SST (Pakistan Educators Recruitment Tests) study guide
SST · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The SST certification is a technician-level credential for people who install, operate, maintain, and troubleshoot the equipment and systems it covers. It is aimed at practitioners who already touch the hardware or process in the field - installers, maintenance technicians, operators moving into a technical role, and supervisors who need to verify that work meets code and safety expectations. The SST study guide has 6 sections and about 1,646 words.
01Fundamentals, Terminology, and Core Concepts
A solar site technician works from a small vocabulary that is used very precisely. Separate irradiance (instantaneous power per area, W/m²) from irradiation (energy per area over time, kWh/m²/day).
300 words, about 2 min02Installation, Setup, and Configuration
Installation questions test sequence and restraint. Start with the site: structural capacity, roof covering, attachment method, wind and snow load, and code-required setbacks.
273 words, about 1 min03Operation, Monitoring, and Maintenance
Operations is about comparing measured output to a defensible expectation. Know performance ratio, availability, degradation (plan on roughly 0.5 % per year for modern modules), and how weather-normalized models are used.
253 words, about 1 min04Testing, Inspection, and Troubleshooting
Follow a fixed order: visual inspection, then de-energized tests, then energized tests. De-energized work includes continuity and equipment-grounding checks, polarity verification, and insulation resistance with a megohmmeter (disconnect surge arrestors and electronics first).
264 words, about 1 min05Codes, Regulations, and Safety Practices
Code questions reward precise recall of structure rather than memorized numbers. In the NEC, Article 690 governs photovoltaic systems, Article 705 covers interconnection, Article 250 grounding, Article 300 wiring methods, and Article 480 storage batteries.
291 words, about 1 min06Documentation, Reporting, and Customer Handoff
A system is not finished until it is documented and the customer can operate it. Deliverables include as-built drawings, a single-line diagram, equipment specification sheets, the commissioning report with test data, the production model or estimate, warranty documents, the operations and maintenance manual, labeling photographs, the permit inspection record, and the utility's written permission to operate.
265 words, about 1 min