Can I simulate multiple planes simultaneously?
Each design in PV Designer has a single rectangular plane. PV Designer can support up to four (4) designs, each with a different plane definition, and each with its own inverter. These can be summed using the Combine mode in the results area. Note, however, that each string is currently limited to a single design […]
Can I use multiple inverters in PV Designer?
Yes, PV Designer 4.30 and later supports multiple inverters for each design, and if there are multiple strings, they can be assigned to multiple inverter inputs. It is also possible to simulate the combination of multiple designs (and therefore multiple inverters or multiple array orientations) using the Combine mode in the Results Area. Create individual […]
What is meant by the Compare / Combine selection in the Results Area?
PV Designer allows up to four designs to be created. These designs can be compared side by side, for example when evaluating different hardware or different module placement. In Compare mode, graphical and tabular data is shown separately for each design. When the output from multiple designs will be combined, then the Combine mode can […]
How can I look at production by “time of day” for time of use utility rates
The PV Designer currently does not display hourly results or time-of-day results. However there is an output file for hourly AC kWh, which can be processed to give those results. This Hourly CSV file is available from a link in the Results area, and will normally open in a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel.
How are minimum and maximum temperature data used, and how can I find the values for my location?
The PV Designer uses minimum temperature and maximum temperature for limit checks on the voltage and power into the inverter. For example, a string’s maximum open circuit voltage is checked (at minimum temperature) to ensure that it does not exceed the maximum input voltage for the selected inverter. If the limit is exceeded, then the […]
Is weather data for PV Designer the same as for the SunEye?
PV Designer uses more detailed weather data that includes hourly data for temperature and insolation. The SunEye’s weather data is simplified for only the data required for insolation and shading ratios. There are some common sources of data, for example TMY3 data in the US. However, the PV Designer files are more complete, even if […]
The system cannot locate the weather files. What is happening?
PV Designer uses weather data that is stored either on the Solmetric SunEye Software with PV Designer, or from files accessed over the Internet. PV Designer first looks for the data on the local computer (if weather files have been previously accessed by that computer), then on the Solmetric SunEye DVD if inserted into the […]
What is the derate factor and how is it used?
Derate is a term used to describe degrading factors that decrease solar energy output. This terms are given percentages that decrease or derate the amount of energy output. They are given values that are percentages that can be multiplied together. A three percent loss factor, for example, is a 97% derate factor, so energy output […]
What if my manufacturer, module, or inverter are not in the available selections?
Solmetric is working to provide a complete and up-to-date database of modules and inverters. However, PV Designer is flexible and gives you the flexibility to enter custom specifications. With PV Designer revision 3.0 or higher, it is possible to customize the data for your module or inverter. This can be done when creating a new […]
Can PV Designer be used for large PV systems, eg. 100 kW or higher?
Currently the PV Designer is recommended for systems that are 15 kW or less. This is normally residential or smaller commercial systems. For larger systems, it may be possible to use PV Designer to estimate modules or subsections of a larger system limited only by the 100 meter x 100 meter maximum plane size. However, […]