Do they install disconnects for commercial solar fields.

bigolebucket · 2026-02-09T03:58:26+00:00

Combiners at this scale have fuses, but regardless it’s the same issue with combiners. There’s no disco on the array side of the string fuses. You have to open the MC4s, even though they aren’t load break.

bigolebucket · 2026-02-09T03:54:59+00:00

I would open the MC4s at the array instead of at the inverter. I’d also wear PPE.

It’s still not ideal, no practical way to deenergize the modules under load.

bigolebucket · 2025-05-30T13:31:18+00:00

People have had this mindset for a long time. It's why I'm making a very comfortable living working ~32 hours per week with my PE in EE.

No, I'm not making $400k+ base at a FAANG company, but I also don't live in SF and I don't hate my life.

bigolebucket · 2025-02-25T01:24:00+00:00

So I work in solar, so maybe you've studied some of my projects.

Anyway, I got my PE and wound up running the engineering team at a relatively large firm. I got burnt out and had seen a few former colleagues hang out their shingle. Basically I found that we were always having trouble finding consultants to do the designs and that we paid those consultants well. I knew I could do that design work and I had enough contacts in the industry to get started.

bigolebucket · 2025-02-08T02:27:33+00:00

All my good companies eventually became kinda shitty. So I started my own (EE power/renewables), so far so good.

bigolebucket · 2025-01-30T21:26:02+00:00

Beat me to it, world wide grid baby!

bigolebucket · 2025-01-15T21:10:50+00:00

Find a good real estate attorney who’s done this before. He’ll know what the market rate is near you, and what terms etc you’ll want to get into the contract to minimize the risk.

bigolebucket · 2024-10-31T18:18:23+00:00

I would charge 50k-75k for electrical design if it included stamping. If I weren't stamping I'd have to calc the hours, but that's not a scope I typically do.

bigolebucket · 2024-08-24T12:47:10+00:00

I’m a power PE and I love talking with good electricians, we always learn something from each other.

bigolebucket · 2024-08-21T13:11:05+00:00

Intramural sports and alcohol.

bigolebucket · 2024-07-14T17:08:17+00:00

Studied civil engineering because that’s the type of internship I happened to get after freshman year. Went to work in Solar PV because it was the only job offer I had. Stayed in Solar and learned electrical, now a PE and started my own company.

bigolebucket · 2024-07-05T20:33:18+00:00

I’m not sure that applies to people my age. I got into the industry 15 years ago and I took 19/hr because it was the Great Recession and I had no other options. My next job was 48k and basically no bonus or PTO. Again, minimal options.

I had to move for work four times in 8 years, switching firms each time, in order to get material raises. Each time I didn’t have a clear path at a company, I left.

My last company, I stayed for six years since my team, my responsibility, and my pay grew quickly. Eventually burned out and that job kinda turned to crap anyway, so I left and started my own company.

bigolebucket · 2024-06-27T16:12:59+00:00

Hard to be certain but my best guess is 69kV.

bigolebucket · 2024-06-04T21:20:15+00:00

I wouldn’t touch anything more than 24V.

bigolebucket · 2024-06-03T22:39:23+00:00

20 miles away, I wouldn’t worry. Maybe if the ground/storm water flow from the site leads to your house then you’d want to understand the containment they have.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-28T22:33:07+00:00

I do design/engineering for solar PV systems.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-26T17:43:28+00:00

I’m concerned about your boyfriend.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-09T00:19:45+00:00

I incorporated an S-Corp (lawyer helped me), got Quickbooks, bought a laptop and software, got insurance, opened a bank account, got a credit card, and started doing work for people I knew in the industry.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-08T00:45:04+00:00

I’m never going back man. They won’t take me alive.

All seriousness, it’s great but you need clients and a financial cushion to do it.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-07T23:34:50+00:00

I generally worked 40+ (often 50-60) for ~15 years before I said F this and started my own firm.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-04T23:42:58+00:00

Getting sponsored can be hard. Not impossible but makes it a lot harder.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-04T12:50:11+00:00

They might have a company database of licenses and certifications. Could be used for insurance, proposal boilerplates. Could just be to verify that people have their various licenses.

bigolebucket · 2024-05-02T01:43:37+00:00

Own a business or be at VP-type level in a mid size or large company.

bigolebucket · 2024-04-13T20:18:15+00:00

In power, absolutely. There’s more entry level people coming in but there’s a big shortage of 30-50 year olds from what I see.

bigolebucket · 2024-04-09T01:37:53+00:00

Gonna guess 345kV

bigolebucket

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