Simple Panel Schedule

[Tom_Eitelbach]

I have tried several times over the last two years to modify the stock panel schedules. I have learned a lot about the MEP software since I first tried to do this, but I still can not make a simple schedule.

All I need is panel name, circuit number, breaker size and circuit description. I understand all about fields, tables and AEC schedules but I have no clue how MEP puts those together.

Any insight would be grateful. 

[Keith.Brown]

http://www.cadengineeredsolutions.com/autocad_mep/autocad-mep-scheduling-basics/

[Tom_Eitelbach]

I understand schedules. But Mep uses some sort of by hybrid for panel schedules. When I modify the table it always goes back to the original style. It looks like a standard table with fields but it is more than that. And it is not a schedule table.

If I do as-builts I don't want load information even if I add a load to all my devices. I am not a PE so I would not want that information on a schedule sheet. I use it more for checking that I did not miss a circuit description. The loads are as accurate as I can get them, but it is no substitute.

[Keith.Brown]

Oops. Sorry I'm on my phone and misread the post. I was thinking regular schedules.

[VitalyF]

Hi,

t.ietelbach wrote:

...I use it more for checking that I did not miss a circuit description...

You can attach an example and explain in detail?

Vitaly

[Tom_Eitelbach]

The contract drawings for the job I am doing the as-builts for right now never had panel schedules. We asked several times for them during the coarse of the job. We were always told by the A&E that they were not available, or we were not going to get them. I have my suspicions why we were not going to get them. The job probably has 50 or 60 panels. It made it tough to layout all the conduit home runs and make sure all circuits were accounted for. Our schedules were also used to show what circuits were figured for during spatial coordination and what would be picked up in the field.

Things change between design and submittal. Single phase unit heaters get submitted and approved as three phase. one way that is getting picked up for the as builts is the loads I assigned to the devices. Now when I see a three phase load on a single phase description I can Change it.There are also many thing that get added. I may have it as a load and it shows up in the schedule, now I have to go back and see what the load is and give it a description in the schedules. 

Now all I need is a simple Panel schedule to put on a sheet and print, to hand over to the owner. He certinly does not have one with the contract set!

Thanks

[VitalyF]

Hi,

As table should look like?

What fields should be in table?

Can draw for an example of a table by using acad lines and text?

Vitaly

[MuirEng · Accepted solution]

Basic points about modifying panel schedules

- each pb schedule variant is a table style. So if you want to modify it you need to modify the table style.

- do this is a separate drawings file using a copy of a working known good PB schedule from one of the stock .dwg files. Modify the table itself, and then use the tablestyle command, modify, and "select table to start from", clicking on your modified table to modify the table style.

- make changes incrementally and keep incremental working versions, because sometimes they stop working and it is hard to figure out why

- the table you want is just a standard one with some stuff deleted.

- you need to delete the table style in your working drawing before importing the new style, otherwise it will not import

- it is a hassle. The designers did not make this intuitive!

Hey Vitaly, do you know if there is a table field that can extract the wire style connected to a circuit? Some of the stock panels display the wire size but in my opinion this is pretty useless since no important context is displayed (such as material, insulation).

I mean what is "3x8;1x8;1x8" going to mean to an electrican? Is that three #8 aluminum or copper? Is it armoured or not? If I can display the wire style name then I can report something useful like 3#8 ACWU. Any ideas about that?

[Tom_Eitelbach]

Here is the basic schedule I am looking for.

Part of my problem is, every time I am finished modifying, it I right click the table and select save as new table style. The next time I up-date it it goes back to the original style.

[MuirEng]

follow the process I describe above

[MuirEng]

Here is a PB schedule much like what you are trying to construct. This is a single phase variant.

[Tom_Eitelbach]

MuirEng, Thank you

I can't believe It finally worked. I have been messing around with that on and off for a long time.

Thanks again.

[VitalyF]

Hi,

MuirEng wrote:

Hey Vitaly, do you know if there is a table field that can extract the wire style connected to a circuit?

No, there is no fields in the box...

One circuit may include several styles of wires...

Some of the stock panels display the wire size but in my opinion this is pretty useless since no important context is displayed (such as material, insulation).

I agree, Schedule Table and Acad Table is not perfect and many years nothing changes!!!

[MuirEng]

Okay, I experimented a bit. It is possible to assign property sets to wires, and those property sets can extract the conductor and insulation and other such. So it is fairly easy to build up a descriptive field associated with the wire, i.e. something like 3C#250MCM-RW90, which is relevant to electrical contractors.

I understand your comment that is is possible to have multiple wires in a circuit, but the PB schedule can pull size data out somehow regardless, so why not other fields? Is the problem that the PB schedule only talks to the fields shown in circuit manager, and that uses specific code to pull wire size data out?

If this is truly not possible, then is it possible to pull/transfer the data in the wire property over to the properties of a device or part it is connected to, such that it can be displayed in a table of such devices or parts? (e.g. so that the mechanical schedule could indicate the size or wire required)

Re your last comment, yes that is a big problem. We are trying to use a product that seems abandoned in terms of future growth. AutoDesk doesn't seem to understand or care that Revit MEP is not a viable tool for subconsultants unless the entire project is Revit based. I believe there is a place for both Revit and AutoCAD MEP.

[VitalyF]

I think Revit is too similar to cartoon... ))

And for me a lot of problems with the AMEP Content on the Russian Standard....!!

Had to spend a lot of time to create this content, about 10-years old. 

To create the content and design concepts in the AMEP! ((

[nrobinsonK8CN2]

Hi,

I want to keep this topic going since I'm stuck on this same issue. I can't figure out how to edit the AEC Circuit for Circuit Wires field in my modified Panel Schedule Table Styles.

I'm contemplating creating several System Type named differently for each wire size to use AEC Circuit Field for Circuit System Type just to indicate 12-2 AC,  10-2 AC, etc... But I'd rather not.

Please let me know if you figure if the AEC Circuit Field is taking data is it's taking data from the Wire Object Property Set Definitions somehow and if we can modify these to affect field. Or is there a way to Create your own AEC Circuit Field?

Let me know what you think.

[ese_scott]

I have created many simple panel schedules and other schedules over the years. The picture attached is an example of a 42-pole panelboard. The panelboard is a block with attributes. The loads and circuit breaker info are

 

simple text, and the KVA loads are fields that self-tally as you enter in the KVA info for each circuit breaker. See attached example

[CShopmeyer]

Do you have a copy of this panelboard schedule?

[ese_scott]

Yes I use it almost everyday