NABCEP SHI study plan

List the six hazard families on a solar water and pool heating site (falls, burns and scalds, electrical, chemical, confined space, manual lifting) and write one engineered control plus one administrative control for each.

Build a fall-protection sequence for a steep-pitch roof: anchor selection and rating, harness and lanyard inspection, ladder tie-off, warning-line layout, and a written rescue plan that does not rely on the fire department.

Separate glycol and chemical handling rules from potable-water safeguards: SDS review, spill kit staging, eye-wash access, refractometer use, and backflow / cross-connection prevention.

Walk through lockout/tagout and verify-de-energization on a 240 V pump circuit, naming the disconnect, the verify step, and the person who holds the lock.

Perform a shade survey with a pathfinder or app and report winter-solstice shading loss as a percentage for at least three candidate collector locations.

Evaluate roof framing and covering condition, recording rafter size and span, sheathing condition, and which attachment methods the structure can accept.

Test or obtain water chemistry data (hardness, pH, chlorides, TDS) and local freeze index, then justify drainback versus glycol freeze protection from those numbers.

Interview a homeowner or pool owner to size the system from daily hot water draw or pool volume and surface area, and record the constraints they impose (budget, aesthetics, HOA).

Read a design package (collector datasheet, SRCC ratings, roof plan, wind and snow design values) and flag at least three inconsistencies or missing items.

Calculate wind uplift and snow load on a proposed array and convert the result into attachment spacing and fastener count.

Detail a flashed penetration for a shingle roof: curb or standoff, flashing layers, sealant placement, and the sequence that keeps water out.

Compare flush-mount, tilted rack, ground-mount, and ballasted options for a given roof type and wind zone, and defend the choice.

Lay out a collector loop with supply and return, isolation valves, fill and drain points, air elimination, and expansion control, keeping the loop drainable where drainback is used.

Size pipe diameter and calculate pump head from flow rate, developed length, and fitting losses, then confirm the chosen pump meets design flow.

Specify the expansion tank, check valve, pressure relief valve, and tank connections, including cold-inlet dip tube and tempering valve placement.

Detail storage tank or pool heat exchanger installation for stratification, T&P relief, drain pan, and isolation for future service.

Compare soldered, brazed, press-fit, and PEX transition methods, naming where each is permitted or prohibited and the failure mode of each.

Plan a glycol fill and flush that ends with a refractometer reading in the target concentration range and a documented freeze point.

Design the pool loop: heat exchanger sizing, check valve, separation from chlorine injection, bonding and grounding of metallic parts, and valve placement for seasonal isolation.

Specify pipe insulation, UV jacketing, support spacing, and expansion compensation for outdoor and attic runs.

Wire a differential controller end to end, placing collector, tank-bottom, and pool sensors correctly and keeping low-voltage sensor cable separated from line-voltage conductors.

Read a pump curve against calculated head to confirm design flow, then set controller on/off differentials, high-limit, and freeze-protection setpoints.

Specify the electrical package: breaker and conductor sizing, disconnect location, GFCI protection, conduit and fittings, and equipment grounding and bonding.

Diagnose a failed sensor and a cavitating pump using a multimeter, controller diagnostics, and pressure readings, and state the corrective action for each.

Execute a full commissioning sequence in order: flush, pressure test, fill, air purge, flow balance, temperature-rise check, and controller verification.

Calculate collector loop delta-T and delivered energy, then compare measured performance against the expected value from the design package.

Build a troubleshooting matrix covering no heat, low delta-T, leaks, pump short-cycling, air locking, and controller alarms, with the first three diagnostic checks for each.

Assemble a maintenance schedule and homeowner handover packet: O&M tasks and intervals, freeze warnings, warranty terms, drain and isolation locations, and safety shutoffs.

Complete two timed 60-question mixed practice sets and log every missed item by domain and by error type (knowledge gap, misread, calculation).

Re-drill the two weakest domains until practice accuracy in each reaches 85% or better.

Recite from memory the core formulas and reference values: flow versus delta-T versus load, wind and snow load inputs, glycol concentration limits, and relief valve and tempering valve setpoints.

Rehearse the safety and commissioning sequences aloud in exam order so the steps come back without hesitation.