These documents define standardized instructions on how calculate and check the values needed to design a permit ready photovoltaic electrical drawing for small residential houses. The purpose to make it easier for humans and computers to create drawings that will consistently be approved for permit.
These documents are being developed to serve as a Standard released by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC). It describes a prescriptive photovoltaic system design. It will be based on the expertize of the entire solar community (contractors, engineers, AHJ's, and FSEC).
The source documents are text files that are used to create printable PDFs, and also directly generate the core of the computer code used in FSEC's online express drawing creation application.
View the source files
- SDA: Constants, user input, and component information
- SDA_string: String inverter specific calculations
- SDA_micro: Microinverter specific calculations
- tables: Reference tables
The secondary documents automatically created from the source:
- A printable PDF documents describing the algorithm, with and without computer code.
- Key computer code used in FSEC's online express drawing creation application.
The source documents are written in a simple markup language called Markdown. This is a compromise between LaTex, which is commonly used to write scientific papers, and a WYSIWYG editor (such as Microsoft Word). LaTex is very powerful, but also very complex, and not as human readable. WYSIWYG editors are more about appearance than content, and it can be difficult to get a consistent appearance or extract the contained computer code.
You can contribute to editing of the documents with one of the following methods.
Directly editing the source documents requires some minimal knowledge of Git (a version control system), the installation of a Git application, or the use of an online platform such as Github.
The official copy is stored in a Git repository, currently located here. With a Github account, and authorization to work on the project, you can edit it there. You can also create a local copy of the repository, probably using one of the Git GUI applications.
You can edit the source text file, then send your new version to one of the documents developers to insert into the official version control system. You can download the markdown file from Github WITHOUT creating an account.
You can use any text editor, or a markdown editor. The markdown editors have tools to help with syntax, and often a way to preview the final appearance.
Finally, you can redline a secondary documents such as the official pdf documents, or a version converted to your documents editor of choice.