Bryant
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93 votesBryant
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An error occurred while saving the comment An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I agree with Corinne, this is a big pain when working on site drawings that have detail views of the same devices. Many times we copy the completed model space to a sheet manually circuiting everything at the proper scale. Other times we create a seperate drawing in the same folder with a different dimscale. However, either way makes one of them not be in sync with intelligence.
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1 voteBryant
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3 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
With the new load calculation format for your schedules, I wonder if the CEC residential load calcs would be easier to add? Have a house right now with 10 panels with generator and ATS. I have to remove all the schedules on the panel and then put a spreadsheet under it. Took 2 days to coordinate. Now they are doing a VE and will now have to spend 2 days re-coordinating. The CEC is based on sq ft. It only counts appliances over 1.5kW at 25%. The only tricky thing is you have to have at least 6kW allocated to a range. They also have a slightly different method of doing HVAC calcs. CEC tries to make things easier than the NEC for residential.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I am thinking these are referencing a panel schedule that does CEC load calcs. I have a spreadsheet that does CEC load calcs if you want to take a look. It is very similar to the dwelling alternate method but has some rules on EV, on demand water heaters, minimum loads for ranges, and a whole bunch of loads that are not included if too small.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
You would be better starting out with the CEC load calcs for residential. If is just about as easy as the US optional method. since I do a lot of Bahamas homes they all use the CEC and I have to use a spreadsheet for that and then create a panel schedule that doesn't show yours. I could send you my spreadsheet and it will show you the 4 or 5 calculations you need for residential CEC. It really is pretty easy.
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1 vote
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Since my last comment I have added a new work around that kind of works, but requires me to keep track of what is load shedded. I go to the generator and make it a 2 breaker generator. The ATS gets connected to breaker one. Breaker 2 gets a label called "Load Shed" and I manually put a -10 in the heater load if I am shedding a 10kW heater and -20 if there are 2 10kW heaters. DM then shows the correct load on the ATS/Service and a reduced demand on the generator.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Funny I was just thinking how most of my generator and generator panel load calcs are never accurate. That is because for most residential and many commercial generators there are load shedding devices that are connected by relays that will turn items off when on generator. The solution is to create an additional check box next to the load type called "Load Shed". Then on the one-line device set up you would include an "exclude load shed loads in the calculations" check box. I would say yes on the generator, ATS, and Generator panels. Problem solved!
Bryant
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77 votesBryant
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An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
If you are going to do this, make sure you fix how the voltage drop is performed as some situations you will want it based on load calcs and other times at actual load. If automatic was used and it was based on demand many times that might oversize the wire as you would add 25% to a 5HP motor wired 150ft would give a way oversized wired.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Per NEC 250.122(B) When ungrounded circuit conductors are increased in size for voltage drop, the EGC must be proportionately increased in size. Maybe at a minimum we could get a check mark next to the ground conductor that says "Upsized". You would then compare the automatic sized conductors versus selected and upsize the ground accordingly. Right now, I have to manually do this with a spreadsheet. Sometimes I just guess the upsize for time sakes :-(
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4 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
You would have to give us the option of locating the labels based on 4 separate rotations as it can changed based on rotation. I also believe that is why it takes so much time to go back and make all the labels look good as DM seems to have the default locate based on a rotation of 0, but you only have a 25% chance that is the actual rotation. Then we have to go back and fix hundreds of labels that are not at 0.
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7 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I like the idea of a special layer (doesn't have to be called demo). If on that layer DM doesn't show it in any schedule as a count. Those devices would also be ignored during a find uncircuited command.
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16 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I created a DM dynamic block that give me the capability to put directional arrows and single/double lit signs. I was able to erase 12 DM blocks using this method.
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14 votesBryant
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19 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I hope Marc is suggesting that a few of the fields on the header needs to be selectable. That way on a disconnect switch I would select Frame size instead of seeing MLO which is very misleading. Or on a generator I could select KVA and KW. Or a transformer would have in and out voltage. Have a couple of selectable fields would help a lot instead of the same header for all devices and thus having to create different schedules for each type of occupancy and gear type.
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4 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I really like this as right now I have to create a dummy switch for some situations. Another thing I did was create a switch that was actually a dynamic block that looked like a home run. To add to this many times we need to install a junction box or hand hole somewhere and we only want to install an empty conduit back to a future fixture that we just label "Future Lighting". I would like to be able to circuit that switch or junction box and put a load in the circuit to account for the future item. In the circuit I would put a 20A breaker and no conductors and a 1" conduit. I would like to be able to run a homerun back from the junction box and when DM sees no conductor, but a conduit it would put that conduit info on the homerun in addition to the circuit. Surely every electrical designer has this issue all the time for new construction. DM won't let you homerun junction boxes nor will it let you do just a conduit.
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3 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
If you do a default, how about letting us change the default so that DM will go back and replace all those voltages with the new voltage and not uncircuit everything.
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9 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Just the other way around, My lighting rep gives me all his fixture information via Excel. It would be a major time saver if I could import his lighting schedule just as easily as I could export one to him.
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27 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Maybe you can take it both ways? Would love to be able to import a clients equipment list almost more than I could export it.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Purchase XL2CAD tool pack from DotSoft. Using the Annotation Export ribbon (XL2CADTAE) you can export any DM schedule directly to Excel. Make sure you use "Free Text" option and then select the equipment schedule while Excel is open. It will then put that table in excel for purposed of listing all you equipment in the load calculations. Solved a lot of problems for me and now can't live without it.
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118 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Just thought of another idea that might help get some of this going: Right now you have to "connect device to a switch group" before you can group anything, but a LCP doesn't really require a local switch which causes a problem when home running to LCP, Maybe you can add another option such as "connect device to a LCP switch group" which would not require a switch and we could circuit that group to our own LCP panel. Then you will let us Home run that back from a device with the homerun having a switched circuit to it? At least we would have a way of grouping devices that are controlled by a LCP and would be a tremendous help to me. Using non-printing dummy switches works, but creates a bunch of clutter and coordination issues.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
In response to donw comment below, I have to put in a dummy switch that is on a special non-print layer so that my home run will show the switching. However, I like you have found no solution to show the homerun as a switch and just hope the contractor is smart enough to figure it out.
Bryant
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An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Maybe a new device type (Contactor Module?) that has the same number of inputs as output with an option for one input and multiple outputs. The module would be MLO or Breaker input and all outputs would be able to have multiple load types circuited to it without a breaker. You would also need to give an option for a pre and post circuit label name so module 5 circuit 6 would show up in the schedule or one-line as z125b (a way of assigning zone schemes). Then you would make it so that each input to the module could be linked to the output breaker from another device (in case you are doing a simple lighting relay contactor). The other option would be if the module is installed inside a lighting control panel in which you would be able to link a module to either one breaker/lug or each input to a breaker/lug. This panel would also be able to have assigned to it a single circuit breaker for power and could be identified on the one-line drawing. The panel schedule when printed would be like a standard panel schedule except that it will identified a module and circuit/zone label. The one-line would be able to show a module/contactor for each circuit and output. Plus the panel would need to show the circuit powering it. I would think we could use this with some cad modifications to create a data one-line and possibly a fire alarm system.
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93 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
There might be some confusion on this statement: Shunt trip breakers typically use and extra panel slot. Currently we just show a blank space (no breaker) under the shunt trip and label it 'space for shunt trip'." That extra space you are referring to is actually the control power source for another breaker which is actually the Shunt trip breaker. For Fire alarm systems sometimes you would not require that "space for shunt trip" as the power would be DC and coming from the fire alarm panel. That "space for Shunt trip" if required would just be labels "Shunt Trip Power", but the actual breaker that is the shunt trip breaker would need a note saying "Shunt Trip". Which brings me to the next issue with this special case is that we need to be able to have this note for the circuit breaker OR the main breaker as many panels are EPO protected and they shut off the whole panel. If we could get notes for the main breaker then we could then also add trip settings to that note for arch flash and circuit breaker coordination.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I saw another engineers schedule that l liked. Next to each circuit was another column called Notes. But it was a place to put about 5 numbers with circles around them as a reference. Then at the bottom of the schedule inside its border was a note section with all the numbers with circles around them listed in a separate rows with an explanation of the note. Look very easy to understand and clean.
Bryant
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5 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
For circuiting it is all or nothing on the layer systems. This causes a problem when you have an existing circuit with all the equipment on a 252 color layer and then you want to add to that circuit with new devices. The circuit loops and labels will all be at 252 even though the fixtures are on the new layer. Also there are times when you want the loops to go from solid to dashed representing underground.
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5 votesBryant
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An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
I was just about to add this as a new wish list. I would like to expand on this as I have multiple issues that require this based on the circuit being circuited. I would need a pre and a post for the panel label and the circuit label. Many LV circuit are really zone or address and not really panels-circuit. So I create a LV panel and circuit a LV device on Panel LV2-3, but I really want it to be LV.3 or LV:3 or LV3 or LV2-3:1 or even ND6:3. I can do any of these labels if I had a pre or post of the circuit or panel label. Right now I have to manually do this using the add Note which is a big problem when updated labeling is required.
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2 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
wanted to also add that this feature would be used for a back-feed breaker too.
Bryant
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21 votes
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
Pretty sure this is the same request as "Generic Schedule Creator" I guess you might add an arrow/pointer capability that you could point to the device if you move it away from the device. Key notes are just an addition to you add a note, but you would have to create a note first or select from a create list. To me this is a big issue that would help a lot to document issues by schedule instead of marking up the drawing with notes everywhere.
An error occurred while saving the comment Bryant
commented
This is a good addition to your one-line notes. You all ready have the blocks and a schedule. Why not just make two column schedule with with a selected symbol and note column. This would also fill the generic scheduler idea. You could also use this for key notes, reference notes, and plan notes.
Why not just use dimscale and then a device scale over-ride multiplier of the dimscale when placing a device on the drawing or querying the device? Not sure how using the alignment point would help as that would be the same as the way I do it now with a seperate drawing using a different dimscale. It does help, but you still can only put a receptacle in once and circuit it once.