The myLoads component in the deSide Client lets you create and maintain any number of Load Traces for use in the Analysis component, or the reContract component. Once you have a create a Load Trace you can choose to use this trace in various places throughout the deSide Client, allowing you to customise the results of equations to your specific situation.

There are two tabs in the myLoads component, they are Create a new load trace and Edit or delete an existing load trace. The first tab is used to create brand new Load Traces, while the second is used to manage your current stored collection of Load Traces.

Create a new load trace

Creating a Load Trace for the deSide Client to use is a simple process. First you enter a name for your Load (which needs to be unique across all your Load Traces), something that will help you remember at a glance later exactly what this Load Trace represents. Then simply work your way down the form, filling in the fields as you go.

Eventually you will get to the section where you select exactly how you are going to define your new Load Trace.

There are 3 different ways in which you can define a Load Trace:

1. Simple Load Trace
   A simple Load Trace is a load that is constant over time (this is the base consumption), with the ability to specify additional load during peak times (peak consumption). Typically this Load Trace type is used for calculations over a long time period, with the base consumption your average energy use over all 8790 hours in the year, and the peak consumption the average additional energy you use between the hours of 7AM and 10PM on working weekdays.

2. CSV Load Trace
   A CSV Load Trace is a load that you have already defined in a Comma Separated Value format (i.e. you most likely have exported the values from some external source), typically a list of Dates, Times and Load Values. Creating a CSV Load Trace is a simple process, just enter the location of your CSV file (or click on the Browse button to locate it manually), then click on the Start Import Wizard button. All you need to do then is follow the Wizard to completion, and your new Load Trace will be created, and filled with data from your CSV file.
   
   
3. Load Trace Database
   myLoads will (in a future version), allow you to simply link to your existing Load Trace database, and then use updated data from that database anytime you use the Load Trace in deSide. If you have any suggestions as to how this option would be of benefit to you, please send us some feeback on the subject. You can help shape the future of myLoads!

Edit or delete an existing load trace

Your collection of Load Traces is stored in your LoadProfiles database (installed when you install the deSide Updater). You can manage this collection by using this tab. At the top of this tab, is a drop-down box containing all the names of the Load Traces you have stored in your database. Select a Load Trace from this list to load it into the form. As you can see in the following screenshot, I've selected a Load Trace called "Example Peaky Load in VIC", which was a Simple Load Trace.

With a Load Trace selected, you can choose to modify any of its details, or simply delete it. Once you've made changes though, dont forget to click on the Save Changes button, or nothing you change will be saved.