Lighting Wiring

[Bobby B]

Apologies if this is covered somewhere I am missing...

 

I've been using VWX Spotlight for many years, but lately moved into architectural lighting design (using Revit heavily).

 

Is there a goto workflow in Vectorworks (using cable tools, or electrical tools) to represent simple wiring on lights for circuiting?

 

In Revit this is so simple with wiring tools (select lights, create circuit, and auto add wires as arced lines). The wires event move with the lights when re-aligning.

 

We are not in need of any other cable information on lights (the electrical contractor handles all that), this is purely for design representation like in attached screenshot (from Revit)

[cberg]

You have to move to the Benelux region... 

 

 

[Scott C. Parker]

Here's place to start. It's really basic at the moment. https://app-help.vectorworks.net/2024/eng/VW2024_Guide/MEP/Creating_a_circuit.htm#h

I think these are the right steps, but I've not tested step by step.
 

1. Open your Vectorworks project and navigate to the desired drawing where you want to create the room electrical layout.
2. Make sure you have the MEP toolset activated. You can do this by going to the top menu and selecting "Tools" > "Workspaces" > "Tool Sets" > "MEP".
3. In the toolset, locate and select the Circuiting tool. It should be represented by an icon resembling a plug and socket.
4. Click on the first electrical device or outlet that you want to include in the room electrical layout. This will be the starting point of your circuit.
5. If the selected device is a custom symbol without a Circuiting record attached, the tool will automatically attach the record to the symbol. You may need to specify whether it is an electrical or communication circuit.
6. The Circuiting Tool dialog box will open, allowing you to enter information for the circuit and the objects within the circuit. Fill in the desired information, such as circuit number, phase, and any other relevant details.
7. Continue clicking on the remaining devices or outlets in the order you want the circuit loop to be drawn. The tool will automatically connect them and assign circuit numbers accordingly.
8. To complete the circuit, click in an empty area of the drawing. A confirmation message may appear asking if you want to place the Home Run marker. Click "Yes" to place the marker.
9. The Circuiting tool will generate a Home Run marker and denote the phases as specified.
10. Repeat steps 4 to 9 for any additional circuits or devices you want to include in the room electrical layout.
11. Once you have finished creating the room electrical layout, save your work to ensure you don't lose any progress.

 

ConnectCAD is another route, but it's designed to make riser diagrams vs. room mapping and layouts.

[Scott C. Parker]

Being that you have a spotlight background, you could use the cable tools with single output "breakouts" for each outlet, etc...

[Scott C. Parker]

Something else a colleague suggested to explore. Could be an interesting rabbit hole.

 

[_James]

13 hours ago, bluelite said:

Is there a goto workflow in Vectorworks (using cable tools, or electrical tools) to represent simple wiring on lights for circuiting?

There doesn't appear to be but I really wish there was. Doing electrical plans is probably one of the biggest time commitments on a set of construction drawings now because it is all done manually.

[jcogdell]

If you have ConnectCAD check out the Cable sheet feature, it can produce this sort of cable plan.
As @Scott C. Parker says it isn't really designed for architectral/domestic power wiring but it can be easily adapted to do so since cabling sheets and riser diagrams are intended to be used to communicate with onsite electrical contratcors which means it has to use their standards.

 

[Tom W.]

12 minutes ago, jcogdell said:

If you have ConnectCAD check out the Cable sheet feature, it can produce this sort of cable plan.
As @Scott C. Parker says it isn't really designed for architectral/domestic power wiring but it can be easily adapted to do so since cabling sheets and riser diagrams are intended to be used to communicate with onsite electrical contratcors which means it has to use their standards.

 

 

If anyone was able to demonstrate this that'd be amazing. I have ConnectCAD + Spotlight + have often wondered whether there was anything there I could be utilising in an architectural context or at least having a play with .

[Peter Vandewalle]

@bluelite In our localised version (Design Express region) we have a tool that does exactly what you need. In Belgium, architects are used to drawing electric plans that look like the example you attached.

[E|FA]

4 hours ago, Peter Vandewalle said:

In our localised version (Design Express region) we have a tool that does exactly what you need.

What are the chances of the tool being available to users of other versions (e.g. USA)?

[Tom W.]

I am still intrigued to know how I could be doing it already using ConnectCAD... Would love to see an example from VW... Presumably there are plenty of other architecture practitioners like me who have Design Suite + are sitting on the software not using it...?

[Peter Vandewalle]

On 1/12/2024 at 6:34 PM, E|FA said:

What are the chances of the tool being available to users of other versions (e.g. USA)?

Years ago, we proposed the tool to the other distributors worldwide. The answer was that Vectorworks users (architects) never make these drawings. So they were not interested.

In Belgium, architects do make those plans.

[E|FA]

I don't know about anyone else in the US, but I've drawn the same kind of plans on just about every project I've worked on for 30 years.  My practice is primarily custom single family homes in the Seattle area.  I've been relying on using 2D symbols and polylines in annotations.

 

I'd be curious if VW USA could include the tool the same way they've added WinDoor.

[rDesign]

On 1/13/2024 at 11:40 AM, Peter Vandewalle said:

Years ago, we proposed the tool to the other distributors worldwide. The answer was that Vectorworks users (architects) never make these drawings. So they were not interested.

In Belgium, architects do make those plans.

The nugget of truth in here might be that Vw architect users never make these drawings because the Vw Circuit tool is so old and not easy to use. I don’t think the Circuit tool has been updated in a decade or more.

 

I’ve tried using the Circuit tools in Vw (Architect) several times over the years; I posted a question about how to use it on the forum and got zero response. I could not find any tutorials on how to properly use the tools.

Vw certainly didn’t ask any architect end users working in the U.S. if this is a need, because as an architect working on small single-family residential projects I always do the reflected ceiling plans, electrical outlet layouts, switching, etc. 

 

@bluelite - you can try using the Circuit tool as @Scott C. Parker suggested, but I found it incredibly frustrating to use. I don’t use the Circuit tool but instead just manually draw the circuit lines as 2D splines. I’m guessing that you will be frustrated with it based on what you said about the Revit workflow. My 2 cents. 

 

Edited January 15 by rDesign

[_James]

On 1/13/2024 at 7:40 PM, Peter Vandewalle said:

Years ago, we proposed the tool to the other distributors worldwide. The answer was that Vectorworks users (architects) never make these drawings. So they were not interested.

Wow. Architects in the UK make these drawings on most, if not all, projects. It would be good for VW to review this.

[Bobby B]

Thank you all for the input. I used ConnectCAD years ago when it was a plug in, but will give the Cable Sheet a look for sure.

 

I'd echo the sentiment to Vectoworks that there are some really basic electrical tools missing for the non-entertainment folks out there producing architectural design plans.

 

As Vectorwroks chases Revit in BIM functionality I think having some better options for (even simple) MEP layouts/schedules will be really important. 

 

Cable Tools as a designer...is just so overkill. I'm sure any architect would stay far away also 🙂

 

Thanks all

[Bobby B]

On 1/11/2024 at 5:37 AM, Tom W. said:

 

If anyone was able to demonstrate this that'd be amazing. I have ConnectCAD + Spotlight + have often wondered whether there was anything there I could be utilising in an architectural context or at least having a play with .

I'd second this...if anyone has a demo of this workflow in action.