Solar Thermal Training - San Francisco

Dates Pending

We're currently organizing dates for this course. Check back here soon!

Special Offer:

Purchase any Live Course and receive a 10% discount on any Online Courses! Online Courses must be purchased in the same order as a Live Course.

6-Day Solar Thermal Boot Camp Fremont

• Learn to install a solar DHW system in 1 day
• Learn techniques to spin off installation crews and keep them in pace with increasing sales
• Learn to ramp up a renewable energy business to allow 3 to 5 systeminstallations in 90 days
• Learn techniques to increase your cash flows
• Learn to estimate and provide ROI to business owners on projects.

Learn the fundamentals of design & installation of solar water heating systems in the nation's most comprehensive solar thermal Boot Camp. Our blended learning approach incorporates Instructor-led lectures and hands-on labs (about a 60/40 class time ratio) including the use of site-assessment tools for solar systems design.

This course is optimized for Plumbing, Swimming Pool, HVAC & General Contractors looking to add solar-thermal systems to their existing service offerings. Solar PV (Photovoltaic) Contractors, Architects and Engineers with piping / plumbing experience are also welcome. All students should have good mechanical aptitude.

If you are unsure as to what is required in your state to install Thermal systems click here to learn more.

Our students love this event , and it is held in our state of the art training facility in the San Francisco bay area. If you don't live in the San Francisco bay area, do not worry. Hundreds of students fly in for our courses from all over the United States, and we offer a subsidized lodging package that includes a hotel suite and free shuttle transportation (no need for a taxi or rental car) from the San Jose airport (SJC) for most arrival times.

Solar Thermal School Outline - Fremont

Day 1

• Solar Insolation
• Collector Orientation
• Solar Pathfinder description & operation
• Lab - use of Solar Pathfinder
• Solmetric SunEye description & operation
• Lab - use of SunEye
• Heat flow properties
• Flat plate collector design
• Low. Medium, and high temperature collectors
• Single and dual tank systems
• Types and comparison of solar water heating systems i.e. active systems, passive systems, open loop direct, closed loop indirect, PV controlled systems, Glycol closed loop, Steamback systems, Drainback systems
• System components
• Introduction to solar thermal application (water heating, pool heating, space heating)

Day 2

• Collector Mounting – lag mount, spanner mount, j-bolt mount
• Lab - flush mounting collector
• Lab - rail mounting collector
• Open loop components
• Closed loop glycol and Steamback components
• Closed loop Drainback components
• Differential control & sensors
• Lab - wire and program differential control

Day 3

• Sealing pipe penetrations
• Flush mount install on asphalt shingle roof
• Rail mount install on asphalt shingle roof
• Setting mounts on a tile roof
• Solar heated swimming pool equipment & system layout
• Lab - install Open loop system
• Charging Closed Loop systems
• Lab - install Closed loop system

Day 4

• Lab - install Drainback system
• Lab - install solar pool heating system
• Service of open loop, closed loop glycol & Drainback systems
• Sales & Marketing of Solar Thermal systems
• Customer scenarios; working with equipment distributors

Day 5

• BTU
• Solar Rating and Certification Corporation SRCC
• Using SRCC reports as a design tool
• Collector Efficiency curve
• Using efficiency curve as a design tool
• Determine gallon capacity using BTU formula
• Balancing multiple tank installation
• Balancing single bank collector array
• Balancing multiple bank array
• Pump selection, sizing, and configuring
• Determining system fluid capacity
• Attaching collectors to commercial buildings
• Solar space heating sizing & design (forced air, radiant floor, ground water source heat pumps)
• Solar Pool heating – sizing and design
• Solar system flow rates vs. pool filtration

Day 6 - Sales

• A Successful Marketing Plan
• Lead Generation
• Building a Sales Department
• Work by the Numbers
• ROI

The Sale

• Buying motives
• Need assessment
• Identifying benefits
• The door knock
• The presentation
• Closing

Business Plan

• Timing is Everything
• Establishing $ Goals
• Planning Sustainable Growth
• How Big Is Big?
• Job Costing
• Cost of Operations
• Developing 5 Year Projections
• Avoiding the Pitfalls

This course qualifies for up to 30 NABCEP credits.

Our Solar Thermal Course is designed for experienced professionals in the plumbing, swimming pool, HVAC & general contracting industry.  Solar PV contractors, architects and engineers are also welcome.