NABCEP SH Associate case studies
NABCEP SH Associate · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The NABCEP Solar Heating Associate is an entry-level NABCEP Associate credential in the solar heating (solar thermal) field, distinct from NABCEP's Board Certifications such as the PV Installation Professional. NABCEP describes its Associate Program as a route for people building a renewable energy career, and its site lists the Solar Heating Associate alongside a published set of Learning Objectives. The NABCEP SH Associate case studies are 5 cases and about 3,928 words.
1Bed-and-Breakfast Load Analysis on a Partly Shaded Roof
A four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast draws about 300 L of hot water per day at a 60 °C setpoint. Cold mains water falls to 8 °C in January and averages 15 °C over the year.
767 words, about 4 min2Nightly T&P Discharge After a Backflow Preventer Retrofit
A contractor commissions an indirect glycol system on a two-storey house. The utility had earlier installed a dual-check backflow preventer and a 60 psi pressure-reducing valve at the service entrance.
813 words, about 4 min3High-Altitude Seasonal Lodge: Choosing a Freeze-Safe, Scale-Tolerant System
A hunting lodge at 2,450 m elevation is occupied only on weekends from October to April and may sit empty for six weeks in January. Design low is -28 °C.
819 words, about 4 min4Two-Row Ground Mount at 44°N: Pitch, Tilt, Snow and Anchoring
A two-row ground-mounted array of flat-plate collectors is planned beside a barn at 44°N latitude with a clear southern horizon. Each collector is 2.1 m along the slope, mounted in portrait orientation on a fixed rack, with a proposed 50° tilt to favor winter production.
778 words, about 4 min5Eight-Year-Old Glycol System Producing Lukewarm Water
A school's 8-year-old glycol system has delivered lukewarm water since November. The site log shows: collector sensor 96 °C at noon, tank sensor 44 °C, pump running continuously and hot to the touch, flow meter 3.5 L/min against a 14 L/min design, loop pressure 12 psi against a 40 psi cold fill, a heat-exchanger approach of 6 °C where commissioning recorded 2 °C, a dark brown sight glass, and a glycol sample at pH 5.1 (new glycol is about 9.0).
751 words, about 4 min