Details Report for:
47-4099.02 - Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.
This title represents an occupation for which data collection is currently underway.
Tasks | Education | Wages & Employment
Tasks Save Table (XLS/CSV)
- Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.
- Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions.
- Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required.
- Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.
- Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.
- Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment.
- Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
- Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations.
- Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.
- Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.
- Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.
- Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics.
- Install monitoring system components, such as flow meters, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges, according to system design and manufacturer specifications.
- Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.
- Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.
- Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.
- Test operation or functionality of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and control systems.
- Apply ultraviolet radiation protection to prevent degradation of plumbing.
- Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.
- Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings.
- Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners.
Education
Education data collected from Construction and Related Workers, All Other.
 Percentage of Respondents |
Education Level Attained |
|---|---|
75   |
High school or less |
| 21 |
Some college |
| 4 |
Bachelor's degree or higher |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
survey of employees aged 25-44.
Wages & Employment Trends
National
Median wages data collected from Construction and Related Workers, All Other.
Employment data collected from Construction and Related Workers, All Other.
| Category | Occupation Information |
|---|---|
| Median wages (2008) | $15.65 hourly, $32,550 annual |
| Employment (2006) | 62,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) | 
Average (7% to 13%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) | 22,000 additional employees |
State & National
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008 wage data
and 2006-2016 employment projections
.
"Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2006-2016). "Projected need" represents job openings due to growth and net replacement.