Frame creation

  • Is there any library of modules with the data from manufacturers?

    No, there are plenty of manufacturers and different modules, so there is a risk to be not updated for some of the brands. We allow you to input only main parameters and assume that this is the module you will use. This gives full customization.

  • Can I convert existing frames to PVcase?

    Yes, you can convert frames that were manually created on AutoCAD to PVcase frames by following steps: Start by selecting the topography in Frame and park settings. Manually place the boundary of your PV area to the PVcase PV area layer. And then convert the frames to PVcase frames using the right-click action. By doing that PVcase will take your original frames as references to place the new ones. The PVcase frames will be in red and still on the layer of PVcase shadow blocks. In order to create the relationship between the frames and the area, you will need to adapt the frames to the terrain. After that, all the frames will be terrain-based.

Generate area

  • What are the differences between generating single area and multiple areas?

    The main difference is row alignment in different PV areas.

  • Does PVcase Ground Mount work in 2D, without a terrain?

    Yes, the software works perfectly in 2D layout, but it shows the best performance and shines in designing on topography.

Generate piling

  • Is it possible to do piling after the generation?

    We advise doing piling before the generation. But after the generation, piling information (of all or just some frames) can be adjusted by right-clicking on the frame, going to PVcase and selecting the change piling option.

  • Is there any way to add poles manually?

    No, that is not possible.

  • How can pole lengths and coordinates (X,Y,Z) be obtained?

    Go to "Layout information" - Click on "Piling information" - Switch to the tab "Bill of Materials" - Click on "Export to XLSX" - In the generated Excel sheet, go to the tab "Piling information"

  • Are the X and Y coordinates real?

    If you have imported the location to .dwg with the right GIS coordinates system, yes. Otherwise, you need to do georeferencing.

  • How can poles be visualized in the design and front view?

    Poles can be visualized in the whole design and in the front view by clicking on "Generate piling" (on the PVcase ribbon). Make sure your layer "PVcases poles" is not frozen.

Layout generation settings

  • Can several different layers be set as restriction zone layers?

    No, at the moment only one layer can be set as a restriction zone layer.

  • What does "Optimized frames" mean?

    This tool will remove all 3D elements of the frames that are in your layout so it helps to increase the performance of your computer when working with big projects.

Park settings

  • What is the shading limit angle?

    The shading limit angle is related to the solar elevation angle. If the elevation of the sun is lower than SLA then a proportion of the module will be shaded and in the final result, there will be energy losses. SLA can be reduced either by reducing tilt angle or increasing the pitch distance.

  • Can I set fluctuating pitches for trackers?

    No, at the moment trackers can be generated only with a fixed pitch.

Import/Export presets

  • When I import new presets, can the old ones still be used?

    Currently, no. As soon as new presets are imported, the old ones are gone.

  • Can I import presets from other software?

    No, unless it is the same format as PVcase.

Layout information

  • Do the yellow, orange and purple frames count to capacity?

    No, those frames are on a different layer: PVcase shading layer. They are only shown with their location and indicated in a different color so you can check what you can do with it to have a nice layout.

Shading objects and analysis

  • How is tree shading generation calculated?

    The software takes into account the height of the tree, the tree shading angle, and draws a shading projection on the ground.

  • Is this tree shading related to any specific daytime or location?

    No, this shading is not related to any specific daytime or location. The angles of tree shading are specified manually when doing "Shading analysis"

  • Why is the tree shading not shown as a "fish tale"?

    Because the tree shading does not detail the shading projection to specific times of the day. Tree shading is calculated by the height of the tree and specified angle. Also, tree shading generation converts tree blocks into 3D objects, so later when all the PV layout is imported to PVsyst, it will do a shading analysis while taking into account the tree as well.

  • Can external 3D objects be used as shading objects?

    Currently, only PVcase shading objects (trees, stations, fence and fixed-tilt tables) can be taken into account in PVcase shading analysis.

  • Does PVcase show shading for trackers?

    No, in PVcase shading analysis only the shading for fixed tilt tables and PVcase shading objects are taken into consideration.

  • How can existing objects on a plan be converted to PVcase trees?

    In "Shading objects", use the function "Batch create". For this, your original source objects need to be AutoCAD circle or block objects with X and Y coordinates and have a height number (tree's height or sea level height) inside or very close. Once you select the "Batch create" command, you will automatically be prompted to the steps to take.

Cross section

  • Do cross sections show the cabling as well?

    Not for now. Currently, the software has no ability to show the cut of the cabling and electrical devices.

  • Why can't I see all the poles when looking at a cross section?

    The cross-section is a simple cut so you can see only the cut area. If the cut goes through piling as well then you can see those poles.

  • Is the cross section of the road shown as well?

    As the road is not a 3D object it is not shown in the cross-section.

Draw road

  • Can intersections be drawn with this function?

    No, this does not draw intersections automatically. On the other hand, you can draw additional roads with corners to get a rounding radius.

Electrical design

  • What is "leap-frog"?

    Leap-frog stringing jumps every second module and then comes back, so it allows us to have "+" and "-" at one side.

  • Can the software optimize the placement of electrical devices?

    No, you should select which device placement type you would like to use (trench adjacent, string adjacent, row clustering), then draw a "most effective" device alignment line and generate the devices. Also, you can change the location of them after the generation with the simple AutoCAD command MOVE.

  • What inverters or combiners can be used in your software?

    Our Electrical design does not provide electrical properties for any electrical device. The tool is used only for indicating the device placement and showing the connections.

  • Is it possible to have custom electrical devices naming?

    At the moment it can be only numbers, so you can change the number of strings, any electrical device, or transformer/central inverter.

  • How does "Auto generate" work in device placement?

    The software starts connecting strings from the opposite side to the fame alignment and tries to fill up one full device without having to connect frames from different rows. At the end of the row, the algorithm sees that there's a lack of strings for a fully connected device and keeps them unconnected until it encounters a similar situation on another row. This algorithm results in for the most part evenly connected strings and practically connected left-over strings that are close to the alignment side.

Cabling

  • How precise is 3D cabling?

    It depends on the precision of the topographic survey.

  • What is "3D cable segment length"?

    This is the length between vertexes of your 3D cable. The smaller distance you will define, the better precision you will get.

  • Does the software show the losses?

    Not yet. The software indicates DC and AC cables and calculates the length of those cables.

  • What are DC extension cables?

    When there is a connection between modules of different frames, this cable is included in the layer PVcase DC extensions. PVcase DC extensions are considered in the Bill of Materials (BOM). On the other hand, the extension of the string cable (green color) but it is only indicative for the connection between modules not being considered in the BOM.

  • How does PVcase name and measure the different cables and measure?

    If you are unsure which cable in your design corresponds to which name in the Bill of material (overview or Excel), the best way to find out might be to just click on the different cables in your design and check on which PVcase layer they are. By clicking on a cable in the design, you can also check where PVcase considers its start and end point. In AutoCAD Properties, you can also check the length of each cable.

Bill of materials

  • Does the software calculate cable losses?

    No, the software gives you the cable lengths between electrical devices so you are able to calculate losses by yourself.

PVsyst

  • What can be imported to PVsyst?

    All 3D objects like Frames, trees, 3D mesh can be imported from PVcase to PVsyst .

  • Can I import the layout or other information from PVsyst?

    No, but you can export your PV plant from PVcase and import it to PVsyst.

Area capacity iterations

  • Why has the software placed more capacity than I asked for?

    Everything depends on the pitch step how you would like to iterate. If the software finds that the closest pitch you described by going with a certain pitch step can place not less capacity than you asked, then it will place full PV area with the frames.

  • How does this tool calculate if the required capacity can be placed?

    First, the software uses the latest Frame and Park parameters that were defined. Then the software tries to place frames with the min pitch/inner spacing/shading limit angle if that value doesn't give the required capacity, then take the Max value and try again. After that, it decrease/increase the value of pitch by the defined step and calculates and checks if the required capacity can be reached.

Topographic surveys

  • What type of topographic surveys can be used in PVcase?

    PVcase is capable to work with any sort of site survey or topography that is presented in a .DWG format and has an elevation parameter or Z coordinates. The software works with - height measurements or height numbers, contour lines, point-data cloud or with 3D faces. Furthermore, it also perfectly works without any topo data.

  • Can topography from Google Earth be imported?

    Yes, you can import Google Earth data using Import terrain function. Which can be found in PVcase ribbon under Workspace.

  • Can I import KMZ files?

    Yes, you can import KMZ files and then work on that location.

  • How can I use Xref for topography?

    Currently, only contour lines can be used as information from an XREF file. The external file must contain only topographical information. Anything else in the drawing will be imported into PVcase as topographical data, leading to an incorrect terrain model. In the main file, the XREF file must be placed on a dedicated layer. When selecting the first object representing topography, PVcase will read all the components inside the layer in which this object is placed. If this layer contains other information not related to the topography, PVcase will create a non realistic model.

Other

  • Can this software be used to plan roofs?

    Theoretically yes, but not recommended. The software is dedicated to Ground Mount projects.

  • Are there any other shading objects available apart from trees?

    Yes, there are customizable trees, fences, and stations.

  • Can this tool be used to plan carparks?

    Theoretically yes, but not recommended. The software is dedicated to Ground Mount projects.