The local team now has to organise their first PV installer course themselves. We are there to help where needed…

In Tumu, 10 people were quickly found who were interested in being trained as solar installers. The participants pay a small fee to cover the costs of the classroom and the materials for the practical exercises. Each participant has to crimp terminals for battery cables and crimp MC4 PV connectors. We will learn how to crimp, shrink and solder, and place great emphasis on ensuring that all work is carried out using the correct tools. The course also covers the handling of PV modules and all the other components of a complete PV system. We show the difference between the different charge controllers, with MPPT or just PWM, learn about the different types of systems, grid connected or off-grid, and distinguish between the different types of batteries and their quality characteristics. They will also learn how to use a multimeter and how to correctly record all the important measurements to check the functionality of a solar system.

We have set up a centre of excellence in Tumu, where all the tools and original materials are available. There is also someone on hand to help with the correct use of the tools and to advise on the correct choice of materials.

After this course, the local team will be able to run their own installation courses independently.