| What is the Shadow Calculation article about? | It explains how to visualize direct shadows on PV modules in HELIOS 3D and how to interactively simulate shadow changes using date, time, daylight-saving-time settings, calculation interval, calculation mode, and display options. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Where is the Shadow Calculation topic located? | It is part of the vertical menu workflow under Overview of Commands > Vertical Menu > Tools > Shadow Calculation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the main purpose of Shadow Calculation? | Its purpose is to display calculated shadows on modules and help users evaluate how shadows change across a selected day and time. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What can be visualized with Shadow Calculation? | The tool can display direct shadows cast on modules. It can also show the percentage of shading or both shadows and shading percentage, depending on the selected view. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How can users interactively simulate shadows? | Users can change date and time values, use sliders or controls, and the displayed shadows refresh accordingly. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the Date / Time setting used for? | It defines the specific date and time used for the shadow calculation. The date can be selected with the calendar button or adjusted using up/down controls for individual date components. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How can I select a date for shadow calculation? | Use the single arrow button to select a date from the calendar, or adjust individual date components with the up/down buttons. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What happens when the date is changed? | Changing the date automatically updates the displayed shadow calculations. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What happens when the time is changed? | Changing the time refreshes the displayed shadows accordingly. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does DST mean in Shadow Calculation? | DST means Daylight Saving Time. It can be enabled or disabled to adjust sunrise and sunset times and refresh the displayed shadows. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why is the DST setting important? | The DST setting affects sunrise and sunset times. Since shadow calculation depends on the sun position, enabling or disabling DST can change the displayed shadow situation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if sunrise or sunset times look wrong? | Check the selected date, the project’s geographical position, and the DST setting. The article states that sunrise and sunset are calculated from the selected date, geographical position, and DST setting. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does the Sunrise / Sunset section show? | It shows the automatically calculated sunrise and sunset times for the selected date, considering geographical position and DST setting. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Are sunrise and sunset entered manually? | No. The article describes them as automatically calculated values based on the selected date, geographical position, and DST setting. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Calculation Interval define? | It defines the time interval used for shadow calculations throughout the selected day. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why is the calculation interval important? | The interval controls how often shadow calculations are evaluated during the day. A smaller interval can give more detailed temporal results but may require more calculation effort. The performance implication is plausible from the calculation context, but not explicitly described on the page for this field. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Calculate Each control? | It controls whether results are displayed per array or per module. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the difference between calculation per array and per module? | Per-array display summarizes results at array level, while per-module display shows results for individual modules. The article notes that per-module results significantly increase computation time. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Why is per-module calculation slower? | The article states that displaying results per module significantly increases computation time, because the calculation has to evaluate and display more detailed module-level results. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I use per-array results? | Use per-array results when a faster, less detailed overview is sufficient. The article confirms that per-module results require significantly more computation time, so per-array display is the lighter option. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I use per-module results? | Use per-module results when the shading distribution on individual modules must be checked, accepting that computation time increases significantly. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Calculation Mode define? | It defines which shadow calculation approach is used. The article lists two modes: Fast and Exact. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Fast calculation mode do? | Fast considers shadows cast only by arrays in the immediately preceding row. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Exact calculation mode do? | Exact includes shading influences from all arrays, even distant ones, for a more detailed result. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What is the difference between Fast and Exact shadow calculation? | Fast only considers shadows from the immediately preceding row, while Exact includes shading influences from all arrays, including distant ones. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
When should I use Fast mode? | Use Fast mode when you need a quicker evaluation and it is sufficient to consider only the immediately preceding array row. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
When should I use Exact mode? | Use Exact mode when a more detailed result is required and shading from distant arrays should also be considered. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
Why can Exact mode show different results than Fast mode? | Exact mode includes shading influences from all arrays, while Fast mode only considers the immediately preceding row. Therefore, distant shading effects may appear only in Exact mode. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Change Day do? | Change Day modifies the selected date and automatically updates the displayed shadow calculations. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does Change Time do? | Change Time adjusts the selected time and refreshes the displayed shadows accordingly. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does On/Off do? | On/Off toggles the display of calculated shadows on or off. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I turn shadow display off? | Turn it off when you want to hide calculated shadow visualization and inspect the drawing without the temporary shadow display. This use is consistent with the documented On/Off behavior. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What does View control? | View controls which type of result is displayed: shadows on modules, the percentage of shading, or both. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What view options are available? | The article lists three result-display options: shadows on the modules, percentage of shading, or both. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I display shadows only? | Display shadows only when you primarily need a visual impression of where direct shadows fall on the modules. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I display shading percentage? | Display shading percentage when you need a more quantitative view of shading impact rather than only the visual shadow overlay. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| When should I display both shadows and shading percentage? | Display both when you want to compare the visual shadow position with the calculated percentage of shading at the same time. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
What are Parameters for alternative Shadow Calculation used for? | They allow an additional shadow calculation for all arrays within one or more fields. This calculation creates and displays a new shadow similar to the one used for determining row distance during placement. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What does the alternative shadow calculation generate? | It generates and displays a new shadow for all arrays within one or more fields, similar to the placement shadow used for determining row distance. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How is the alternative shadow calculation related to row distance? | The article states that the alternative calculation creates a shadow similar to the one used for determining row distance during placement. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can alternative shadow calculation be applied to multiple fields? | Yes. The article states that it can be performed for all arrays within one or more fields. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Can Shadow Calculation be used after placement? | Yes. The article describes displaying shadows on modules and performing additional calculations for arrays within fields, which implies use after arrays have been placed. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation change the placement automatically? | The article describes visualization and additional shadow calculation, but it does not state that the tool automatically changes array placement. Placement changes should therefore not be assumed from this page alone. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation calculate yield? | No yield calculation is described on this page. The article focuses on visualizing shadows, shading percentages, and alternative shadow calculation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation replace yield assessment? | No. The page describes shadow visualization and shading percentage display, not a complete yield assessment workflow. Yield-related calculations should be checked in the separate yield assessment documentation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation use the project’s geographical position? | Yes. Sunrise and sunset calculations account for the geographical position and the DST setting. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation depend on project date and time settings? | Yes. The selected date and time directly control the shadow calculation and display. Changing date or time updates the displayed results. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation depend on daylight saving time? | Yes. Enabling or disabling DST adjusts sunrise and sunset times and refreshes the displayed shadows. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation consider distant arrays? | Only in Exact mode. Fast mode considers only the immediately preceding row, while Exact mode includes all arrays, even distant ones. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does Shadow Calculation always calculate per module? | No. The user can choose whether results are displayed per array or per module. Per-module display significantly increases computation time. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the calculation takes too long? | Check whether results are displayed per module and whether Exact mode is selected. The article explicitly states that per-module display significantly increases computation time, and Exact mode evaluates all arrays, including distant ones. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if shadows are not displayed? | Check whether the shadow display is switched on with On/Off, whether a valid date and time are selected, and whether the correct view option is active. The page documents these controls but does not list detailed error messages. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the shadow result seems too simplified? | Check whether Fast mode is selected. Fast only considers the immediately preceding row, while Exact includes all arrays and can provide a more detailed result. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if distant shading is missing? | Use Exact calculation mode, because only Exact includes shading influences from all arrays, even distant ones. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if results differ from placement row-distance shadows? | Check whether you are using the alternative shadow calculation, because it generates a shadow similar to the one used for determining row distance during placement. Also verify calculation date, time, DST, interval, and mode. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if shadow timing appears shifted by one hour? | Check the DST setting. Enabling or disabling daylight saving time adjusts sunrise and sunset times and refreshes the displayed shadows. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the sunrise or sunset values do not match expectations? | Check the selected date, geographical project position, and DST setting, because sunrise and sunset calculations use all three. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the percentage of shading is not visible? | Check the View setting and select the percentage of shading or both shadows and percentage. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if only the visual shadow is shown? | Check the View setting. It can display shadows on modules, shading percentage, or both. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if per-module results are needed but not shown? | Check the Calculate Each setting and select per-module display. Be aware that this significantly increases computation time. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What should I check if the alternative shadow calculation should cover a complete field? | Use the alternative shadow calculation parameters for all arrays within one or more fields. The article states this function can be applied at field level. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does the article describe exact formulas for shadow percentage? | No. The page says shading percentage can be displayed, but it does not provide the calculation formula. This should be checked technically before documenting exact percentage logic. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does the article describe all slider controls in detail? | No. It mentions interactive simulation with sliders, but the visible text does not describe every slider control or its range in detail. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does the article describe how shadows are stored in the DWG? | No. The article describes displaying calculated shadows, but it does not explain whether the displayed shadows are persistent DWG objects or temporary display objects. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does the article describe how to export shadow results? | No. The page does not describe exporting shadow results. Export or reporting workflows should be checked in Output or Analysis documentation. |
| Does the article describe how shadow objects affect this calculation? | Not directly. The article describes direct shadows on modules and calculation modes for arrays, but it does not explicitly describe interaction with custom shadow objects on this page. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| Does the article describe horizon-line effects? | No. The page does not mention horizon-line effects in the visible text. Horizon behavior should be checked in the Horizon Line article if needed. |
| Does the article describe conflict handling or placement warnings? | No. The page focuses on visualization and calculation settings, not placement conflicts or warnings. |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to Array Placement? | Shadow Calculation can be used to review shadows after arrays are placed. The alternative shadow calculation creates a shadow similar to the one used for determining row distance during placement. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to Fields? | The alternative shadow calculation can be performed for all arrays within one or more fields, so fields provide the scope for this additional calculation. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to row distance? | It includes an alternative shadow calculation that creates a shadow similar to the shadow used during placement for determining row distance. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to shadow objects? | The page does not explicitly define the relationship. From HELIOS 3D / PV context, shadow objects are plausibly relevant to shading workflows, but this relationship is not documented on the Shadow Calculation page and should be checked editorially. |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to yield assessment? | Shadow Calculation can display shadows and shading percentages, but the page does not describe full yield assessment. Yield assessment should be treated as a separate evaluation workflow. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to project location settings? | The project’s geographical position is used for sunrise and sunset calculation, which influences shadow timing. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| How does Shadow Calculation relate to DST and time settings? | DST, date, and time determine the sun-position context for shadow display. Changing these settings refreshes the displayed shadows. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
| What is the main takeaway from the Shadow Calculation article? | Shadow Calculation is a visual analysis tool for checking direct shadows on modules. Users can control date, time, DST, interval, per-array or per-module display, fast or exact calculation mode, visibility, result view, and an alternative field-based shadow calculation similar to the row-distance shadow used during placement. (Helios 3D | HELP CENTER) |
