PHOTON International The Photovoltaic Magazine

System design software »SysCalc« from Mastervolt

Since summer, Netherlands-based inverter manufacturer Mastervolt BV has been offering its SysCalc software, which makes it possible to design PV systems on the PC employing the company's Sunmaster QS inverter.

Free design: Mastervolt's software SysCalc allows free worldwide modeling system design incorporating the company's inverters.

The online system design program QS Design Wizard is still available, but isn't as flexible as the new program. SysCalc is based on Microsoft Excel and is relatively easy to operate. The software is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Dutch. It can be downloaded free of charge from the Mastervolt website, where program updates are also regularly available.

The program makes it possible to create models of different scenarios for modules in combination with Mastervolt inverters, taking into account module orientation, module temperature, the number of modules and strings, the number of modules per string, an undersizing factor, and worldwide location – although this element is a bit rough (e.g. the US is divided into northern, central, and southern parts). However, only one inverter can be integrated into the system. The analysis uses the technical data to help determine whether the components are optimally matched.

By the end of the year, Mastervolt plans to implement a help and production yield prognosis tool. The Excel sheet labeled Results – which in mid-November was still not functional – will then summarize the most important data for the system. Furthermore this sheet won't have write protection, so installers can simply »copy and paste« the results into their business documents, such as project offers.

For a direct download of SysCalc, go to:
www.mastervolt.de/sunmasterqs/downloadpage.asp?Id=503