Engineering Mode

Engineering mode allows you to build your project from modules to interconnection. You build your project's equipment from the inverter to the point of interconnection and place that equipment on the map. With this equipment built and placed you can download new deliverables like the IX Package, DC String, and the BOM.

You must have an engineering license or purchase a design-specific unlock to enter engineering mode. Once an engineer has entered engineering mode for a design, any Designer or Viewer will be able to enter, view, and download the deliverables available in engineering mode. However, only Engineers (and Designers with a design-specific unlock) will be able to place equipment.

In engineering mode, you will no longer be able to modify the design information freely. Engineering mode allows for placing of equipment, wiring, and generating exports. To return to design mode, see the Design & Engineering section below.

Entering Engineering Mode

To enter Engineering Mode, please click on the toggle in the top-right hand of the screen. If you are an engineering user you will be prompted with either a validation check or the engineering stepper dialog.

The engineering stepper guides you through configuring your system before equipment placement and stringing. Here you will set inverter and string information, equipment specifications, utility templates, design notes, and interconnection settings.

Getting this stage correct is crucial, as every component is checked against the NEC for compliance. A system breakdown is displayed before entering engineering mode so you can verify the equipment selection.

General

The first page in the stepper allows you to select the interconnection type. Each type enables different configurations, and the following pages will adjust accordingly.

There are three different types of interconnection currently supported:

1. Behind the Meter (BTM): Connecting behind the meter to an existing Switchgear or Transformer
2. Front of the Meter (FTM): Connecting in front of an existing meter or an urban new service connection. Sometimes these are called Feed-In-Tariffs (FIT) as well.
3. New Service Ground Mount: For all projects that are Community Solar (CS) ground mounts connecting to existing or new utility poles.

System equipment

The system equipment page first allows you to select and modify your Wiring configuration.

You can also edit your DC and AC engineering settings. Please see Module & Inverter Engineering for details.

You can set your Panelboard and Switchboard configurations as well. See AC Boards for details.

Lastly, you can select your DAS provider.

Grid equipment

Grid equipment is specific to connecting to the point of interconnection. This varies quite significantly between BTM, FTM, and Ground Mount systems. Please see Grid connection for more details.

Utility callouts

For any project you can select the Utility template to apply utility-specific settings to your project. These include the Inverter protection settings, relay protection settings, and utility notes. The template cannot be modified on a design-specific basis. To edit the template, please edit the template at the system page described in the above link.

You can also add Design Notes. Design notes are notes that pertain to this design that you would like included on the IX Package. Any design notes will be added directly to the equipment settings page on the IX Package.

Overview

Once you have configured the entire system, we will show you the equipment overview. This shows every equipment from the Point of Interconnection (POI) to the Inverters or combiners. From here you can save the settings and enter engineering mode to place the equipment.

Placing Equipment

With engineering mode active and the BOM complete, you can place all equipment on the map.

Please see Placing equipment to learn more.

Downloads

Engineering mode allows for three new downloads as well as upgrades to the existing DXF output.

Interconnection (IX) Package

IX Packages are stampable plansets which include a DXF and PDF site plan, single line diagram, and equipment settings page,

Wiring

Wiring includes DC Stringing with each string's specific home run distances, wire sizes, wire material, and wire-specific losses. Combiner box runs to inverters are also calculated and wired accordingly.

BOM

The BOM is the detailed Bill of Materials for the project, including all equipment shown in the overview step as well as wire distances and road areas.

DXF

DXF now includes site-specific stringing.

SolarFarmer 2D - Unlimited

When in engineering mode you can run SolarFarmer 2D an unlimited amount of times. Any SolarFarmer run will not lock and will allow you to keep editing the design.

Detailed Wiring

With your specific design information you can have our wiring algorithm give you detailed string and wiring information. See Wiring on how to unlock the full power of this feature.

Design & Engineering

Once you have built your equipment list and placed the equipment, it has all been checked for NEC compliance. Therefore, array editing is locked during engineering mode to prevent changes that could affect compliance.

You can switch between design and engineering mode by clicking the toggle in the top-right of the page. This is the same switch that you used to enter engineering mode. When going between engineering and design mode, you have three options. You can:

• View only: Enter design mode with everything locked to see layout information and simulate using SAM.
• Safe edits: Enter design mode with limitations (see below) to make modifications without interfering with the NEC compliance.
• Full reset: Deletes all engineering information and enters design mode with full functionality.

Safe edits mode

In safe edits mode, you can modify the design as needed without affecting the engineering equipment.

Here is a list of the functions that are disabled in safe edit mode, in order of importance:

1. Inverter: The inverter type is not editable as the inverter has key sizing, voltage, stringing, and MPPT information.
2. Inverter Count: Locked at the set number of inverters for that field or wiring zone.
3. Racking Type: Locked at the original racking type for your fields.
4. Field: No deleting of fields or creating new ones. You can modify your field size and points, but the DC/AC ratio will change not the number of inverters.

Other than those four points, you can go back to designing with gusto. You can also modify your already-placed equipment during design mode.

Once you are finished cleaning up the design you can easily go back to engineering by clicking the toggle again.