TheorySolar PV NABCEP Practice Test Video
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Q1Before energizing a newly installed PV system, which document should the installer review to confirm all components meet the design specifications?
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✓ Correct answer: The approved construction drawings and equipment submittals
Approved construction drawings and equipment submittals establish what was engineered and what was approved by the AHJ. Comparing as-built conditions to these documents catches substitutions or omissions before the system is energized.
Q2During a visual pre-commissioning inspection, which condition would be an immediate reason to halt energization?
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✓ Correct answer: Exposed, unprotected DC conductors
Exposed, unprotected DC conductors present a shock and arc-flash hazard. NEC and OSHA requirements mandate all conductors be properly insulated and protected before any circuit is energized.
Q3When inspecting module-level power electronics (MLPEs) during pre-commissioning, the technician should verify that each device is:
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✓ Correct answer: Properly grounded or bonded per the manufacturer's instructions
MLPEs such as microinverters and DC optimizers must be grounded or bonded per the manufacturer's instructions and the NEC to prevent shock hazards and ensure proper fault current paths.
Q4What is the primary purpose of a continuity test performed on equipment grounding conductors (EGC) before commissioning?
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✓ Correct answer: To verify a low-resistance fault-current path exists from all metallic parts to ground
A continuity test on EGCs confirms that a low-impedance path exists for fault current to travel to ground, allowing overcurrent protection to operate quickly and safely in the event of a ground fault.
Q5A technician measures 0.3 ohms between the grounding electrode conductor connection point and a remote PV array frame during a bonding continuity check. Which statement is most accurate?
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✓ Correct answer: The reading is acceptable; NEC does not specify a maximum resistance for equipment bonding continuity
NEC Article 250 does not impose a specific maximum ohmic value for equipment bonding continuity; the requirement is a 'permanent and effective' low-impedance path. The test verifies conductivity, and acceptance criteria come from the commissioning specification or industry practice rather than a single NEC number.
Q6When measuring the open-circuit voltage (Voc) of a PV string, the measured value is lower than the temperature-corrected expected value. What is the most likely cause?
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✓ Correct answer: One or more modules in the string are bypassed or shaded
A string Voc lower than expected typically indicates a module is being bypassed (by its own bypass diode due to shading or damage) or a module is missing from the string, reducing the series voltage.
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