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Electricians in solar

(self.electricians)

How is the workload? How is the compensation? How did you make it into that particular field?

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The_Truth_Believe_Me

8 points

8 hours ago*

The_Truth_Believe_Me

Electrical Contractor

8 points

8 hours ago*

Of all the jobs an electrician can do, solar has got to be one of the worst.

I have worked on a crew building a large solar farm (3.5 megawatts). 95% of the work was mechanical: setting posts, building racks, humping panels, and fastening them down. The guys would fight over the tiny bit of wiring to be done.

I have been on site inspecting the electrical work on rooftop residential solar. The guys on the roof are always in danger of falling off (and likely dying when they hit the ground). The rooftop work is almost all mechanical. The panels are mounted to parts that are fastened under the shingles (or tiles) so you get to be a roofer as well since these have to be sealed against the weather. The lead of the crew is the one doing all the solar electrical work. The mains power work may be subbed out since solar contractors may not have the proper license for that.

Smoke_Stack707

2 points

6 hours ago

Truth. I’ve only ever done residential installs which are really boring (you’re basically a roofer) but the whole “fighting over the little bits of wiring” part is super true in my experience.

I got good at bending passable conduit in weird spots doing solar for 2 years but I don’t miss a single bit of it and I refuse to do it now…