referred to as targets and sources – items that distribute and receive power in a model. Electrical equipment is defined as a multi-view part that

includes items such as switchboards and motor control centers. These parts include connections for adding conduit. Panels are another form of

electrical equipment, but these items can also have circuits and electrical loads assigned to them, and may also be assigned to other panels, so their load

is transferred to the upper panels. Lights and power devices are connected to panels, and the load assigned to these devices is passed up to the

panel, so it’s best to locate your panels early in the job. Let’s see how this works. Make sure you have the Livgren project for chapter 4 open. From the

constructs tab, open the Electrical Base – 1st floor. When using Project Navigator, all physical objects are created in a construct, so this is the right file to

be working in. The architectural plan is already loaded into this construct. We want to add a transformer and panels to the plan, and a generator

to the outside of the building. To place electrical equipment, make sure you have the Electrical workspace set current. Once the workspace is

current, you have two places to locate equipment commands. The first is the HOME tab and the Build Panel. The equipment tool is a flyout, which

includes common components, such as a generator, junction box, motor control center and switchboard. The other location is the tool palette –

make sure you can see the palette, and then go to the Equipment tab. Select the Emergency Power Generator - Gas tool to place a generator. The

MVPART palette will appear – this is a floating palette, and can be pinned into place, or set to autohide. Leave it pinned. The tool from the palette

is set to jump directly to the category for generators. Select the Emergency Power Generator – gas. This is important – check the

elevation – this is the only thing you really need to know about working in 3D – this sets the height or Z elevation of the part, based on the insertion point

of the part. Set this to 0", so it is placed on the ground. For the part size name, select the 25kw Gas Emergency Power Generator. If the dialog is

pinned, left click once in the model space area to place the part. Select a point on the east side of the building, outside of the storage room. The MEP

compass will appear, showing the increment angles that can be used to place the part. Pick a point as shown, and then set the rotation to 180

degrees. While the dialog is still open, make sure the Part tab is selected. Scroll down in the list until you find the Power Transformers. Select the Dry

Type 225-300kVA dry type – pick the 225kVa part size, and check the elevation – it should still be set to 0 from the generator. Select a point in the

electrical room, and then rotate the unit 270 degrees. The next item we want to place is a panel – this serves as a power source to other power and

lighting devices. In order to set information for the panel, the properties palette cannot be hidden – so select it if auto hide is turned on for the palette.

Pick the panel tool. Immediately go to Properties – check the style. When the style is picked, you open a master drawing – this contains panel styles,

which set the block image and behavior of a panel. Pick the surface category, and then pick the SURFACE SOLID – 42 slots. Select OK to

continue. Panels can be placed and rotated just like an MVPART – but since we’re using AutoCAD Architecture backgrounds, you can also use the

ALIGN TO OBJECT option. On the properties palette, change Align to Objects to YES. Notice how the panel aligns to the wall – now we can turn

snaps off – do this on the system tray at the bottom of the screen. Next, go to the elevation option on properties – set this to 5’ – this places the center of

the panel at 5’ above the finished floor. Skip over the circuit section for now – go the design data area of the properties dialog. Set the name to LP1.

Set the Rating to 150. Make sure the voltage phase to neutral is set to 120, and the voltage phase to phase is set to 208 – you can adjust

these to 277 and 480 if you want to use a higher voltage, as an example. This forces the panel to only allow objects that have the same voltage

phase to neutral settings to be connected to this panel. Set the phases to 3 and the wires to 4, so the panel can include single, double and three pole

circuits. Leave the Main type to Main Lugs Only – another option is Main Circuit Breaker. We’ll save this for the higher panel. Leave the remaining

options unchanged. Next, pick Yes to create circuits, and then choose Circuit Settings. Circuit settings control the behavior of the panel. From

here you can set the system type, the number of slots – set this to 42 for now. And then set the number of circuits to 2 – we can always come back

and add more later. Leave the circuit descriptions to spare and space for circuits that are with or without breakers. Select OK, and then place the

panel on the wall. Press enter to complete the command. You can continue to add parts and panels using the equipment or panel dialog, or you

can use the AutoCAD Copy command. Watch as I select the parts – then I right click, choose Basic Modify tools, and then choose Copy. I’ll pick a

starting point – and copy what I need to another area of the room. Once these are placed, you’re ready to start adding target devices such as lights

and receptacles. The panels are a necessary first step in order to create power circuits and track loads associated with power devices.