Cheesed off!

[SRE]

Actually you have to use SAP 2005 not SAP 2009 and you can't use it as a replacement but you can provide the customer with it as long as you make no claim that it is better than SAP 2005. If you're not using PPVSOL how are you doing your roof layout to show your customer and how are you working out which panel and inverter combination is best for the roof? It's cut down the time I spent on attempting cad drawings which I was rubbish at and in the blink of an eye once the roof parameters are in I can try all sorts of different panels, layouts, look at shading .... that's what takes the time but it's what customers appreciate too.

 

[ElectroW3b]

Right, but I was told that in the REAL code you must present the mcs recognised calculation I've just checked this and it says
'include SAP calculations, where these are required under MCS, alongside any alternative calculation'
is this right or wrong?

 

[ElectroW3b]

Also I used Waxman and Marlec who both do free design and return to me pretty snappy!

 

[grandfortune]

mmm, i was told its 2009 now

 

[SRE]

Also I used Waxman and Marlec who both do free design and return to me pretty snappy!

I really like Waxman, but they're just too expensive. How do they understand what your customer wants or do you just take their options? How do you know if another panel might perform better.

 

[SRE]

mmm, i was told its 2009 now

There's a debate about it but until the MCS manual has been updated to include SAP 2009 then surely MCS requirements are SAP 2005?

 

[ElectroW3b]

I have brought BP Panels from Marlec however BP are withdrawing from the Market.

I have purchased Phono Solar, Sharp and Sanyo from Waxmans what other panels do you recommend to look at ...

 

[SRE]

Best advice you can have - buy PVSOL - personally I don't think you need the top model but I know Biggsolar swears by it. Then check the module and inverter combinations on the same house, orientation, pitch and see what comes out - bet Paperclip didn't tell you that either

 

[Worcester]

Ah he's forgetten ten quotes per sale, 4 hours per site inspection and quote (when done properly), plus travel costs, insurance, overheads, .... (oh ten quotes at 4 hours thats' a week's work for some people, BEFORE even done an installation)

But then some people don't live in the real world, it'll strike then some time..

Oh and before you knock salesforce you should check out not what it says on the tin, but the underlying capabilites, salesforce is not just a piece of SAAS, it's actually a fully fledged CMS, CRM and ERP development platform and it CAN easily do all that is asked for in an MCS QMS.

How do I know? We've used it for another company of mine.

As for relying on other companies to specify the system for me, they have got it wrong EVERY time so far.

I go along with @SRE, PV*SOL Expert, Excel, Google Earth, Sunny Design, plus the mounting system design software.

Maybe my customers are different, however I have yet to come across a 'standard' house, in fact only one of our installations has been a rectangle (3 x 5 grid) so far! - Perhaps that's why they are my customers and not someone else's.

Oh and we'd go broke buying from Waxman's and Marlec.

 

[SolarCity]

Best advice you can have - buy PVSOL - personally I don't think you need the top model but I know Biggsolar swears by it

It's a fantastic piece of software - until something goes wrong.

I upgraded to the new version of the software and it doesn't work. Having phoned technical support (at a cost of 51p per minute), I was promised an email with some instructions to get it sorted. I then received a blank email. So I phoned back (at a cost of 51p per minute) and was told "Er... oh yeah.... sorry about that. To be honest, you can try reinstalling (I already had done) but it may be a bug with the software that we're working on. My colleague will know and I'll get him to email you when he is back in the office"

The email has still not arrived.

 

[toomanylogins]

Hello
Paul from completepicture here. For those that are interested we also have accounts software that we bundle with the QMS system. If you have a look on our website, Google for complete picture, you can see details under the practice manager link which is used by architects. I have also made it available to our MCS install is inclusive.
Regards
Paul