NABCEP SH Associate study guide
NABCEP SH Associate · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
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 study guide has 6 sections and about 2,048 words.
01Site Analysis and Load Analysis
Site analysis asks you to quantify two things before quoting equipment: how much usable sun reaches the collector plane, and how much energy the load actually draws. Exam items typically give a house, a family size, a roof, and obstructions, and expect you to spot the flaw in the proposed design.
375 words, about 2 min02Safety Practices, Standards, Codes and Certification
Collectors are hot even when the pump is off. A flat plate in summer sun can stagnate near 300 °F (150 °C), and a well-insulated evacuated tube higher, so a valved-off loop can reach hundreds of psi.
365 words, about 2 min03Matching Systems to Climates and Applications
Freeze risk drives loop architecture more than any other variable. No-freeze climates: direct (open-loop) systems, thermosiphon, and integral collector storage (ICS/batch) are acceptable and least expensive.
300 words, about 2 min04Orientation and Installation Methods
Face collectors true south in the northern hemisphere (true north in the southern), correcting magnetic bearings for declination. Year-round DHW: tilt approximately equal to latitude.
319 words, about 2 min05Balance of System Components and Materials
An array is only as good as the parts around it. Typical components and their jobs: Expansion tank - absorbs volume change; size it for stagnation, not just normal operation.
346 words, about 2 min06Common Maintenance Items
Solar heating systems rarely fail at the collector. They fail at the fluid, the fittings, and the controls.
343 words, about 2 min