PV Sol premium Absolutely not worth my money at all, completely unable to work.

[Engineer]

Hello,

Please help me I’ve just lost all hope.

I have a complex project for which there’s a really nice model in AutoCAD. It’s a building with a flat roof, but there are many pipes and air conditioning units on it.

I managed to create an STL file and import the building.

I was completely shocked that there is absolutely no way to change the display in PV-Sol. No lines, no edges. The entire building is one big white blob; I can’t even see what I’m doing.

I’m almost unable to work.

Placing exclusion zones is a nightmare. It’s absolutely impossible for me to see the points or lines I’ve placed. And the entire system logic is 30 years old. Who thought it was professional to draw by hand with the mouse? It almost always tries to move the lines or the entire exclusion zone; it’s very hard to find the corner points. Why can’t I mark the existing object on the roof as an exclusion zone? No collision detection? It even places solar modules in walls!

On the other hand, I managed to activate the required flat roofs. But interestingly, PV-Sol doesn’t recognize that these are flat, so there’s no option to place parapet walls.

I already have all the plans and documents in 3D everything.

So now I’m forced to draw a clumsy building by hand with imprecise restricted areas?

Right now, I want to get rid of this software as soon as possible.

Thank you very much for any suggestions on how I can resolve this issue with this model.

 

[url=https://postimg.cc/34mBdKvD][img]https://i.postimg.cc/34mBdKvD/Hotel-000.png[/img][/url]

[url=https://postimg.cc/bDkTsztR][img]https://i.postimg.cc/bDkTsztR/Hotel-001.png[/img][/url]

[url=https://postimg.cc/jwPXLs7v][img]https://i.postimg.cc/jwPXLs7v/Hotel-002.png[/img][/url]

[hotline_oh]

Dear Engineer,

Thank you for your inquiry.

We recommend that you export 3D models from AutoCAD as obj files so that the textures are preserved and also exported. For models in *.obj format, a *.mtl file and a *.jpeg file must be located in the same folder. Visual material properties (e.g. reflection, transparency, specular highlights, etc.) are defined in a separate material file with the file extension *.mtl (Material Template Library), whilst texture data is stored in separate texture files (e.g. *.jpeg files).

An attic cannot be created on most imported 3D models, but only on the roofs of standard buildings. We agree that the error message ("An attic can only be created on building roofs with an inclination smaller than 20°.") is incorrect and unhelpful. We have forwarded this to our development department for correction.

Instead of an attic, you have the option of inserting fireproof walls:

It is correct that the software does not automatically detect mounting surfaces. You import a 3D model as the building envelope and must manually define where mounting surfaces are located. Please also refer to our FAQs: What should I consider when importing 3D models?