What qualifications does the electrician need?

[Enzzo]

Basically I've got a solar contract lined up, I'm the roofer but I'm currently searching for a electrician, I'm just wondering what qualifications he needs to be able to sign off the pv work, I'm sure he has to be NECIEC registered plus has to have completed a solar pv course, But I'm not 100% sure! The company who I'm getting the contract off is MCS registered so that's one less worry, any info would be greatly epretiated, cheers

 

[jason121]

It has to be commissioned by an MCS installer

 

[Gavin A]

It has to be commissioned by an MCS installer

a what now?

As things stand, the company is MCS certified, not the individual installer. It's then up to the company to ensure the installer is sufficiently competent.

This is probably changing to some extent in the near future, with the proposed new MCS requirements, but is how it works now unfortunately. So in this case the onus is on the MCS company to ensure that the electrician who's signing off the work is competent to do so, which in my view should mean both the paper qualifications, and relevant experience, but some companies seem happy with just the paper qualifications, or not even them... hence some of the rubbish installs some people get lumbered with.

 

[jason121]

like i said MCS installer

 

[Enzzo]

So does the electrian have to be NIC registered? And have to completed a solar course?

 

[Sparky Ninja]

The electrician will probably have to be a member of a CPS, such as the NICEIC, to notify the domestic installation side (if applicable), and they will have to be registered on the MCS scheme for the PV side.

NICEIC and MCS register companies, not individuals so make sure you hire a sparky in the company capacity, and not a guy doing some private work - unless he is privately registered.

With regards to the training there are some 'domestic installers' who have achieved a PV qualification - so you may find a company doing PV work, but they are not electricians.

The EAS has enforced that PV training providers now only enrol learners with an NVQ 3 as minimum entry - this is being challenged by many and so is in limbo at the moment.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

And have to completed a solar course?

Would you want to hire somebody who hasn't?

 

[Gavin A]

like i said MCS installer

the company that's subbing the work out is MCS certified, so the actual electrician working as a subby wouldn't actually need to be actually MCS certified themselves, nor would the company they worked for.

When we first started up we subbed in an electrician to work with us who wasn't MCS certified himself, but we were as a company.

 

[sedgy34]

your electrician who you need has to be G83 or G59 conversant to install the pv installation

 

[jason121]

the company that's subbing the work out is MCS certified, so the actual electrician working as a subby wouldn't actually need to be actually MCS certified themselves, nor would the company they worked for.

When we first started up we subbed in an electrician to work with us who wasn't MCS certified himself, but we were as a company.

so why don't they install the system ???

 

[sedgy34]

so why don't they install the system ???

There sparky could be on holiday lol never known a mcs company who can't carry out the work

 

[Gavin A]

so why don't they install the system ???

probably laid off their staff or something.

 

[moggy1968]

NICEIC are not the only company that registers electricians, much as NICEIC would like it to be so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry, but I get a bit annoyed about this.

If you are MCS registered (which as the employing company you should be), then your electrician does not need to be MCS certified. He needs to be registered with part P so he can certify the AC side. This could be NICEIC, NAPPIT or ELECSA. He should also be competent to install the DC side and the usual way to demonstrate this is to have a solar PV qualification such as C&G, but there is no specific requirement or standard on this.

How else do you think the double glazing companies and chancers managed to get in on this!! (not suggesting that all companies who don't have an electrician employed by them fall into this category!)

If you are not MCS registered your best bet is to approach an MCS registered company with a view to them doing the whole job and you getting an introduction fee, and labour if your going to work on the install.

 

[sedgy34]

I'm registered with Nic for electrical works and Napit for mcs I would rather keep it this way if I change which I may do in march I will drop the Nic like a brick
to the op the last roofer we all know off went bust recently stick to roofing