Drawing software

earyzhe · Jan 19, 2011

Hi,
What software are you guys using to draw the diagrams for PV systems?

jerriais · Jan 20, 2011

I've used just Word or Powerpoint then publish it as a pdf which you can do in recent versions.

SRE · Jan 21, 2011

We use Sen software called Soldraft, it's free and looks relatively professional. They are a German company and getting registration took a little while but the site is great once you get on it. Great roof kit too! www.sen.eu I think

Echo · Jan 21, 2011

How do you use that? It's all in german?

SolarCity · Jan 21, 2011

On the right hand side of the website is a little box with 'EN' in it. Click it and the language changes to English.

ian.settle1 · Jan 21, 2011

Echo said:
How do you use that? It's all in german?

Weißt du nicht Deutsch sprechen, dann?

If you look at the picture there is a small box with EN click on it and it will change to English.

saikat2k2 · Jan 31, 2011

I don't think its a good software. 1st of all its for location germany, 2nd its has only option to select there module.
What you want to draw actually @ earyzhe ?
You need whole PV system design?

SRE · Jan 31, 2011

If you do a bit of research you can match wind load and snow load areas with the UK. Google translate does a fair job of translating and the help manual is printed in English. As long as the panels are the same size you can use the software to plan the roof and you'd use the inverter software to match you're chosen panels and inverter. Total cost = 0. Not perfect but when you're struggling with cashflow a very viable short term solution. I've had several email conversations with SEN, they're bringing out a UK version later in the year but sorted out a couple of queries I had very quickly and in English. Just as well the Germans aren't buying of us - not sure that we'd be able to converse as well in German!

DomB · Feb 1, 2011

We use Google Sketchup, 'tis excellent and free (there is a pro version too but we haven't found the need). You can model the roof, chimneys etc, and then define its exact position in Google Earth to run a shadow analysis - it's very nice to watch how the shadows pass by over the year. And easy to use. There are some quite good plugins too, one I quite like draws the Sun's path through the sky for that location so you can see when those lines drop behind various shadow-making objects..