Children can fall off a porch - whether you have railings or not. Children can fall down steps. You can’t stop that. What are you going to do, put seatbelts on a toilet seat? Where do we stop?
I do agree with electrical safety. Electrical can be dangerous. Safety is #1 in my book. I want people to be safe over anything. I don’t believe in underground wire without conduit. It is code but yet, many people do it because it is cheaper. According to code, you are supposed to place something on top of the wire like a self-cured piece of wood to protect the wire. But if you are going to do that, why put raw wire in the ground like UF wire? It is rated for underground, but it still could be damaged. At 18”, somebody could dig a trench and hit the wire. Code requires some kind of protection above the wire. If you are going to do that, why not use conduit to begin with and make it safe? If a shovel goes down, it won’t go through conduit. I know. I’ve tried.
All my underground circuits are in conduit. It pays to do the extra work in conduit. If you have a problem, you can always fix it. But if you have UF wire in the ground and need to fix it, it may not last. It may come apart over time.
Your home has to be safe. It has to be safe from you not hurting yourself and not having problems in the future. The kind of safety I’m talking about is what some people call ‘simple stupidity safety’ or ‘common sense safety.’ Do you
• Use a drill standing in water? (I understand that most drills are double insulated but hey, let’s use some common sense.)
• Change a light bulb in the shower?
• Stick your fingers in a socket?
• Fall off the steps of your porch?
• Ride your bike down a steep hill?
How are you being safe in your home?
When installing a generator in your home, I recommend a professional licensed electrician perform the job. But some electricians are not qualified to do this job. Since I am an electrician, does that surprised by that statement?
I recently ran into my competition at a local home improvement center. I noticed that he was picking up a twist lock whip cord to install a portable generator. Generators need to be installed with a transfer switch. They can be a manual switch or an automatic switch. But wiring a generator directly into a panel may cause a back feed to utility workers in your area. It is dangerous and illegal. But here is a fellow electrician getting ready to install a generator without a switch.
That was the stupidest thing I ever heard in my life. I’d like to tell a local electrical inspector about this electrician and what he is doing. He is hooking up generators without having any kind of transfer switch or a load deviation from the generator to utility power, or utility to generator power. You need that separation of power. When I asked him why he was doing this, he said he just wanted to make money.
I told him what the dangers are, how he could hurt people, how that could affect his license, his career. And it seemed like he didn’t care. I asked him directly that after knowing all these dangers why was he still doing it. His response was that he said he didn’t care. Well, I do. I care about human life. Hurting myself is one thing, hurting others is another because he won’t do work properly. It seems some people aren’t caring about the danger of installing a generator. It can be dangerous. It’s got voltage. Voltage can kill you. That’s why we have so many codes to protect us.
And here he is hooking up a generator directly to a panel without any means of disconnecting the main. In order to generate power and service the equipment of the load you want to carry, then you must be able to disconnect utility load. Some people use a manual switch but it has to be done to where you can’t back feed. In other words, no matter how you switch the breakers, it can’t back feed to the utility.
What this electrician did has no way of stopping the back feed. It’s illegal. He said he will advise the homeowner and he will write it in red to turn off the main disconnect. I said that’s not enough. I have turned away business and refused to put in generators because people wanted me to do it that way. I refuse to install a generator illegally. I refuse to work unsafe. I refuse to put another person’s life in danger just because a homeowner doesn’t want to pay another $100. If you can’t afford a properly installed generator then maybe you shouldn’t get a generator.
This goes to show you that some electricians are interested in the money and don’t really care about the work they do or how it affects others. The money is one thing but lives can be affected. I don’t care how cheap the homeowner is. You can’t leave a live wire hanging for somebody to get hurt. If you can’t afford a transfer switch, then it is no use hooking up that generator. If any electrician does, then it is against code and he could actually kill someone. Unintentionally, he could kill someone possibly a lineman that is working on the power. I don’t love the power company, but I don’t want anyone hurt or even killed so that some homeowner can save a buck.
I install transfer switches and generators up to code. I can’t do everything but I do what I can to save lives. Please type your comments in below on this subject.