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Custom Cable Connectors/Accessories


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Hi All, 

I'm working on Power Distribution plots for TV and Film in Toronto Canada - we have some pretty standard equipment that I'd like to be able to use (but it's rather specific to our region and niche industry- which i supposed is why it's not in the vectorworks library). 

 

These include

-T-Towers (1 set of 5 wire 3phase camlok in  to 3 sets of 5 camlok out) - I guess these would technically be cable connectors/splitters

-4A box (2 phase camlok in to 6 x 60 amp "JOY wire out")

-3x20 box (60amp Joy in, to 3x 20amp edison receptacles). 

 

I've made objects for each of these, and also some custom records have been attached, but how do i make them into "appliances" that I can use for cabling?

I've been to plugins>Jumper Cable VW, which i think i will be able to modify as is appropriate for our needs, but i can't figure out how to assign the plugin's record to my objects.

 

Thanks in advance.

Peter/.

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Thanks Sam -
Here are physical photos of the stuff we use (my actual symbols are just crude 3d cubes of appropriate dimensions. I've made them Symbols, and converted to lighting Accessory (maybe this is where the problem is?), and attached a screen grab of the simple custom record i made.

 

The 'IN" and "OUT" fields are text to designate where things are going to or coming from "Generator 1", or "Location 3" or whatever. 

 

 

3x20.jpg

4a Box.jpg

Distro Connector Record.PNG

T Tower.jpg

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You're right I've never seen these, but they seem to be what we would call distros.

For now they will need to be objects not part of the VW cable universe but connected to it

Each object, I assume symbol, can have the record you show connected to it, and you run VW cables to them and from them.  How you do this has a little wiggle room, but I would do the following.

 

For the 3x20, top picture:

I would run a 60 amp jumper cable to it and 20 amp jumper cables out of it.

 

For the 4a box, middle picture:

I would run a "5 wire, multicable"  OR  "single insulated conductors" to the box.  Both need to have the appropriate phasing, wire gauge,  and connectors selected.

      This brings up the issue of "2 phase" service.  How does that work?  You show 5 wires which we would take to mean "3 phase" service.  If you really mean "2 phase" service, then you are screwed, because that is not in option with VW cables.

Assuming all is good with the input I would run 60 amp jumpers out of it.

 

For the T-Towers, bottom picture:

I would run "5 wire, multicable"  OR  "single insulated conductors" to the tower  and 3 separate runs of "5 wire, multicable"  OR  "single insulated conductors" out of the tower.

 

Do you need more?

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello Peter,

 

I've been working on developing some cable tool workflows and have discovered some cool things you can do by editing the multicable tool plug in and adding in additional cable types, break-in types and break out types. I've attached a fairly similar example file where I'm using a power distro for going from Cams to SPG20A. It won't be a perfect solution, but it is nice that this will work with the Assign Multicable Circuits, Place Break Out Label Commands, and it will show up on your cable worksheets. Hopefully this can help you out, I've attached some screenshots for how to edit the plug-in. Since you are editing a plug-in, be careful not to change anything other than just adding in new text options. Let me know if you have any questions. 

 

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And just in case you need it: 

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Custom Break Outs.vwx

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