Having a hot time up on the roof

Paul Otto installs solar water-heating panels on rooftops throughout Oahu and Maui

Paul Otto Title: Panel technician Job: Installs solar water-heating panels for Alternate Energy.

Paul Otto isn't crazy about how hot it can get when he's up on a roof installing solar water-heating panels, but he does like it that his workplace is in a different location every day. Before joining Alternate Energy six years ago, Otto worked for Cutter Dodge as an auto mechanic, but found that his hobbyist enthusiasm for working on cars waned when it morphed into a regular job. Looking ahead, Otto now is laying the groundwork to join the fire department, which like his current job would certainly involve some heat up on rooftops, also at different locations. Otto, 27, is a graduate of Kaimuki High School and has an associate in applied science degree, specializing in automotive technology, from Honolulu Community College. He is single and lives in Kapahulu.

Question: What kind of equipment exactly do you install?

Answer: What we're installing is aluminum framing; that's what holds the (solar) panels down. The panels are made of copper, aluminum and glass.

Q: How big are these panels?

A: They range from 3 by 7 to 4 by 10 feet.

Q: Are most of the installations on roofs?

A: Yeah, they're almost all on roofs, although I did one on the side of a house once. The house was on Tantalus and the water catchment system was on the roof, so we couldn't put it there. We had to put it on the side of his house, on the ground. We connected it to part of his retaining wall.

Q: Does it get pretty hot up there on those roofs?

A: Oh, definitely. Especially if you have a white or light-colored, reflective roof. It's better for the home, but if you're on top, you're getting double whammy, right?

Q: Do you wear a hat or any other kind of protection from the sun?

A: I usually wear a hat, one of those big grass hats, like from a surf shop. And usually a long-sleeve shirt.

Q: Any sunscreen?

A: Yes.

Q: How long does it take to do an installation?

A: It varies from house to house, but the average is three to six hours maybe.

Q: What kind of tools do you have to have to properly do your job?

A: You're going to need a drill, a hammer, a tape measure, various drill bits.

Q: Any saws?

A: You need maybe a hacksaw to cut the rails. Sometimes you use a Sawzall (reciprocating saw) to cut the rails.

Q: Do you ever have to cut into the homes?

A: Only if we have to put in a solar-powered attic fan.

Q: I'd love to get one of those. Do you have one at your house?

A: I don't. I live in an apartment.

Q: Do you work alone or do you need to have others helping you?

A: Definitely you need others helping you. Usually we have a crew of three. We have one on the water heater and two on the roof.

Q: What's it mean to say "one on the water heater"?

A: Meaning one guy has to put in a solar-powered water heater. It's a little different from a standard electric water heater. You can either modify a standard electric water heater or pick one up that's been modified.

Q: What's the biggest installation you've worked on?

A: Oh, I was on probably one with four 4 X 10 panels. I think they had four 120-gallon water heaters; we added on two of them.

Q: What about the smallest job you worked on?

A: It was just a single 4 X 10.

Q: Who would order something like that?

A: A family of three, like in a hot area like Ewa or Waianae.

Q: So, basically, how does the system work?

A: It's a pretty crude method. Basically a copper water pipe run into a box -- the panel -- that has copper pipes running horizontally and vertically in it, kind of like a radiator.

So the water enters the bottom of the box and fills all the piping, and by the time it gets out from the other side, the opposing corner, it's hot from the sun, transferred to the water by way of the pipes.

Q: The box lays flat on the roof?

A: Depending on the roof. If you have a flat roof, you might have to put it up on legs.

Q: You mean it has to be at an angle?

A: Yeah, and facing south. I believe HECO (Hawaiian Electric Co.) has their own standards for the (state tax) rebate; if the roof is leaning at 14 or 15 degrees, it can be laid flat on the roof, but if it's lower, then you have to prop it up.

Q: Have you been pretty busy lately?

A: Oh yeah. We've been very busy this last year. Very.

Q: Why do you think that is?

A: It's the wave of the future. It's not going to go anywhere, the solar industry. It's just going to get bigger, because of the fuel crisis and what not.

Q: What was your job before you joined Alternate Energy?

A: I was a mechanic at Cutter Dodge.

Q: And why did you switch?

A: I just kind of didn't like showing up at the same place every day. The automotive industry kind of became a job instead of a hobby for me.

Q: It started out sort of a hobby?

A: Yeah. I mean, I went to school for it and everything, but it was kind of like a hobby.

Q: And how did you get this job?

A: Through a friend that knew my current boss. My friend was working for him already, but he doesn't work here anymore.

Q: Do you remember what was the first job you ever had?

A: Dave's Ice Cream.

Q: Which one?

A: The one in Kapahulu.

Q: What are your working hours at Alternate Energy?

A: I usually start at 8 and we're done when we finish the job, so it varies from day to day.

Q: Do you work on weekends?

A: Yep.

Q: How many jobs a day do you do?

A: We do just one. Sometimes we do two, but we try to stick to one a day.

Q: Are there other crews at Alternate Energy?

A: When I first started we had two full crews, but now we kind of have 1 1/2. We also recently started up on Maui, so we have some guys working over there. I've been over there for a few jobs.

A: What do you do in your spare time?

A: I used to surf a lot, but I work so much that I haven't been surfing so much. Also basketball, and spend time with my girlfriend, I guess. Go bike riding.

Q: Do you think you'd ever like to have your own company installing solar water heaters?

A: I've been thinking about it. I've been doing this so long, I've been thinking about it.

I've also actually been thinking about getting into the fire department, so I would probably be doing this part time.

Q: You've applied to join the fire department?

A: Yeah, I've taken all the tests and everything.

Q: Does your boss know about this?

A: Yeah, he knows about it, and he's cool with it. He'd still like me to work part time for him, if I can.

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