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My name is Josh. I'm located here in the Central Valley of CA. I'm here hoping to get some feedback and learn some more. I see that a lot of people on here are versed in the residential sized systems. I particularly work on systems of the utility size, 20-60MW. I am very green when it comes to a whole lot of in depth theory type issues and that's really where I'm hoping to learn some new things!
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Depending on what the stated "work" involves, I'm not sure what it says about how far we've gone in the toilet, or the state of things in the solar end of the power generation when someone who claims to work on utility scale PV projects, while at the same time claims to know not much about it, comes to a forum of mostly non professionals looking to "get some feedback and learn more."
I appreciate the curiosity, but, damn. -
To be clear, all members to a forum contribute in one way or another. I'm sure there is a crap-ton that I can learn from peering into members threads and chiming in from time to time on what I might know. Utility sized compared to residential sized systems are nearly identical in theory and operation. They all have modules that are strung together to an inverter and ultimately either grid tied or stand alone. I'm interested in a road map to understand the theory behind how it all flows and not just the operational, "Keep that crap running so we can make money" behind the utility scaled operations and maintenance.
I feel like you are thinking that your members don't know as much compared to someone working in the field. Quite the contrary. I'm a part of other types of forums and members often know more then the guys claiming to be experts. I don't stand here with a proud puffed out chest. I merely want to be informative and be informed where I'm wrong or lacking in knowledge.
JoshComment
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Keep in mind that not everyone who works on projects of that size are system architects. Some are installers who know how to install racking systems and that's about it. Some are drivers who ferry the materials in. Some are electricians who are pulling cable and installing breakers. Some pour concrete, and some do environmental inspections. They may not know much about the theory of solar-PV; places like this are good places to learn general concepts.Comment
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Opinions vary. To some, better places to learn the basics and general concepts might be a textbook or two and some practical hands on and mentoring from experienced, known, and knowledgeable sources. Forums like this are one step above u-tube. Where's the vetting ? I' and others have challenged a lot of incorrect information here. Who's to say all of it gets checked, challenged or even discovered ?Comment
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Much of it does not. But that's part of learning about solar as well.
How many times have you seen "I don't want to install a big solar power system, I just want to power my air conditioner and refrigerator?" Then they get indignant when people tell them what that will cost, and call people on the forum utility stooges and the like. That's not something you'll experience by reading a book - but that mindset is a very real part of what people in the solar industry have to deal with every day, because it's all too common.
Or the people who buy the latest Harbor Freight special and then come here complaining about how it won't power their RV like the ad said it would. That kind of disillusioning is also something that many new solar users go through, and seeing other people go through it might help prevent a newbie from making that mistake.
(This forum, of course, doesn't replace a textbook. But on the other hand, you'll learn things here you won't learn in a textbook; they are both useful resources.)Comment
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Welcome to the forum of few(er) illusions and open opinions. Sometimes a thick(er) skin helps in seeing some (other) valid versions of reality you may have thus far missed.
Not disgust for you, BTW. I don't know you. Not disgust at all really. Just expressing an opinion about how much standards of what is considered knowledge have gone in the toilet when some think a chat room is a valid substitute for real, basic and necessary first order knowledge.
As usual, take what you may want of my rants, mental spoor and quite possibly somewhat anachronistic opinions. Scrap or ignore the rest, or all of it. Either or any way, Good luck in your quest for knowledge.Comment
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I don't believe you rained on anyone's parade. J.P.M. is one of the more philosophical members on this site (and very knowledgeable and helpful as well), and I think his post reflects a thought process that you sparked, not any animosity for you. I don't read any "disgust" or dislike for you in his post. I found his post thought provoking, which it appears you did as well, but not in the same way. He closes many posts with "take what you want, and scrap the rest" which says quite a bit about him.
I use a product called "Thick Skin in a Bottle" when on the internet, and I have to tell you that stuff works like a champ.Comment
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And maybe one ought to come somewhat before the other ? A short story: I got interested in solar thermal energy in the mid '70's and studied heat transfer and associated disciplines on my own. I thought I knew a lot - I already had an undergraduate degree in Physics, and maybe I did know a bit more compared to my perhaps less educated and less enthusiastic peers. I read everything I could get my hands on - all the popular stuff, subscribed to magazines, even joined the International Solar Energy Society.
Then, I got my head handed to me in spades by a mechanical engineer who probably forgot more about heat transfer, fluid mechanics, Thermodynamics, and most everything else than I'll ever know. I soon realized my hubristically assumed vast knowledge amounted to precisely --- wait for it---... ****. Long story, but I returned to school, got another degree and changed careers. Point is, I wasted a lot of time and effort by putting the cart before the horse and trying to end run the knowledge quest. There really is no free lunch.
Maybe my case was a bit over the top, but you'll learn what is here faster, and with a better understanding of the applications with some grounding in the basics. Kind of like learning to walk and then studying a bit about running, its strategy, tactics and injury possibilities before attempting a track meet and injuring yourself, or others.Comment
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It appears that's what he was doing also. Imagine getting the same response (you sent him) when you submitted the application to join the society or subscribed to a magazine. Pretty disheartening...
He could've just stayed lurking and learned a whole lot first (normally what I do unless I'm in a hurry). But many people feel an obligation to help answer questions where they can, in exchange for the knowledge learned in a community. They register first and do the introduction. IME sites that use an introduction forum are low key and extremely friendly. But I think SPT doubles the intro forum as a filter in the fight against spam bots.
This board is definitely not run like others, perhaps due to the nature of electricity and a licensed industry, as it likes to keep the site clean from ideas that newbs can use to go off and injure themselves and others or destroy property.
I'm not suggesting what JPM did was wrong or this board should change because I LOLd when I read his comment as I agreed with him, as I usually do. And yes, the value of thicker skin would've been evident here.Comment
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On the ass reaming I got: I was really pissed when it happened (about 40 years ago), perhaps a lot more than Josh might have been from my shot across his bow. However, at the time, I soon realized the guy who tried to wake me up was dead nuts on, so it wasn't as disheartening as much as a game changer. Were it not for that wake up call, and maybe a couple of other circumstances, and a lot of good, and IMO, very charitable mentors who had the patience of Job, I might still be a peddler, and maybe better off financially, but still fumbling around from thinking I knew some stuff, instead of being learning how ignorant I was (am) of something that interested me. That seemed to make the learning process more efficient somehow.
Now, through and because of the learning process, I'm ever more aware that what I don't know is infinitely more than what I do know. Therefore, the awareness of the scope of my ignorance increases inexorably by the knowledge acquisition process.
Bottom line: After thinking about it, my current goal in life is to die a complete imbecile. My wife and some others think that's a fiat accompli., but as always, opinions vary.
I try to limit my comment to where I think I can add something intelligent, constructive or thought provoking. Looks like I might have hit the last one of those three this time around. I try to keep my nose out of things I'm ignorant about. I'd like to think that narrows things down a lot, but, as always, opinions vary.
"And that's all I've got to say about that" - F. Gump.Comment
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