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Electrical Systems

Electrical Systems

Electrical Systems and Settings

Electrical drawings can be generated for a model by setting up rules in Setting Sets or overriding the rules for specific rooms. Using Setting Set rules for Electrical can be helpful to set standards not just across one home model, but for all models in the account through the Central Data Model.

Electrical Rules

Rules allow you to standardize electrical layouts across entire homes by Room Types, Space Types and Props.

To create Electrical Rules:

  1. Load the Setting Set ‘Electrical’ in Setting Sets.

  2. Create a new Rule

    • Note: The checkbox ‘Merge Rules’ allows rules in the setting sets hierarchy to be combined & merged instead of negated in the Setting Sets hierarchy.

    • For example, if there are rules for all bedrooms in the Base Setting Sets folder, and additional rules in a subfolder, all rules will be applied when ‘Merge Rules’ is checked.

  3. Use filters to determine where and when the rule should be applied. Any combination of these rules can be applied:

    1. Room Type

    2. Space Type

    3. Room Area

    4. Room Width

    5. Room Length

  4. Then Select the Layout Type:

  5. The Load Type, which is the type of fixture, outlet or device.

  6. Connected allows the Load to be connected to a Switch on the plan. The connection line will automatically be drawn when this is selected and can be altered later.

  7. Add a Controller Position or multiple controllers to create a 3way or 4way circuit.

Electrical Item Catalog

Custom Electrical Symbols can be created in the Electrical Item Catalog via Setting Sets.

For example, a custom symbol for ‘Prewire for Fan’ can be created with a note. Then, a rule can be assigned to apply this symbol to all secondary bedrooms, wired to the nearest switch.

Electrical Systems by Room

Predefined electrical rules do not fit for all circumstances and can be overridden by room. By default, each room type will receive an automatic layout, just like props in a room.

  • The automatic layout or the layout generated by rules can be turned off in a room by room basis. Select ‘Suppress Electrical From Settings’ under Layout > Electrical Settings to remove the layout created by Setting Sets rules and create a room specific layout.

  • ‘Suppress Electrical From Settings’ will clear all rules assigned to that room.

  • The rules do not need to be cleared to add more electrical loads or controllers to the room.

Electrical Shortcuts

To add one or more electrical loads, select the lightning bolt symbol on the Toolbar or use the shortcut Shift+E. Loads can be added in one or more rooms at a time.

To add a controller to an electrical load or group of loads, select the controller symbol on the Toolbar or use the shortcut Command+E.

Electrical Loads

Electrical Loads are defined as anything that consumes an electrical supply including lights, outlets, fans & detectors. Electrical Loads can be added via:

  • The Toolbar below the Canvas.

  • The shortcut: Shift+E.

  • Via the Layout tab of the Room.

  • Loads from the layout tab are in the form of individual devices defined by location parameters or a predefined layout.

  • Loads added from the Toolbar or the shortcut will come in individual devices and are located by clicking with the mouse.

To add a load to a room:

  1. Shift+E to activate the shortcut.

  2. Select the Room, hit Enter.

  3. Use the dropdown to select the load type.

  4. Click to place Loads in the room.

  5. Hit Enter or select Done to input changes.

  6. Hold Shift+G to group electrical loads together to form a circuit for a controller.

Note: Loads can also be grouped between rooms by Shift+Click to select all loads then Shift+G to group the loads.

Load from Electrical Layouts in the Inspector

Creating electrical loads from Layouts is the ‘classic’ method of adding electrical systems to Studio files. These can be added from Electrical Devices or Electrical Layouts in the Room > Layout menu in the Inspector.

Electrical Devices

There are 5 different ways to associate a load from Electrical Devices:

  • Edge by Cursor: Manually position a load from a cursor click. (similar to the shortcut or the toolbar)

  • Edge Load: Manually position a load along a room edge

  • Prop Load: Associate loads to a prop type, a load will be affixed to every instance of the selected prop that exists in the room

  • Casework Load: Associate a load to an existing casework in the room by its name

  • Reference Geometry Load (Ref Geom Load): Associate a load to a reference geometry

Controllers

Controllers are the switches that control loads in one room or multiple rooms that host a group of electrical loads.

To place a controller:

Shift+Selecting the Room in which the controller will be located in + the group of devices assigned to the controller. Controllers for Electrical Devices are placed by:

  1. Selecting Controller in the Command Palette or using the shortcut Command+E.

  2. Select the Controller Type, Switch Type & Connection under Placement.

  3. Edit the Position Selector using the cog wheel.

  4. Adding this Controller to the named Electrical Device Group created in the room under Layout > Electrical Devices by right clicking.

  5. Select the Group to add the controller to.

The following options are positions that can be assigned to a controller in each room. They can be selected when using any method of placement listed above.

  • Primary Entrance

  • Primary Entrance Outside

  • Nearest Candidate

  • Nearest Candidate Outside

  • Nearest Door Outside

  • Door by Room Type

  • Door by Room Type Outside

  • By Controller Tag (see note below)

  • Door by Room IDs

  • Nearest Explicit Wall

Note: When a controller is created and named in the file, it can be referenced to any load in the file when “By controller tag” is selected.

Electrical Layouts

Electrical Layouts are pre-defined layouts of a group of electrical loads and can be added per room via the Inspector. Electrical Layouts include their own tools for placing controllers. Electrical Layout types include:

  • At Back of Prop: assigns a load type to a specific prop.

  • At Door by Type: assigns a load type to a specific door.

  • Single Light: places one load.

  • Garage Lights: places typical garage lights, outlets, and a door opener.

  • Four Lights: a layout of 4 lights within a room.

  • Standard Outlets: places outlets within a room and includes spacing rules.

  • Linear Array: a linear layout of lights or loads.

  • Rectangular Array: a rectangular array of loads with defined spacing and X and Y quantities.

Load Types

  • BATH_FAN

  • BATH_FAN_LIGHT

  • CABLE_OUTLET

  • CARBON_MONOXIDE_DETECTOR

  • CEILING_FAN

  • CEILING_FAN_LIGHT

  • DISH_DISPOSAL

  • DOORBELL_CHIME

  • FAN_PREWIRE

  • FLOOD_LIGHT

  • FLOOR_TO_FLOOR_TRANSITION

  • FLOURESCENT_CEILING_LIGHT

  • FLOURESCENT_CEILING_LIGHT_1X4

  • GARAGE_DOOR_OPENER

  • HOSE_BIB

  • KEYLESS_CEILING_LIGHT

  • MOUNTED_CEILING_LED_LIGHT

  • MOUNTED_CEILING_LIGHT

  • MOUNTED_WALL_LIGHT

  • OUTLET

  • OUTLET_120_240V

  • OUTLET_220V

  • OUTLET_240V

  • OUTLET_CAT5

  • OUTLET_FLOOR

  • OUTLET_GFCI

  • OUTLET_GFCI_WP

  • OUTLET_HDMI

  • PENDANT_CEILING_LIGHT

  • RECESSED_CEILING_LIGHT

  • RECESSED_CEILING_LIGHT_MINI

  • SMOKE_DETECTOR

  • TELEPHONE

  • TELEVISION

  • THERMOSTAT

  • TRACK_CEILING_LIGHT

  • UNDER_COUNTER_LIGHT

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