Administrative Manual For Island Technicians (English)

Administrative Manual
for island technicians
Administrative manual for island technicians
8. ACP. KI. 02 Solar energy for outer islands
Administrative Manual for Island Technicians

This manual was originally designed during the implementation of the project Solar Energy for outer islands. The funding and technical assistance were provided by the European Union. The first objective of the project is to install 1,700 solar home systems and electrify 100 maneabas (meeting houses) in all the 18 islands of the Gilbert Atoll. Republic of Kiribati. The second objective is to enhance the organizational capabilities of the Solar Energy Company, Ltd in order to ensure the long term viability of the power utility service. The manual will assist island technicians in the successful implementation of the administrative procedures, which will contribute to the second objective of the terms of reference.
Prepared by
Terubentau Akura General manager Solar Energy Company, Ltd terubentau@solar.net.ki Marc Torra Griso Business Management Expert 8.ACP.KI.02 Solar Energy for outer islands mtorra@bubusi.net
With participation from

Jens Merten Solar Energy Expert 8.ACP.KI.02 Solar Energy for outer islands Claudia Villalobos Montoya Social Development Expert 8.ACP.KI.02 Solar Energy for outer islands Special thanks to Herb Wade, whose UNESCO manual was so inspiring to write the technical content of this book.
Illustrations by
Natang Itonga & Roberto Lpez
Original text in English with translation into Gilbertese
Published with financial assistance from the European Union Copyright 2004 Solar Energy for outer Islands All rights for commercial/for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. The reproduction or translation of this material for educational or research purposes is authorised, provided that the source document is properly acknowledged. For more information visit www.creativecommons.org Administrative manual for island technicians
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CONTENTS page Introduction The 8 monthly tasks ....................... The first three weeks of the month.. Task 1. Monthly visit to villages .. Task 2. Monthly visit to users . Task 3. Receiving the monthly delivery On Fridays. Task 4. Filling out the user balance card.. Task 5. Serving customers at the service center The last week of the month Task 6. Filling out the remaining sheets .. Task 7. Removal of utility systems Task 8. Sending sheets and damaged parts .. 1 3 5 6 15 37 39 40 44 46 47 58 60
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INTRODUCTION For the successful operation of solar systems, the local island technician plays a crucial role. This administrative manual has been written with you, the island technician, in mind. All islands have an island technician who is the main representative of the company on the island. Their position is appointed by the Solar Support Group (SSG) of the island in conjunction with the headquarters in Tarawa. In some villages, a village technician can be appointed. He will be appointed by the island technician, in collaboration with the unimwane (elders) and the village member of the island Solar Support Group. The position must be accepted by the headquarters and it is not essential to appoint a village technician in every village. The aim of the village technician is to facilitate that some of the monthly activities are carried out locally. In this way the community gets more involved and your workload as island technician is lightened.
Introduction
When should a village technician be appointed?

The need to appoint a village technician in a community depends on:
The total number of systems installed on the island: As the number of solar systems increases, the greater the need there is to appoint village technicians. If the total number is below 75, normally you will be able to do the work alone. If there are more, it is better to start appointing some village technicians. The total number of systems in the village: The need to appoint a village technician arises as the number of solar systems on the village grows. To train them takes time and for villages with very few systems it is perhaps not worth it. As well if the village technician has very few systems to maintain, his or her monthly revenues will not be enough to compensate the work he will need to do. The existence of electrified maneabas (meeting places) in the village: The monthly fee for maneabas has to be raised and paid for by the whole community. When a village technician is appointed, the community feels more responsible for the systems. In this way he or she will assist you in collecting both types of fees, from the maneaba and from the solar home systems. The isolation of the village and distance from the service center: If the village is too far from the service center, it is better to appoint a village technician. In that way you will only have to visit the village once a month and thanks the village technician, you will be able to complete your responsibilities in just one day.
The eight monthly tasks Your duties as island technician have been structured into eight tasks. Three of them are to be carried out during the first three weeks of the month, two of them on Fridays, and the last three during the last week of the month. Each task has a number and some of them are divided into activities. The first task is the monthly visit to villages and the last one is sending sheets and damaged parts to the headquarters. It is important to do it in this order and to ensure that they are all completed within the time allotted to them. By doing so, you start the following month well and receive your monthly payment on time.
Who should perform the tasks?

All the 8 tasks have been entrusted to you, therefore you are the one who must make sure they are completed.
What is the difference between task and activity?

Some tasks have been divided into activities and some of them can be delegated to the village technician. It is your responsibility to ensure that all the activities within a task are performed, even if you have delegated some of them to a village technician.
The 8 monthly tasks
1
Monthly visit to villages
2
Monthly visit to to users
5
Attending clients at the SC
3
Receiving the monthly delivery
4
Filling out user balance card
6
Filling out the remaining sheets
Have a look at the eight tasks and at the assigned order to carry them out. Remember to do it in this order!
7
Removal of utility systems
8
Sending sheets & damaged parts
The 8 monthly tasks
The first three tasks are to be performed during the first three weeks. These are: Task 1 - Monthly visit to villages Task 2 - Monthly visit to users Task 3 - Receiving the monthly delivery
Task 1. Monthly visit to villages
TASK 1. MONTHLY VISIT TO VILLAGES

1. Start with the villages without a village technician. 2. Then go to the village with a village technician but less systems, 3. Finally go to the villages with village technicians and more systems, to give them time to finish the first four activities of task 2 - monthly visit to users
Why in this order?

If the community has a village technician, he or she needs to finish the activities transferred to him before your visit to the community. This is why you need to give him time to complete them. Page 16 shows you what are these activities. Right now, just remember to follow the suggested order! Schedule your visit to each village in advance and make sure that the village technician, the village representative to the Solar Support Group and the elders know about your visiting days. If you wish to make changes to the original schedule, it is very important to let everyone know your new schedule.
What sheets do you need for a village visit?
1 Monitoring sheet
The monitoring sheet is necessary for recording the technical data on each system. Remember that on the monitoring sheet you record data for 22 solar systems. If there are less than 22 systems in a village, then one monitoring sheet a month is enough. If the community has a village technician, he or she will perform this job, but make sure that he has enough sheets for next month. So always bring some extra sheets with you!
2 Activity sheet
An activity sheet will be necessary if: 1. The system needs to be repaired 2. The user requests a change in the number of supplements 3. The status of the system changes. These are activities that you cannot delegate to the village technician and therefore he doesn't need to keep any Activity Sheets with him.
What other documents should you take?
3 Receipt book
Remember to bring the receipt book in case you need it for fee collection or for direct sales.
4 List of possible disconnections

This list needs to be prepared by you. The idea is to include all the systems that will be disconnected if the user doesn't pay. Without this information you won t know which systems to disconnect out of those that didn t pay the fee this month. (activity 6 from task 2). To make the list, consult the User Balance Card (the pink card) and add any users with two or more months of arrears to the list. If any of the users on the list don't pay this month, the system will need to be disconnected as this means that the outstanding debt is three or more months.
Tools required for a visit

Maintenance Tools: You have been provided with appropriate tools. Always bring them with you whenever you carry out a monthly visit.
Hydrometer: Without a hydrometer you cannot complete the maintenance sheet. Volt Meter: A volt meter is as important as a hydrometer. Without this equipment you cannot carry out your work properly. Always carry it with you. 9
Note Book and Pen: For your own information and future planning you may need to take notes of the important things each customer may want you to do in the future.
Items required for a visit

Stock for sale: Some users may need to buy additional lights etc. It is recommended that you take some items for sale. Experience will tell you which items to take with you and in what quantities. Battery Water Supply: Make sure to take enough water supply for general maintenance, even if it is done by the village technician as it is your responsibility to supply him with treated water.
Spare parts & components: Some of the items that the company sells can be used as components or spare parts too, depending if they are sold or used in a utility PV system. This is explained further in the kanban sheet. This includes lights, inverters, and fuses. Apart from this you will need some common spare parts such as cable clips, together with other components that are lightweight and often needed. 10
Offering products for sale

Visiting a village is a good opportunity to sell products directly to the users. Always bring the company's catalogue with you, apart from some items for sale. Every sale should be accounted for and you are entitled to receive 3 % of your total annual sales in addition to what you normally receive in your wages. This will be paid at the end of the year, before Christmas.
Cash on delivery
Item # Description Electronic components BP006 Fluro Inverter 24V 10-20W BP007 Fluro Inverter 12V 10-20W T8 INDP002 Inverter 24V 11W INDP003 Inverter 12V 11W Lighting BP010 Flourescent light 12v 18w INDP005 Pl light 12V 11W INDP006 Pl light 24V 11W Manufacturing MANF003 DC-DC Converter
Catalogue of Items 2003

Cash on Delivery
Price $35 $35 $24 $28 $120 $58 $54 $50 Advance 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Delivery Order
Item # Description Generation BP011 Solar Panel BP 50W BP012 Solar Panel BP 75W BP013 Solar Panel BP 80W BP014 Solar Panel BP 60W Accumulation ALC001 Battery 100Ah 12V ALC002 Battery 105Ah 6V ALC005 Battery T205 6V FB001 FB Battery 110Ah 12V Electronic components ASSEM008 Capacitor 16V,1000 uf BP016 Inverter 350w 12V CHSP003 LBC SOLAR JACK CHSP010 Fuse KPT 160a 500V PLA0001 Plastm. Controller 20amp 12v SELC002 Selco Lumninaire Lighting BH003 OLD002 SELC001 Cabling KSCL03 Tools & Appliances BP008 BP009 CHSP017 OLD006 SELC004 Manufacturing MANF001 MANF002 Others CHSP011 CHSP012 Drive Assemble Diapharam Kit Page 1 of 2 Fluro - light 2 feet Hat Tupy Solagen light Led lamp with six white led Hytide Volt Meters + bags(multi m.) Hydrometer Motor 12V Video Set Solar Fan DC 8 inch Controller SEC 20amp 12v Controller SEC 20amp 24v
Price $580 $770 $885 $815 $300 $260 $240 $345 $300 $885 $250 $23 $185 $105 $45 $50 $145 $36 $85 $35 $145 $1,185 $85 $185 $185 $34 $25
Advance $580 $770 $885 $815 $300 $260 $240 $345 $300 $885 $250 $23 $185 $105 $45 $50 $145 $36 $85 $35 $145 $1185 $85 $185 $185 $34 $25
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What does the village technician need?

To carry out the first three activities from task 2, the village technician needs: ! ! ! ! ! ! Monitoring sheets Notebook and pen Hydrometer Voltmeter Battery water supply Some tools and spare parts for maintenance
Make sure he has enough of the above items to carry out his duties before your visit next month. It is your responsibility to provide him with enough of all the said items as you don t want the job not to be carried out because he didn t lacked some of the above items. If the village technician, the unimwanes or the local member of the Solar Support Group are in charge of the fee collection, they also will need: ! A receipt book Make sure that the village technician or unimwane has enough receipts for at least the next three months.
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The monthly meeting in the maneaba

It is important to start with a meeting in the maneaba, especially in the villages with an electrified maneaba and a village technician. If things are well planned, you would expect the village member of the Solar Support Group, the unimanwe or elders, the village technician and some or all of the users to be waiting for you inside the maneaba. The unimanwe may say a few words to welcome you and will ask you to proceed with your agenda. The maneaba agenda:
1. If the community has a village technician, he should provide you with the monitoring sheets duly filled out and let you know how the visit to the users went. These are the first three activities of task 2 - monthly visit to users (see page 16). 2. Encourage the users to raise any issues. Take notes and give advice accordingly. If the maneaba is electrified, use it to show how the solar system must be maintained and how it works. 3. If you have agreed that the fee will be collected in the maneaba, then collect it . This is activity 4 of task 2. 4. Give a brief report on the performance of the village technician and decide on the systems you will visit personally to carry out the last four activities of task 2. 5. Close the maneaba meeting properly by showing due respect to your customers, the local member of the Solar Support Group and the unimanwe.
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Which users will you visit?

As you know, if the community doesn't have a village technician you will need to visit ALL the users because somebody must do the first four activities of task 2 - monthly visit to users in ALL the solar systems. If it has a village technician then you only need to visit those users that: 1. Require a change of fee 2. Have problems with their system that could not be solved by the village technician. 3. Have performed or you are suspect that they have performed any of the 7 irregular actions (see pg 28 for details). 4. Have an outstanding debt of three or more months, requiring a system disconnection In any of these four cases you will need to fill out the activity sheet and send it to the headquarters. This is why a village technician doesn't need activity sheets.
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users
TASK 2. MONTHLY VISIT TO USERS

This task is arranged in eight activities. The first four can be performed by the village technician and this needs to be done before your visit to the community. Activities that can be carried out.by the village technician: 1. 2. 3. 4. Monitoring the solar system. General maintenance. Check for system misuse Collect the fees and issue the receipt (this last one when agreed on by the community see page 29)
Activities that must be performed only by you 5. 6. 7. 8. Trouble shooting and repairs Disconnections Changing status Changing the fee
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What to do upon arriving to the user s home?
Listen to the customer and take notes!

First start by showing respect to your customer. Your manner should be friendly and kindly. Give your customer time to inform you of the success and problems of the solar home system. Should the user have any difficulties with the system, ask and listen to his or her comments. As you listen to the user, you can identify the most immediate problems and consider the user s comments as your starting point.
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Activity 1. Monitoring the solar system

After enquiring about the performance of the system and before doing the basic maintenance, you must fill in the monitoring sheet and the monitoring card (the blue card), which asks for detailed technical information. Both contain general information which refers to the names of user, system unique number, village etc. They must all be filled out by you in the presence of the user to give him the message that the company is taking care of the solar system.
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users You will notice that the data contained in the monitoring sheet is similar to the data from the monitoring card (blue card). The only two differences are: 1. Each monitoring card belongs to one solar system and covers several months; while the monitoring sheet is for several solar systems and one single month. 2. Cards remain inside the battery box for you to analyze the trends; while the sheets are sent to the headquarters.
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users Keep in mind that the monitoring card gives you the historical collected data for a system and therefore it is from the card that you interpret the data. When we receive the monitoring sheet at the headquarters, we will transfer the same data into the computer. This will allow our senior technicians to identify those PV systems with (potential) technical problems and to suggest correcting measures. In your case, since you dont have a computer, the monitoring card will allow you to identify the same trends and to see how the solar system evolves.
RescoManager 1
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users Start by filling in either the sheet or the blue card, but remember that both need to be filled out. If you start by the sheet, write down first of all the unique system identification number (or UT number), then the name of the user, the date and time of the visit and the weather. For the specific gravity readings take an hydrometer. For convenience, it has been decided that cell number 1 must be a cell located at the positive terminal of the battery and therefore cell number 6 should be the cell located at the negative terminal of the battery. This information was explained during previous trainings and it is now a ritual procedure of the company. A rough estimate of the electrolyte level during the reading is acceptable. For the battery voltage use the voltmeter and in water added inform on the amount of water that was necessary to refill the battery. LVD is the number of load disconnects by charge controller during the last four weeks. SAT is the level of user satisfaction with the service.
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Activity 2. General maintenance

In order for the solar systems to last they must be taken care of. Continuing care is termed maintenance and solar systems must be maintained in order to last and work well. This means every part of the system should be checked for correct operation, cleanliness and tight connections. Solar system parts to be checked are: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Panels Controller Open-cell battery Wires, and Appliances
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The panels
1. Check the panel mounting to make sure that it is strong and well attached. If it is broken or loose, repair it. 2. Check that the glass is not broken. If it is, the panel will have to be replaced. 3. Check the connection box to make sure that the wires are tight and the water seals are not damaged. 4. Make sure the panels are not covered by vegetation or new buildings. If there are, make arrangements for removing the vegetation or moving the panels to a shade free place.
The controller
1. Check that the controller is still firmly attached. If it is not, attach it correctly with screws. 2. Keep the controller clean.
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The batteries
1. Clean the top of the battery. Check connections for tightness and corrosion. Clean and tighten as needed. 2. Check each cell with a hydrometer and record the readings. When checking take off one cap at a time. Do not remove all caps at once because this greatly increases the risk of dirt getting into the cells. 3. If any cells are low on water, add distilled water to raise to the correct level. Never add more acid, only water. If distilled water is not available, carefully collected rainwater can be used. Remember that any salt, minerals or oil in the water will poison the battery and shorten its life, so be very careful about collection and storage of water for the battery. 4. If any of the caps for the cells have been lost or broken, cover the fill holes loosely with plastic or glass until proper replacement caps are available. Never cover the holes with paper, cork, cloth or metal. Never leave the holes uncovered. Make sure the temporary cover you install does not plug the holes tightly because the cells must have air. 5. Clean the battery with fresh water and a rag.
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The wiring
1. Check the wire covering (insulating sheath) for cracks or breaks. If the insulation is damaged, replace the wire. If the wire is outside the building, use wire with weather resistant insulation. 2. Check the attachment of the wire to the building to make sure that it is well fastened and cannot rub against sharp edges when the wind blows. 3. If someone has changed the wiring since the last check, make sure that it is the correct size, that it is suitably installed, that the connections are properly made and that it is fastened securely in its new place. 4. If someone has added more wires to the solar system to operate additional appliances, remove the extra wiring and check in pg 30 on the actions to take. 5. Check the connections for corrosion and tightness.
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Appliances
1. Turn on each appliance and check that it is working properly. 2. Check that the appliances are mounted securely. If loose or incorrectly mounted, attach them securely. 3. Clean all exposed parts or each appliance. Clean light bulbs and plastic covers.
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Activity 3. Check for system misuse

Check the system to make sure that no changes have been made that have not been authorized. The village technicians and the local members of the solar Support groups act as your monitors in the village. They have the responsibility to inform you if they see a user misusing the system. This can be discovered by the technician during general maintenance or by anyone just by observing how the villagers use the system.
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The 7 unauthorised actions

1. Connecting non contractual appliances 2. Broken seals 3. Shared or boboussed the system without permission 4. Charged other people s batteries 5. Used the battery for other purposes 6. Damaged the system in any way 7. Allowed others to borrow or bouboussi components If you discover that the user has performed any of the 7 unauthorised actions, then: If this is the first time, you need to take out a yellow card, which means to inform him or her that if this happens again the system will be automatically removed, and then asking for a signature in an activity sheet. Write down your comments on the activity sheet. If it is the second time, issue a red card, which means automatic removal of the system. Fill out an activity sheet to inform the headquarters that the system has been removed.
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Activity 4. Collecting the fee

The fee can be collected following any of these procedures: 1. By the village technician or island technician on his regular visit to users, 2. At the monthly meeting of the community in the maneaba during the visit of the island technician. 3. By the unimanwe or the local member of the Solar Support Group, at their own convenience. 4. At the Service Centre when users fail to pay on time, to avoid removal or disconnection of the system. The fee collection is your responsibility as island technician and your salary is worked out in proportion to the total fees collected. You need to work out the best method to collect the fee, which will depend on (1) the existence of a village technician in the community, and whether he can be entrusted with the fee collection, (2) the willingness of a local member of the Solar Support Group or the unimanwe to do so. Once a method has been decided upon, stick to it without changing it every month. Remember that every fee or cash received warrants the issue of a proper receipt. Fill the receipt, sign it and give the original to the customer. Make sure you use the correct receipt.
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The last four activities

As you know, the last four activities of task 2 need to be performed by you and they cannot be delegated to the village technician. This are relevant activities and all of them they have something in common: They require you to fill out an activity sheet . When explaining each activity we will explain to you how to fill out the activity sheet, but remember: Regardless of the information to describe in the activity sheet, you always need to start by filling out the common fields.
And after filling it out you need to ask for the signature of the user and sign your own name as well. 29
Activity 5. Troubleshooting and repairs

By using common sense, you can identify the problems or priority areas that need to be addressed during the visit. Having been trained in trouble shooting and maintenance techniques, you are expected to solve almost every problem the user is complaining about. If you need further advice from the headquarters, you must list the problems down in an activity sheet to inform the utility supervisor.
Your supervisor can help you with any problems you cannot solve. Every time he visits your island he is obliged to provide you with hands on-training that will benefit your customer, yourself and the company. 30
Task 2. Monthly visit to users After repairing the system or trying to solve the problem, it is essential that you fill out the section on the activity sheet called Troubleshooting and repairs.
First of all you need to categorise the things you did to the system into jobs and describe them on the sheet in the same order that they were performed. Then include the time that each one of them took you. Use the section comments to write any comments you have for the headquarters. All this information will be processed electronically and recorded in our computer. In this way we will know at any time the history of repairs carried out on a system and the nature of the problems the system had.
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Activity 6. Disconnecting a PV system

This task is part of your responsibility as island technician. After checking your fee records, you must perform the disconnection policy when the user has three months in arrears. This means that if after meeting the village technician, some users have monthly fee arrears equivalent to three months or more, you must disconnect the system. This is why it is so important when you visit a village to take updated information on each user s arrears in the village. You will know this information in order to know what systems need to be disconnected.
Don t forget to seal the controller to make sure that the system cannot be reconnected without your authorization.
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users Disconnecting a system is one example of a change of status. You will learn more about this when the next activity is explained.
In this case the change of status section needs to be filled out in that way: 1. Previous Status: will normally be Operating , but in some cases it may be System failure: User NOT exempted . 2. New Status: in this case will be Disconnected as you are in activity 7. Disconnecting a PV system. Why do you think the previous status cannot be System failure: User exempted ? Because if the user was exempted from paying the fee, how can we disconnect the system for not paying it. Why do you think the previous status cannot be [Commissioning] ? Because if we just installed the system, how can we disconnect it without giving the user a chance to accumulate arrears.
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Activity 7. Changing status

The status of a system is very important to the headquarters. Make sure that you always keep us informed on the status of all the systems as we need to know information such as: users that need to be invoiced, faulty systems, removed or disconnected systems, and a lot of other information which we gain by analyzing the change of status. See how in the following diagram the arrows mark the directions that a change of status can take. For example, a system can be operating and then something happens that makes it fail. If the failure is the company s responsibility, it goes to user exempted and the user will not be invoiced until the status is restored to operating . If the failure is the result of user misuse, then it will go to User misuse and we will continue invoicing this user. Try to understand the arrows and why they are in three different colors.
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Task 2. Monthly visit to users Note how the Activity sheet asks about the previous status and the new one as any change in status means moving from one status to another in the system. In the example you will notice that we are marking Previous Status Operating to New Status Damaged: User exempted. This tells the headquarters that the system had a technical problem that could not be solved by you. The technical problems will be explained in the section Troubleshooting and Repairs and in Comments from the Activity Sheet. The change of status simply confirms us that this user cannot be invoiced next month. We will not invoice him or her until a new change of status tell us that the system is operating again. This helps the headquarters to gather a lot of useful information. From the sheet the headquarters will know the type of problems you had when repairing a system, which will help to structure better training in the future. Also the headquarters will be able to see if it is necessary to send a senior supervisor to assist you in repairing the system. As you can see it is a lot of information transmitted from a single sheet.
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Activity 8. Changing the fee

This is the last activity to carry out in the monthly visit to users. The fee is changed when the number of supplements that the user has contracted varies. If the user contracts new supplements, then the fee is increased. If he or she requests the removal of any supplement, then the fee is decreased. At the headquarters we need this information in order to know how much we should invoice each user per month.
See how the given example informs us that the user has contracted a new supplement, which is the DC/DC inverter. In Task 6. Filling out the sheets, you will request a new inverter from the company. This will be done by filling out the kanban sheet. See then how the activity sheet tells us where the existing inverter in stock has been installed. This justifies why a new inverter has to be sent to you.
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Task 3. Receiving the monthly delivery
TASK 3. RECEIVING THE MONTHLY DELIVERY

What is the monthly delivery? A delivery of sheets and items that you will receive every month from the headquarters. Sheets will be sent by post, items can be sent by one of the following three options: (1) post, for up to 20 kg, (2) air cargo, or (3) shipping cargo. What does the monthly delivery include? Replacements for the sold or used components during the previous month. Items ordered as spare parts, components and stock for sale in the Kanban sheet of the previous month. The fee collection sheet for the current month The Orders for immediate removal for the current month What is the end-of-the-year delivery? A special delivery that includes all the above, plus: The 12 kanban sheets for the next year Blank cards and sheets in case you need new ones Office material
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Task 3. Receiving the monthly delivery Any item that has to be installed in a solar system needs to be accompanied by an Installation Sheet. This sheet gives you information on: Solar System where the item has to be installed together with other information to identify it. Description of the job to be performed Dates and signatures to follow up the sheet An area for your written observations
Once you finish installing the parts or components you will need to enter the date, sign on the area where it says Island Technician and ask the user to sign too. The same needs to be done after commissioning the system, this is, when the system is working again. Then if you have any observation to make, use the area marked observations.
Make sure that after commissioning the system, you return this sheet to the headquarters as we need it.
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The 8 monthly tasks
Task 4. Filling out the user balance card Task 5. Attending clients at the service center Friday is a special day. As the last working day of the week, it is a good time to analyze and transfer the data from the receipts of the week into the user balance card (the pink card). As a payday, it is a good time to be at the service center, whether this is your house or a company building. There you will attend customers that come to buy items, or to pay monthly fees that were unpaid at the time of collection, etc. The most important thing is that on that day users know that you are available and where to find you.
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Task 4. Filling out the cards
TASK 4. FILLING OUT THE USER BALANCE CARD

Ideally you should have Activity Sheets and receipts organized by villages. This means that for all the villages you visit during the week, you staple the two types of documents together and put them in a folder.
The user balance cards are in a ring binder. They can be organized either by villages, system numbers or alphabetical order by the name of the user. This is up to you.
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Task 4. Filling out the cards To fill out the user balance card you need: The receipts from the fee collection. The Activity Sheets Follow this steps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Take the first receipt from the village folder. Check if any Activity Sheet was filled out for that user. Look for the User Balance Card that matches the receipt. Transfer the information from the receipt and the Activity Sheet to the User Balance Card. Receipt: transfer the amount received and the receipt number. Activity sheet: transfer the sheet number (sheet #) to identify the sheet, the date, and a broad description of the activity. 5. Take out the next receipt.
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Task 4. Filling out the cards
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Task 4. Filling out the cards The user balance card allows you to follow up the arrears manually. This follow up on the arrears will tell you when a system needs to be disconnected. If you see that Debt is more than twice the Fee, then add the name of the user in the List of possible disconnections for next month.
Debt
Previous month
Total Paid
Fee
Debt
This month
Remember that if the system is operating, misused or disconnected, the user needs to pay a fee. If the system is exempted, then the fee is zero. For example, in January the system had some technical problems and therefore the fee was zero.
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Task 5. Attending clients at the service center or buia center
TASK 5. SERVING CUSTOMERS AT THE SC

The main reasons why a client will visit you at the service center are: 1. 2. 3. To buy or order items sold by the company To seek your advice To pay an unpaid fee when you visited the client at his house
1. To buy or order items sold by the company

Your regular presence at the service center on Fridays will guarantee that customers know when to go and buy items from you. 44
Task 5. Attending clients at the service center or buia center
2. Advising users
users will want your advice. This is normal and it forms also part of the company's service. Remember to give proper advice. If you cannot provide an answer immediately, be honest with them and tell them that you need to consult with the headquarters and we will give them an answer as soon as possible.
3. To pay the fee that was unpaid when you visited the client at his house
To some users it might be more convenient to pay at the service centre rather than at the village because they normally collect their allotment from the Island Council Cashier. Some other users may not be able to pay you when you go to the village and both of you agree that they will pay it at the service centre.
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The 8 monthly tasks
Task 6. Filling out the remaining sheets Task 7. Removal of utility systems Task 8. Sending sheets and damaged parts
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Task 6. Filling out the remaining sheets
TASK 6. FILLING OUT THE REMAINING SHEETS

Some sheets such as the monitoring sheet or the Activity sheet were taken by you when you went to visit the customer and therefore were filled out during task 2. monthly visit to users. The sheets to fill out in task 6 are: The Kanban sheet The fee collection sheet
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Task 6. Filling out the sheets
Activity 1. Filling out the kanban sheet

At the end of every year you will receive the 12 kanban sheets for the following year. This is a very important sheet as it gives us a lot of information and allows us to monitor items stocks on the outer islands. Make sure you understand how the kanban sheet should be filled out. Look at it, try to understand it and to see why there are two sections in the sheet, one called Balance of items stocks in the service centers and the other Spare parts, replacements, orders and invoices. The aim of the kanban sheet is to turn the outer islands an sales outlet for photovoltaic products. Until the kanban sheet is implemented in your island, the company will need to restrict its sales to the headquarters and you lose your chance to get a 3% commission on these sales. Its successful implementation mostly depends on you, but we understand that out of all the sheets this is the most complicated one. This is why the next nine pages of the manual are focused on the kanban sheet.
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Task 6. Filling out the sheets The kanban sheet tells the headquarters the following information:
Remaining inventories in the outer islands Items used as spare parts Monthly sales cash on delivery (COD) Items required for replacements (assets) Orders for items stored in the headquarters Full payment on previously delivered orders Monthly amount of cash collected
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Remaining inventories in the outer islands
Note that in the column that says Qty Left you need to use the following formula: Opening Qty Used Qty Sold = Qty Left If at the headquarters we know the quantities of items left at the end of the month, we can send you the exact quantity of items that will replenish stocks. This helps us to monitor inventories.
Items used as spare parts
The first section of the kanban sheet gives a list of the items stored in the service centers. These are items that you can either sell or use as spare parts in the maintenance or upgrading of a system. Lets say you used three fuses to replace the ones blown up, one DC/DC Converter to add one supplement to a system, and cable, lights and switches because one system was removed and later transferred to another user. Make sure that the information you send on items used is the same as the Activity sheets sent in the same shipment.
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Monthly sales cash on delivery (COD)
Apart from using the items stored in the service center as spare parts, you can sell them to customers. This is called sales cash on delivery because the users will pay the items in full once they are delivered. Remember to issue a receipt with each sale. Then at the end of the month put all the receipts together. Organise them according to the items. Write down the total quantity sold for each item in Qty Sold and the amount of money received in Amount. And then add the amount in Sales COD. Remember that Qty Sold x Price = Amount.
Items required for replacements (assets)
These are items considered as assets by the company and they require some special control. For example the replacement of an old battery to a utility user is a big investment for the company. Therefore we will need you to issue an Activity Sheet in which you certify that it requires a change of the old battery. You will need to send us the old battery when you replace it with the new one .
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Orders for items stored in the headquarters
In the service center you store the most common items sold or used as spare parts but you cannot store all kind of items as this would be very expensive for the company. Therefore, only items that are stored in the central warehouse in South Tarawa need to be ordered. You will see these items in the catalogue sent to you every year together with the kanban sheets. Make sure to collect 10% in advance for this orders and send the money to us or we cannot deliver to you the item ordered.
Full payment on delivered orders
When you receive an ordered item, it will be accompanied by an invoice. Make sure to get full payment of the remaining 90% before delivering the item to the customer. To inform us that the remaining 90% has been collected, you need to write the invoice number in the first column, then the name of the customer in description and the remaining amount collected in Paid Today, together with the receipt number. 52

Monthly amount of cash collected
Sales COD + Payments tells us the total cash collected during the month and therefore the money you will need to send to the headquarters. Another addition gives us the total sales you made during the month, this is Sales COD + Total orders. At the end of the year we will add up this figure from the 12 kanban sheets and with this information we will know how much commission you should be paid. Remember that you receive a 3% on all the sales, both COD or by order. Finally don t forget to add the information on the telmo number, date and charges and to sign the sheet before sending it to the headquarters.
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Activity 2. Filling out the fee collection sheet

The fee collection sheet has the following objectives:
Verifies that the information provided by headquarters is updated and correct Informs the headquarters of the total fee collected and the receipt numbers Informs the headquarters of the monthly expenditure and give a net amount
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Verifies that the information provided by headquarters is updated and correct
The Activity Sheet updates information on the fee and the status of the system. Also, it gives the new user s name when a system has been removed. The headquarters will process the Activity Sheet by updating the information into the computer. Then it will print out the Fee Collection Sheet according to the given information. Therefore it is very important that you verify the accuracy of the information given and if you see any mistake you inform the headquarters immediately. Any error in the information given in the Fee Collection Sheet can have two possible causes: 1. You didn t issue an Activity Sheet when the fee or status of a system changed.
2. The Activity Sheet was issued but then mislaid on its way to the
headquarters. The need to update the information contained on the sheet on a monthly basis is the reason why you cannot keep blank copies at the service center and send one every month, as you do with the kanban sheet.
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Informs the headquarters of the total fee collected and the receipt numbers
In total paid you will write the amount collected from the user that month. In receipt # you will write the number of the receipt issued to the user in exchange of the fee. In Debt you will write the remaining debt according to this formula: If the system is: 1. Operating 2. Misused 3. Disconnected If the system is: 4. Exempted
Fee + Arrears Total Paid = Debt Arrears Total Paid = Debt
Remember that when a system is exempted the company does not invoice the monthly fee to the user and this is why you don't need to add the Fee 56

Informs the headquarters of the monthly expenditure and give a net amount
The telmo is an example of monthly expenditure. At the top of the sheet you are requested to enter information related to the telmo such as telmo date and charges. At the bottom of the sheet you will detail the telmo charges again together with the other expenditures of the month, for example: The need to hire a motorbike to visit the distant villages The need to employ local labor for specific tasks Finally you need to sign the sheet and send it to the headquarters in task 8. Sending sheets and damaged parts
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Task 7. Removal of utility systems
TASK 7. REMOVAL OF A UTILITY SYSTEM

For the future success of the SEC, it is vital that you try your best to avoid having to remove a utility system by doing your maintenance and collection of fees punctually. Take into account that removing a system costs money and time to the company. Although you may have performed your maintenance task well, it would be still possible that some solar systems have to be removed due to (1) four or more months of accumulated fees in arrears or (2) because the customer misused the solar system. It is your duty to keep users informed on the two policies (disconnection and removal) of the company. This will ensure that they fully understand them. By not disconnecting the PV system when arrears is over two months, you are not doing them a favour because once the order for removal is issued by the headquarters, users are forced to pay the debt in full, plus a fine if they want to keep the solar system. 58
Task 7. Removal of utility systems All orders for removal are always issued in writing. Never agree to carry out any removal that is not supported by a letter duly signed by the General Manager. They will be addressed to specific users, informing them on the immediate removal of their solar system. Take the order with you and present it to the user at the time of removal. Removals can be of two kinds: 1. Removal to another village: the orders for removal will explain which village the solar systems should be transferred to. 2. Removal to another island: this is a special case of removal and it will be done only when the arrears on the island are very high. If this is the case, our logistics manager will visit you to supervise the shipment of the solar systems to another island. It will help that you inform users in advance that an order for removal was issued to them. You can do this easily during Task 2 - Monthly visit to users. When the headquarters sends you an order for removal, the user has only two options: 1. Either he or she pays the outstanding debt in full plus the removal fee, or 2. The PV system is removed and then transferred to a new user from another village Remember that when a system is removed you need to fill out an Activity Sheet.
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Task 8. Sending sheets and damaged parts
TASK 8. SENDING SHEETS AND DAMAGED PARTS

Your performance will be continually monitored and one way to tell that you are a capable island technician is the accuracy of your sheets regularly received at headquarters. The data collected on the sheets are vital for the success of the utility and need to be updated regularly. The sheets that you send to the headquarters will determine your revenues as we use them to calculate how much has to be paid for your work. The damaged parts that can be repaired like the light inverter, controller, DC/DC converter will need to be sent to the headquarters for repair. It is the responsibility of the user to pay for the freight charges on any item that he owns or is damaged after the end of the warranty period. The freight for the batteries and controller owned by the company will be paid by the headquarters. Remember to send parts with accompanying notes. Someone at the headquarters will attend to any parts you send and will take necessary action required. And remember, all this has to be sent before the last day of the month.
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The aim of this manual is to assist island technicians of the Solar Energy Company Ltd in fulfilling their monthly responsibilities. This will greatly improve the quality of the utility service supplied to the outer islands of Kiribati. The Solar Energy Company is a renewable energy service company (RESCO). A RESCO is a company that supplies electricity to users in exchange of a monthly fee. The equipment is usually located at the users premises, although it remains the property of the RESCO or Government and the electricity is generated through renewable energy sources such as solar or wind. With this manual, we have suggested potential solutions suited not only to Kiribati but to any other location worldwide. Poor infrastructure in the outer islands and lack of proper communication with the headquarters meant the project had to define a system that would function by the mere exchange of documents by ordinary mail, and still work when even this failed.

Administrative Manual For Island Technicians (English)

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Administrative Manual

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Administrative manual for island technicians

8. ACP. KI. 02 Solar energy for outer islands

Administrative Manual for Island Technicians

Administrative manual for island technicians

With participation from

Original text in English with translation into Gilbertese

Administrative manual for island technicians

Administrative manual for island technicians

When should a village technician be appointed?

Who should perform the tasks?

What is the difference between task and activity?

The 8 monthly tasks

Administrative manual for island technicians

The 8 monthly tasks

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

TASK 1. MONTHLY VISIT TO VILLAGES

Why in this order?

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

What sheets do you need for a village visit?

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

What other documents should you take?

4 List of possible disconnections

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

Tools required for a visit

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

Items required for a visit

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

Offering products for sale

Catalogue of Items 2003

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to villages

What does the village technician need?

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

The monthly meeting in the maneaba

Task 1. Monthly visit to villages

Which users will you visit?

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

TASK 2. MONTHLY VISIT TO USERS

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

What to do upon arriving to the user s home?

Listen to the customer and take notes!

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Activity 1. Monitoring the solar system

Administrative manual for island technicians

Administrative manual for island technicians

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Activity 2. General maintenance

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Administrative manual for island technicians

Task 2. Monthly visit to users

Administrative manual for island technicians