diff --git a/bifacial_radiance/main.py b/bifacial_radiance/main.py
index dd922c34..7d40d4a0 100644
--- a/bifacial_radiance/main.py
+++ b/bifacial_radiance/main.py
@@ -2747,8 +2747,8 @@ def __init__(self, materialOrAlbedo=None, material_file=None, silent=False):
                       f'{self._nonzeromean(self.ReflAvg):0.3f} avg\n'
                       f'{self.ReflAvg[self.ReflAvg != 0].__len__()} nonzero albedo values.')
         except IndexError as e:
-            print('albedo.shape should be 3 column (N x 3)')
-            raise e
+            raise Exception('albedo.shape needs to be 3 column (N x 3)')
+
     
     def printGroundMaterials(self, materialString=None):
         """
@@ -4151,11 +4151,12 @@ def _checkSensors(sensors):
         else:
             print ("Module's z not set on sceneDict internal dictionary. Setting to default")
             modulez = 0.02
-            
-        if frontsurfaceoffset is None:
-            frontsurfaceoffset = 0.001
-        if backsurfaceoffset is None:
-            backsurfaceoffset = 0.001
+        
+        # cdeline 20241014 remove this check - extraneous    
+        #if frontsurfaceoffset is None:
+        #    frontsurfaceoffset = 0.001
+        #if backsurfaceoffset is None:
+        #    backsurfaceoffset = 0.001
         
         # The Sensor routine below needs a "hub-height", not a clearance height.
         # The below complicated check checks to see if height (deprecated) is passed,
diff --git a/tests/ini_cell_level_module.ini b/tests/ini_cell_level_module.ini
index b2265a14..0fa63872 100644
--- a/tests/ini_cell_level_module.ini
+++ b/tests/ini_cell_level_module.ini
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ clearance_height = 0.8
 hub_height = 0.9
 
 [timeControlParamsDict]
-starttime: 06_21_11_00
-endtime: 06_21_12_00
+starttime: 06_21_11
+endtime: 06_21_12
 
 [moduleParamsDict]
 numpanels = 2
diff --git a/tests/ini_soltec.ini b/tests/ini_soltec.ini
index 63cd00ea..f66cd719 100644
--- a/tests/ini_soltec.ini
+++ b/tests/ini_soltec.ini
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ latitude: 37.5
 longitude: -77.6
 
 [timeControlParamsDict]
-starttime: 06_21_12_00
-endtime: 06_21_12_00
+starttime: 06_21_12
+endtime: 06_21_12
 
 [sceneParamsDict]
 gcrorpitch: pitch
diff --git a/tests/test_bifacial_radiance.py b/tests/test_bifacial_radiance.py
index cfa6e60f..842fe447 100644
--- a/tests/test_bifacial_radiance.py
+++ b/tests/test_bifacial_radiance.py
@@ -605,4 +605,5 @@ def test_raypath():
     
     os.environ['RAYPATH'] = raypath0    
     
+
     
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_groundobj.py b/tests/test_groundobj.py
index 88aa5905..99445876 100644
--- a/tests/test_groundobj.py
+++ b/tests/test_groundobj.py
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ def test_RGB_timeseries():
     albedo_bad = np.array([[0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5], [0.12, 0.13, 0.26, 0.5]]) # invalid
     ground = pytest.warns(UserWarning, bifacial_radiance.GroundObj, albedo_bad)
     np.testing.assert_allclose(_groundtest(ground), testvals_const)
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        temp = bifacial_radiance.GroundObj(np.array([[.1,.2],[.1,.2]]))
 
 def test_printGroundMaterials():
     ground = bifacial_radiance.GroundObj('litesoil')
@@ -70,4 +72,10 @@ def test_printGroundMaterials():
 
 def test_albedo_greaterthan_one():
     ground = bifacial_radiance.GroundObj(2)
-    assert ground.ReflAvg[0] == 1
\ No newline at end of file
+    assert ground.ReflAvg[0] == 1
+    
+def test_repr_and_normval(): 
+    ground = bifacial_radiance.GroundObj()
+    groundstr = ground.__repr__()
+    ground = bifacial_radiance.GroundObj([0.1, 0.2])
+    assert ground.normval == pytest.approx([0.10034, 0.20068])