When to run it
Open the Electrical panel in LayoutIQ after you have a successful layout sweep and have selected a row from the sweep table (mount, portrait, pitch/GCR). Electrical runs on that specific packed layout — not on a generic capacity guess.
What you configure
- PV module — curated catalogue or database search (Wp, Voc, Vmp, dimensions)
- Inverter — string inverter or central inverter matched to mount scale
- System voltage — typically 1500 V DC for utility-scale screening
- DC:AC ratio — default ~1.2; drives inverter count vs DC capacity
What you get
- String sizing — modules per string, total strings, Voc at coldest design temperature
- Voc margin flag — warning when string voltage is tight against inverter limits
- Cable take-offs — indicative DC string and AC LV cable lengths and cross-sections (IEC screening basis)
- Electrical BOM — inverter count, combiner boxes where applicable, merged into project package
Screening only. Cable routes follow straight-line estimates between row blocks and an assumed MV point — not trenching, voltage drop study, or grid code compliance. Use for early MWp/MVA checks and client conversations, then hand off to detailed electrical design.
Workflow tip
Changing module dimensions or pitch after electrical calculation marks the layout as stale — re-run the sweep or recalculate electrical so strings match the updated row count.