2023-11-08 09:00:33
On Instagram, a Brazilian engineer is causing a sensation in the Brazilian solar sector, to the point of having attracted 12 new supporters among companies. Always masked, he has made it his mission to train businesses and consumers on common mistakes to avoid when installing PV on roofs.
November 8, 2023 pv magazine
According to pv magazine Brazil, ALESSANDRA NERIS
The Instagram channel “Solar da Depressão” aims to point out the most representative installation errors in the Brazilian roof PV market. It already has more than 62,000 subscribers and is now sponsored by 12 companies seeking to strengthen the quality of services provided by Brazilian integrators.
She humorously presents the mistakes made during the installation of PV systems, while emphasizing the importance of choosing companies renowned for their compliance with safety and quality standards. The creator of the page, who prefers to remain anonymous and calls himself “The Masked Man” (The masked in Brazilian), began collecting photos and videos of low-quality installations from WhatsApp groups. Its goal is to educate customers on the importance of choosing companies that meet quality and safety standards.
Crazy errors in PV installations. Walking on panels… Installation problems.
On the occasion of the 360 Solar event held recently in Florianópolis, “O Mascarado”, the creator of Solar da Depressão, exhibited at pv magazine the reasons which pushed him to launch this channel. “I told my clients “Price is not everything, be very careful because not everyone is capable of carrying out a quality photovoltaic project and scrupulously respecting both the technical standards and good practices of the sector,” he said.
In order to keep the photos and videos stored on his phone, he created a special amateur Instragram account where he shares them with his clients. “I created this account without having any big ideas in mind, simply because I had spent a lot of time looking for this video of the man walking on the modules. The idea was just to warn customers of the risks of hiring non-specialized companies, he explains. If your budget is much lower than market prices, be very careful. I recommend looking at what devices the company has already installed. »
“The name Solar da Depressão was the first that came to mind, and when I did my research, the account was available, so I didn’t hesitate,” he continued. I didn’t ask people to follow my account, nor did I spend money to promote the channel. It all happened naturally, completely unexpectedly. »
Common errors
Almost every day, the Solar da Depressão channel receives photos and videos sent by its followers. The most common mistake installers make is stepping on modules during installation. “As I always say, one of the biggest advantages of solar energy is that the modules have a 25-year warranty. When you walk on them, it’s impossible to repair the internal microcracks, the engineer noted. When you try to claim warranty, the first thing the company does is map the module using a thermal camera, which immediately identifies the footprint.” As an example, the creator of the chain also cites the case of an inverter poorly installed outside a residence, exposed to bad weather and potentially theft.
The channel, launched in 2020, gained its first sponsor, Canadian Solar, a year and a half later. Its creator then began wearing a mask to ensure anonymity during live interactions, and protects the identities of installers in order to focus solely on preventing errors in the solar industry. The page now has sponsors linked by annual contracts, such as the companies JA Solar, Sungrow and Solplanet. Its creator, an engineer with an MBA and more than 15 years of experience in large infrastructure projects, is now a partner in a solar energy integration company having already completed more than 11 MW of projects.
“O Mascarado” listed the main errors that led him to create the Solar da Depressão page:
1 – Absence of technical visits before the conclusion of a contract
2 – Installation carried out without reading the manufacturer’s manual
3 – Making corrections to roof structures
4 – Lack of previous assessment of the roof structure
5 – Incorrect location of inverters
6 – Improper installation of inverters
7 – DC/AC device in same panel/duct
8 – Lack of planning for circulation/maintenance surfaces
9 – Circulation on PV modules
10 – Bad choice in inverter technology
11 – Installation in a constantly shaded location
Translation provided by Christelle Taureau.
This content is copyrighted and you may not reuse it without permission. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse our content, please contact our editorial team at the following address: editors@pv-magazine.com.
1699434515
#masked #engineer #points #unusual #errors #installation #systems #magazine #France
