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Syllabus

Solar PV Intermediate
ME122

YEAR:

2023-2024

CREDIT HOURS:

3.00

PREREQUISITES:

ME119 Solar PV Fundamentals.

COREQUISITES:

None

COURSE NOTES:

None

CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Intermediate principles of solar energy, a more in-depth study of inverters, residential and commercial, electrical wiring, array mounting, grounding NEC code, and calculation of system production.

HutchCC INSTITUTION-WIDE OUTCOMES:

  1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and make reasonable judgments by acquiring, analyzing, combining, and evaluating information.
  2. Demonstrate the skills necessary to access and manipulate information through various technological and traditional methods.
  3. Demonstrate effective communication through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
  4. Demonstrate effective interpersonal and collaborative skills.
  5. Demonstrate effective quantitative-reasoning and computational skills.

COURSE OUTCOMES AND COMPETENCIES:

  1. Examine requirements for series fusing.
    1. Define the terms junction box and combiner box.
    2. Review NEC codes and requirements for series fusing in Grid-Direct PV systems.
    3. Calculate proper series fusing.
  2. Determine requirements for disconnects.
    1. Compare disconnects and their purposes.
    2. Define requirements for disconnects and labeling for grid direct systems.
  3. Compare the different basic fundamentals of single and three phase power.
    1. Determine and compare the fundamentals of split or single phase power.
    2. Determine and compare the fundamentals of three phase wye power.
    3. Determine and compare the fundamentals of three phase delta power.
  4. Examine NEC calculations for point of interconnection.
    1. Perform service panel bus bar calculations per NEC requirements.
    2. Determine where point of interconnection is made, supply side, load side or additional service connection.
  5. Determine inverter selection for larger grid tied systems.
    1. Consider the different possible inverter configurations.
    2. State the inverter selection criteria.
    3. Calculate subpanel size for multi inverter output circuit.
    4. Identify DC fusing options for the inverter.
  6. Examine array mounting criteria.
    1. Define row distances to lesson shading.
    2. Define code access requirements.
    3. Identify wind zones on roof areas.
    4. Calculate lag bolt length for roof arrays.
  7. Select roof and ground mount options for larger arrays.
    1. Determine flat roof mounts.
    2. Determine ground mounts.
  8. Identify grounding requirements for GEC, EGC & the NEC.
    1. Examine the requirements for equipment grounding, grounding electrode conductors (GEC), and equipment grounding conductors (EGC).
    2. Compare the different allowable methods for bonding AC and DC grounding systems.
    3. Size equipment grounding conductors and grounding electrode conductors according to NEC requirements.
  9. Determine surge and fault protection.
    1. Identify common causes of ground fault.
    2. List operational requirements for ground-fault protection devices (GFPD).
    3. Diagram potential fault current flows.
    4. Identify arc faults and some possible protection schemes.
    5. Describe benefits and appropriate locations of surge protection devices (SPD).
  10. Match array to inverter for proper production.
    1. Optimize the match between the inverter and the array.
    2. Perform sizing and interconnection calculations.
  11. Determine small inverter and array sizing for commercial systems.
    1. Ascertain the size of multi inverter, grid-direct PV system based on customer and site decisions.
    2. Decide on the correct number of and the wiring layout of modules and inverters.
    3. Determine AC interconnections requirements based on inverter selection.
  12. Determine larger inverter and array sizing for commercial system.
    1. Decide on the size of a large central inverter system, based on site and customer consideration.
    2. Determine the correct number of inverters and wiring layout of the modules.
    3. Consider DC fusing and disconnect requirements based on inverter selection.
    4. Determine AC interconnection requirements based on inverter selection.
  13. Examine and describe NEC installation considerations and codes.
    1. Determine workspace clearances and access requirements, to meet NEC code.
    2. Follow proper wire management techniques.
    3. Describe labeling requirements.
    4. Examine common insulation issues.
  14. Calculate and evaluate on site power production.
    1. Calculate on-site grid direct system power production based on system specifications and field measurements.
    2. List procedures for measuring field performance.
    3. Evaluate power production.
  15. Describe and list the methods of commissioning arrays.
    1. List safe methods of commissioning a multiple-string array.
    2. Explain the order of safe installation and commissioning for a single-string array.
    3. Identify common errors and safety issues when commissioning multiple string systems.

COURSE ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

1. Homework 2. Labs 3. Classroom Assignments 4. Class participation 5. Quizzes 6. Final Exam

ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENT:

Any student who has a documented disability and wishes to access academic accommodations (per the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disability Act) must contact the HCC Coordinator of Disability Services, at 620-665-3554, or the Student Success Center, Parker Student Union. The student must have appropriate documentation on file before accommodations can be provided.

ACADEMIC HONESTY:

Education requires integrity and respect for HutchCC's institutional values. HutchCC students are required to maintain honesty through a "responsible acquisition, discovery, and application of knowledge" in all academic pursuits. Preserving and upholding academic honesty is the responsibility of Hut chCC students, faculty, administrators and staff.

I. Student Responsibilities

All HutchCC students are required to:

  • Submit all work in all courses without cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, sabotage, or academic dishonesty as defined below.
  • Provide all academic records such as transcripts and test scores that are free of forgery.
  • Refrain from participating in the academic dishonesty of any person.
  • Use only authorized notes and student aids.
  • Use technology appropriately, including refraining from submitting AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated work without express written consent from your instructor.
  • Protect the security of passwords/login/privacy/electronic files, and maintain sole individual access for any online course information.

II. Definition of Academic Dishonesty

  • Academic dishonesty is any intentional act, or attempted act, of cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, dissimulation, forgery, or sabotage in academic work.
  • Cheating includes using unauthorized materials of any kind, whether hard copies, online, or electronic, such as unapproved study aids in any academic work, copying another student's work, using an unauthorized "cheat sheet" or device, or purchasing or acquiring an essay online or from another student.
  • Fabrica tion is the invention or falsification of any information or citation in any academic work, such as making up a source, providing an incorrect citation, or misquoting a source.
  • Plagiarism is the representation of words, ideas and other works that are not the student's own as being original to the student. A no n-inclusive list of examples includes work completed by someone else, work generated by an external entity (such as AI), omitting a citation for work used from another source, or borrowing the sequence of ideas, arrangement of material, and/or pattern of thought of work not produced by the student, even though it may be expressed in the student's own words.
  • Dissimulation is the obscuring of a student's own actions with the intention of deceiving others in any academic work, such as fabricating excuses for absences or missed assignments, or feigning attendance.
  • Forgery of academic documents is the unauthorized altering, falsification, misrepresentation, or construction of any academic document, such as changing transcripts, changing grades on papers or on exams which have been returned, forging signatures, manipulating a digital file of academic work, or plagiarizing a translation.
  • Sabotage is any obstruction or attempted obstruction of the academic work of another student, such as impersonating another student, stealing or ruining another student's academic work.
  • Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty is considered as knowingly facilitating any act defined above.
  • Academic honesty violations can also include the omission or falsification of any information on an application for any HutchCC academic program.

III. Sanctions for Academic Dishonesty

Students who violate the Academic Honesty Policy may be subject to academic or administrative consequences.

Instructor Sanctions for Violation:

Students suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy may be charged in writing by their instructor and any of the following may apply:

  • Assign Avoiding Plagiarism Bridge Module
  • Receiving written warning that could lead to more severe sanction if a second offense occurs
  • Revising the assignment/work in question for partial credit
  • Voiding work in question without opportunity for make-up
  • Reducing the grade for work in question
  • Lowering the final course grade
  • Failing the work in question

Institutional Sanctions for Violation:

Students charged with academic dishonesty, particularly in instances of repeated violations, may further be subjected to an investigation and any of the following may apply:

  • Instructor recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA) to dismiss the student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs
  • Instructor recommendation to the VPAA to dismiss student from the course in which the dishonesty occurs with a grade of 'F." Student will not be allowed to take a 'W' for the course
  • Instructor recommendation to the VPAA that the student be suspended and/or dismissed from the program
  • Student barred from course/program for a set period of time or permanently
  • May be recommended by the instructor (after documented repeated offenses) to the VP AA that the student be placed on probation, suspended and/or dismissed from the institution.

IV. Procedure

  • Instructor will communicate in writing via the student's HutchCC email account and/or LearningZone email account to the student suspected of violating the Academic Honesty Policy.  That communication may include sanction(s). Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
  • For each violation, the instructor will submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form to the Department Chair. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation form.
  • Should the instructor choose to pursue institutional sanctions, the instruct or shall notify the student in writing via the student's HutchCC email account.  Instructor shall also submit a completed Academic Honesty Violation Form and all prior completed forms regarding said student to the Department Chair and the office of the VPAA with recommendation to proceed with specific Institutional Sanctions. Department Chair will notify the student's academic advisor upon receipt of the Academic Honesty Violation Form.
  • The decision of the VPAA on Institutional Sanction is final. The VPAA will notify the student's academic advisor of any institutional sanctions.

V. Due Process Rights

Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

Academic Honesty Appeal Process

I. Due Process Rights: Students charged with violations of academic honesty have the right of appeal and are assured of due process through the Academic Honesty Appeal process.

  • If an instructor has recommended course or program dismissal, the student may continue in coursework (provi ding there are no threatening or security behavioral issues) until appeal processes are concluded. However, if an issue has been documented at a partnership location (e.g., clinical sites, secondary institutions, correctional or military facilities), then the student is no longer eligible to continue participation in internships, apprenticeships, and/or clinical-based practice. For clinical sites, this sanction is immediate.

II. Process

If the student disagrees with the charge of a violation of academic honesty, the student has the right to due process as described in the Academic Honesty Appeal process below:

  • If the matter is not resolved upon communicating with the instructor about the violation, the student shall, within five business days of the issuance of the written notice of violation, submit a completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form and supporting documentation to the appropriate department chairperson to initiate an Academic Honesty Appeal.
  • Within two business days of receiving the student's completed Academic Honesty Appeal Form, the Department Chair and VPAA will review and the VPAA will render a decision.
  • Within two business days, a response will be sent to the student's HutchCC email address. The VPAA's decision is final.

INCOMPLETE GRADE:

Instructors may give a student a grade of Incomplete (I) under the following conditions:

  1. The student must initiate the request prior to the time final course grades are submitted to Records.
  2. The request must be made because of an emergency, illness or otherwise unavoidable life-event.
  3. The instructor must agree to the request before a grade of Incomplete can be submitted.
  4. A written contract between the instructor and student, signed by both, will document the work required and date needed to complete course work.
  5. If a student does not complete the course requirements within the time frame established by the instructor, a grade of "F" will be recorded on the student's transcript at the end of the next semester.

HLC ACCREDITATION:

Hutchinson Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional institutional accreditors recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Last Revised: 08/15/2019