Introduction
The evaluation of layout information helps assess design capacity and compare different options. The Bill of Materials (BOM) provides a full project summary for analysis and procurement.
This article will walk you through evaluating different layouts and generating a BOM in PVcase Roof Mount.
Layout information and comparison
Once the layout has been generated, you may want to determine its capacity. You can access this information through Layout information, in the Tools menu.
If you are not satisfied with the information obtained, you can modify the arrangement and regenerate it.
After making these adjustments, you can review the history of the generated layouts and regenerate them according to your preferences. This tool is highly beneficial for comparing various layout capacities and switching between them seamlessly to see how well they fit on the roof and what the results might be.
To capture all the details of your layout, consider exporting the Bill of Materials (BOM) as a XLSX file.
Exporting the BOM
The Bill of Materials (BOM) is a comprehensive and centralized project summary used for analysis, reporting, and procurement. In PVcase Roof Mount, you can easily export the BOM and perform an evaluation of your layout easily and efficiently.
To export the BOM file:
1. Navigate to the Layout information tab
2. Click on the Select PV areas button
3. Select all the PV area boundary lines that you want to export
4. Press Space or Enter on the keyboard
5. Click the Export Bill of Materials button
6. Specify the directory where you want to save the file in the pop-up window
7. Rename the file if desired
8. Click Save
9. Click Yes in the dialog box to open the BOM file
BOM spreadsheet
The exported Bill of Materials file displays all the relevant information of your project, conveniently organized in two separate spreadsheets (tabs):
- Project overview
- Electrical information
In the Project Overview sheet, you will encounter a summary of key parameters, including total capacity by PV area, module quantity, module placement type by PV area, number of strings, cable length, and cable tray.
The Electrical Information sheet will provide comprehensive details related to the electrical design for each inverter. This includes various DC cable segments such as module cables, extension cables, total cable length for each string, as well as positive and negative cables leading to the inverters.
Project overview
This sheet includes the following sections:
- General information about the design
- Information by area (basic information about each PV area)
- Modules information (module parameters)
- Cable tray information
- Layout information
Electrical information
This sheet includes the following information:
- Inverter power
- String name
- Optimizers count
- Modules per string
- String cable length
- Positive and negative lead lengths for each string to inverter
- Extension cable length