If you don't see your question please click the dialog box in the bottom right of this page to speak to a member of our team.

The link to download the plug-in is located in the PVFARM app. Just go to the Project tab and select Import, the link can be found at the top of the dialog box that opens. Once downloaded you will install it as an app in your AutoCAD or Civil3D software.

A common issue with boundaries comes from the original file not containing closed polygons. For .KMZ files be sure that the geometry is closed by ensuring that when drawing the object you have connected the last point to the original point. In CAD check your object properties, if the geometry is open select it and type PEDIT, then select the first option to CLOSE.

You will clone your boundary with an offset that is a positive number for outset and a negative number for inset.

In PVFARM you have the option to switch between Imperial and Metric measurements and select the currency used as either USD or EUR. You can find those settings in the Project Panel of your individual project.
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Loading a version and loading the project overview info take a lot of bandwidth, when PVFARM tries to do both at the same time it can overload our system and eventually time out. We advise that you close the Project Panel, load your version, then open the Project Panel again once the version has loaded.

To recover a deleted project, you can do that by logging into the PVFARM dashboard, then at the top right click "Archived". Your deleted project will be there. To change it to an active project, click into the project and adjust the status in the drop-down menu to active.

There are several common issues that can lead to terrain and boundaries being misaligned. If you got your terrain from a third party source such as TouchTerrain make sure that you have entered the manual settings in order for the terrain generated to be understood by the PVFARM software.

Another potential issue could be that your boundaries don't contain the correct geolocation. Check your CAD software and validate that the geolocation is correct and try importing your boundaries again.

A common cause of this is that the units haven't been properly defined. If you have set your drawing units to "feet" you also want to make sure your blocks also have the units defined as "feet." You can set that by changing the properties while in the block editor. Then make sure everything in that block is on the same layer, then rename that layer as 'pvfarm_block_(X)'.

Another common cause of this is that the user has forgotten to include the Skid with the trackers when creating the block. If you have your trackers in a CAD block, you'll want to make sure the Trackers as well as the Skid for that block are both in a layer, then name that layer 'pvfarm_skid_type(X)'.

You will use either of these methods to bring in the blocks as well as the blocks equipment (the inverter) from a DXF File.

Don't panic! Look in the bottom right hand corner to see the navigation compass, it will give you an idea of where you are in the 3D space. You can click on the N in the compass, or you can always press "2" to rotate the camera to a "top-down view" and reorient yourself. Then press "F" without anything selected to zoom out/in to everything in your scene.

You can move objects around the scene by pressing "T" to activate the transformation gizmo. You can then drag the object on the X, Y, or Z axis using the arrows, or free move by dragging the blue box in the center.

The best way to draw a straight line in PVFARM is to utilize the transformation gizmo. Begin by clicking the "+" symbol in the tool bar at the top right of the screen, select whatever object you want to create (boundary, road, etc) and put down your first point. Then hold "ctrl" and window over that first point. With that point selected press "T" for the transformation gizmo to appear. Once the gizmo appears on your line, simply hold "ctrl" and drag the arrow in whatever direction you want to create your straight line. Press "T" again to discontinue using the gizmo.

You can measure things in PVFARM using two methods:

First, you can select an object in your scene and press "C" (for Clip Box), this will focus in on that object and measurements will appear around the object. If nothing is selected and you press "C" the measurements will appear around the entire project.

If you are trying to measure distance you can use the second method which is to draw a boundary. You can create a new boundary and only select two points which will make a line, you can then select that line and press "C" and use the same method as above to get the measurement from one point to another.

When changing the colorization in your layout, you can always go back to the block colorization by selecting your substation, then under "view" select "colorize hierarchy" or "Alt + C".

If you have terrain loaded into your project and unexpectedly the view of your site has changed, check your Terrain Analysis Panel. This will change the colorization of your terrain file which can result in an all white, checkered, or strangely colored view on your screen. If you see the checkers it means that there are values in the site outside of the defined Bins, so if you hit "auto bins" it should fix this.

Fixed Tilt is available as an option in PVFARM. There will be a pre-made Fixed Tilt equipment in the catalog out of the box that can be adjusted to suit your needs. Much of the process of generating a Fixed Tilt system will be the same as with trackers with a few exceptions.

Terrain Following Trackers refers to a layout where the equipment slope changes from pile to pile as opposed to a consistent slope across the tracker. Using PVFARM you can set all equipment as terrain following or you can select which ones you want to apply it to. For example, you could apply terrain following to only areas where the terrain is particularly problematic, or you could apply it to certain blocks. To make a tracker terrain following, you will adjust the settings under "Solar Array Limits" in the Terrain and Piles panel. You will change the max "Slope Change Bay to Bay" and "Cumulative Slope" from 0 to the max limits of your tracker (you will need to find this information from the manufacturer).

If you don't see a piece of equipment that you want to use, you can create your own and add it to the catalog. Or you can request that the PVFARM team make you an Equipment Pack.