Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
The electrical connectors in your families determine some of the properties
of the circuit to which they are connected.
Circuit Properties
To access the properties of a circuit, select an element connected to it and
then select the Electrical Circuits contextual tab. If the selected component
has multiple circuited connectors, you can choose which circuit properties
to access by selecting the circuit from the System Selector drop-down list.
The properties of the circuit are displayed in the Properties palette. Click
the Properties button on the ribbon to access the Properties palette if it
is not already active. Because most of the data comes from the electrical
characteristics of the connector and the distribution system, many of the
parameters of the circuit are grayed out and are not editable. Revit takes
the load information from the components on the circuit and calculates the
apparent load and current as well as the voltage drop and wire size. You
can change the type of wire used for the circuit by editing the Wire Type
parameter. This defines the type of wire used for calculations.
You can change the Load Name parameter to give the circuit a more
descriptive name that appears in the panel. When you are creating a circuit
for components and the load exceeds 80 percent of the circuit-breaker
rating, yougetawarning. Itdoesnotprevent youfromoverloading acircuit,
however. The default breaker size for circuits is 20 amps. The Rating
parameter indicates the circuit-breaker size for the circuit and can be
changed to meet the requirements of your circuit. Choosing the size of
circuit breakers is the realm of the engineer; it's your decision. Revit is
meant to help you resolve circuits that are overloaded or could become
overloaded by being designed too close to ideal tolerances. People express
anxiety about computers making too many decisions or replacing them.
Revit helps keep track of information and provides us with results that help
us make informed choices about equipment and circuit design.
Wire Properties
When you select a wire in a model, you can access that wire's properties
in the Properties palette. Clicking the Edit Type button in the Properties
palette opens the Type Properties dialog box, which displays the parameters
for the wire as defined in the electrical settings for the project. You can add
information such as a description or type mark to the wire type.
