| What is the Component Management article about? | It explains how components can be created, edited, defined, exported, and imported in the HELIOS 3D database application. The article covers general component master data, module definitions, post definitions, post geometry drawings, cable phase information, transformer connection power, and component XML export/import. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is Component Management used for in HELIOS 3D? | Component Management is used to maintain database records for components that may later be used in HELIOS 3D planning workflows, especially in array definitions, module table geometry, electrical planning, and component exchange between databases. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Should components normally be created directly in Component Management? | Not necessarily. The article states that in the standard workflow, components are typically created and edited within the Array Generator, because an array definition must be regenerated before component changes take effect in drawings. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why do component changes not automatically appear in an existing drawing? | Component changes only take effect in a drawing after the related array definition has been regenerated in the Array Generator and, if necessary, an existing placement has been overwritten. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where are components required for the Electric module described? | Components required for the Electric module are not fully described in this article. The article refers users to the “Electric” section for those components. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the most important mandatory field when creating a component? | The component number is required. Most other fields in the component master data are optional. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which general master data is available for components? | General component master data includes manufacturer, component number, component type, length, width, thickness or height, language-specific descriptions, parameters, preview information, and additional component information. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the Manufacturer field used for? | The Manufacturer field lets the user select a manufacturer from the database. It is used together with the component number to identify the component record. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the Component Number field used for? | The Component Number identifies the component in the database. It is required and is also relevant when creating related files such as post geometry DWG files. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What does the Component Type define? | The Component Type defines what kind of component is being created, for example whether the record represents a module, post, cable, transformer, or another component type. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are Length and Width used for? | Length and width can be entered in millimeters or inches. These values are used for calculating table dimensions. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are Thickness and Height used for? | Thickness and height can be entered in millimeters or inches. The thickness value is used for calculating table dimensions. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are Description 1 and Description 2 used for? | These fields allow the user to enter component descriptions in the corresponding language. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the Info field used for? | The Info field can contain essential component information, such as installation details. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What cable-specific information can be set? | For cables, the number of phases can be set. This initially determines the number of cable connections between devices in the AC area. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What transformer-specific information can be set? | For transformers, the maximum connection power can be entered in the transformer data sheet. HELIOS 3D uses this value when checking whether another inverter or AC collector can be connected to the same transformer without exceeding its capacity. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does HELIOS 3D always check transformer overloads automatically? | No. The article states that if the input power of an already connected inverter increases and causes an overload, this is not checked. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is the transformer load displayed? | The transformer load is displayed in the Electrical Structure List, similar to inverter loads. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What happens when I create a new module definition? | HELIOS 3D first prompts the user to select a component folder. Afterwards, the module’s main data, component descriptions, language information, parameters, module-specific data, and optionally an image can be entered. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which module values are essential? | The article states that module measurements and STC power are essential. Missing essential values are indicated with a red frame in the dialog. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which module values are used for calculations in the current version? | The article states that only the values marked in bold are used for calculations in the current version. Other inputs are optional but recommended for future functionality. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which module values are important for the Electric module? | Values marked with an orange frame are critical for the Electric module. These include manufacturer data sheet values such as MPP voltage, MPP current, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and temperature coefficients. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which module values are important for yield assessment? | Values marked with a blue frame are important for yield assessment. The article explicitly mentions efficiency reduction at low irradiance as a value used only in yield assessment. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What does Nominal Power WP mean? | Nominal Power WP is the module peak power at MPP under standard test conditions: irradiance of 1,000 W/m², module temperature of 25°C, and air mass of 1.5. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are Voltage Vmpp and Current Impp used for? | These are manufacturer data sheet values for voltage and current at the module’s nominal power point. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What are OC Voltage Voc and SC Current Isc used for? | These are manufacturer data sheet values for open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. They are relevant for electrical checks and module data completeness. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is module efficiency used for? | Module efficiency is used for calculating electric losses. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is efficiency reduction at <= 200 W/m² used for? | Efficiency reduction at low irradiance is used only in yield assessment. If the value cannot be found, the article notes that PVsyst once recommended a value around 3%. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the temperature coefficient Voc used for? | The temperature coefficient Voc describes the dependency of open-circuit voltage on temperature. The article allows entry in % / °C; an entry in mV / °C is only used to calculate the % / °C value, and only that value is saved. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the temperature coefficient Pmpp used for? | The temperature coefficient Pmpp describes the dependency of nominal module power on temperature. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the temperature coefficient Isc used for? | The temperature coefficient Isc describes the dependency of short-circuit current on temperature. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is a post definition used for? | A post definition defines a post component in the database. The article states that only post types from the database are available for selection at this stage. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Are all posts displayed with custom geometry by default? | No. All posts are displayed with the default geometry provided in HELIOS 3D unless a different geometry is created as a separate post drawing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How do I create a new post geometry? | Create a new post drawing as a DWG file and save it in the \Library\Posts folder with the same name as the corresponding database component. The file name must follow the format component number.dwg. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is the post geometry library folder defined? | The location of the library folder is specified in the HELIOS 3D system settings. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which file should be copied to create a new post geometry? | Copy the AutoCAD file PostPrototype.dwg from the \Library\Posts directory and rename the copy to match the component number, for example P-01.dwg. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How must the post geometry DWG be named? | The DWG must use the component number as the file name, followed by the .dwg extension. For example, a post component number P-01 requires the file P-01.dwg. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where should the post footprint be drawn? | The post footprint should be drawn in the top view of the post prototype drawing. The base point (0, 0, 0) must align with the center axis of the post. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How is the final post geometry created in a planning drawing? | HELIOS 3D uses the post footprint from the DWG file and extrudes the 2D footprint to create the final geometry with the specified length when the post is inserted into a planning drawing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What kind of geometry is used in the post examples? | The article states that the examples consist of 2D polylines. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is Component Export/Import used for? | Component Export/Import allows item data to be exchanged between different HELIOS 3D databases using an XML file. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is the component export function accessed? | The export dialog is accessed through the context menu of the folder structure. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can I select which components to export? | Yes. The export dialog provides checkboxes so users can choose precisely which modules or items should be exported. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Which file format is used for component export? | Component export creates an XML file. The destination path and file name can be set in the export dialog. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is the component import function accessed? | The import function is accessed through the context menu of the item list. After selecting Import, a dialog opens for selecting the XML file. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can I select which components to import from an XML file? | Yes. After loading the XML file, the import dialog allows users to select the modules or items to import by checking the corresponding boxes. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if a component is not available in a drawing? | Check whether the component was used in an array definition, whether the array definition was regenerated in the Array Generator, and whether an existing placement needs to be overwritten. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if changed component dimensions do not affect table dimensions? | Check whether the updated component was saved, whether length, width, and thickness values are correct, and whether the array definition was regenerated after the change. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if a post geometry does not appear as expected? | Check whether the DWG file is stored in \Library\Posts, whether the file name matches the component number, whether the library base path is configured correctly in the system settings, and whether the footprint is drawn correctly around (0, 0, 0). (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if transformer capacity warnings do not appear for existing connections? | The article states that overloads caused by later increases of input power on already connected inverters are not checked. Review the Electrical Structure List and validate the transformer load manually. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if component import does not show the expected items? | Check whether the correct XML file was selected and whether the required items are selected with checkboxes in the import dialog. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check before using imported components in productive planning? | Verify that the imported component data is complete, especially mandatory component numbers, dimensions, module STC power, electrical module values, post geometry references, and any fields needed for yield assessment or electrical planning. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
