topic Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results in Revit MEP Forum

Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 16:53:02 GMT

I'm trying to schedule out a bunch of parameters with my light fixtures. But, a bunch of parameters have results that make no sense. They are all the same results for that parameter. All these parameters:

Wattage

Total Lamp Lumens

Total Light Loss Factor

Luminous Intensity

Luminous Flux

Luminaire Lumens

Luminaire Input Watts

Lamp Lumens

Initial Color Temperature

Luminance

Efficacy Rating

Efficacy

Dimming

Any ideas why there are no varying results for these parameters? Some of the parameters I can't even figure out where the information is actually being pulled from.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 18:24:57 GMT

Let's start with a few things:

1 - Are you using shared parameters?

2 - Did you build the family yourself?

3 - Can you send a screen shot of the schedule fields properties (where you go to add/remove fields from the schedule)

We'll go from there!

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Scott_D_ — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 18:53:00 GMT

Stock revit families for lights have odd identical figures for light fitting parameters.

Are you scheduling the OEM fitting parameters or your own which are not working correctly?

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 19:15:21 GMT

1. Not for the parameters having the same results

2. Yes

I'm mostly concerned with the Wattage parameter being the same for all the fixtures.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 19:17:25 GMT

I'm only using parameters that are "built-in" lighting fixture families and parameters I create. The "built in" parameters such as Wattage. Are the parameters I am having the issues with

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 19:22:16 GMT

What about in plan view or when you select the fixture, what do you see in the properties for those parameters?

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

kadmonkee — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 20:25:20 GMT

are they all TYPE parameters?

try changing some to INSTANCE Parameters.

never saw this action before it seems odd.

can you manually change the parameter and its value after you change to an INSTANCE parameter?

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

fabiosato — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 00:32:14 GMT

Hello,

Depending on how you plan to use these parameters data, they are not the solution, for example Wattage is a text parameter, so you can use it for calculations, personally I create my own set o parameters, specially because this way I can set the ones I want to instance type.

If you are having too much trouble, use your own parameters.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 14:41:13 GMT

No, I do not see the properties i'm having specific issues with.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 15:02:46 GMT

The parameters I'm having the issue with seem to be "built-in" parameters. They are not in the family. That are not showing in the fixtures properties window or type properties window in the model. I'm just curious where they are and what they are actually pulling. Because its just seems like arbitrary information.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

kadmonkee — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:11:32 GMT

can you share the family ?

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:54:00 GMT

Sure. All our fixtures are created with the same parameters. So, I guess if one is not working. they all will not work. The family is in 2017.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

kadmonkee — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:13:56 GMT

i compared your family to the one i attached and have used for a while now with no issues.

i couldn't see any differences as far as parameters go (other than naming conventions)

the family is created in 2016 but feel free to update it

it is an unhosted multi type based family

generic in appearance but it serves many purposes and scenarios.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:23:41 GMT

Thanks. I'll take a look at it. My fixtures work great. All my shared parameters work exactly how I want them to. Lately, I've been trying to put together schedules for our engineers to utilize. So, I just dumped all the parameters available for a light fixture family into a schedule to see what information would be of any importance to them. That is how I came across the issue I'm having. I'm just getting a little confused where some of the "available" parameters for the schedule are actually getting pulled into the schedule and how they are getting the results they are showing. Because they mean nothing to me at this point. The Wattage parameter in particular is something that is just confusing me. Its showing 9W for all the fixtures. Obviously, that is not correct.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

kadmonkee — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:52:30 GMT

so i tested some things on my end

i created a shared Parameter (instance) for Wattage included that in my lite Fixt family and then added the parameter into my schedule

the fields will vary in your schedule but the shared Parameters need to be included in both the family and the schedule

Wattage Comments is Static (type Parameter) same value in a text field. built in parameters are limiting

if a formula can be added (not sure) for the the wattage to be calculated, i entered the random numbers

add the shared parameter into the project (Project Parameter) and assign it to lighting Fixtures

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:25:01 GMT

Totally understand what you are doing on your end. My confusion is that there is a Wattage parameter already available in a light fixture family that can be scheduled. Its not a shared parameter. I believe its "built-in" to the family. If you build a new fixture family and do not add a wattage shared parameter. It will still show up as a parameter to be scheduled. Curious why its in there and what it is even doing. Because it just seems arbitrary. No real numbers applied to it. But, it can be used in a calculated formula in a schedule. Its just confusing me what that parameter is even doing in the family and why it is available to be scheduled.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

fabiosato — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 23:04:52 GMT

Hello timmy21,

I believe I understood your question.

Some parameters are inside some configuration windows, see the images below.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Scott_D_ — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 08:13:06 GMT

Revit uses the apparent power figure in VA from the electrical connector, that's probably why the Wattage parameter seems a bit arbitrary.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:44:59 GMT

Thanks. I stumbled on to that just yesterday myself. There are still a couple that I'm trying to dig into to find where the information is.

Re: Light Fixture Parameters Showing Same Results

fabiosato — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:47:31 GMT

Hello timmy21,

Depending on the light source type you select, other settings and parameters will become available.