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Conduits

This section describes how to use conduits.

Common Conduit Information​

The values that can be specified for a conduit are listed below.

  •  Group: ▾ The group to which the conduit is assigned. The group controls the layer on which the conduit is inserted. See the Conduit Groups section for more information.

  •  Starting Elevation: The starting elevation of the conduit. The reference point for the starting elevation of the conduit is set by the Vertical Alignment ▾. See the Elevation section for more information.

  •  Ending Elevation: The ending elevation of the conduit. The reference point for the ending elevation of the conduit is set by the Vertical Alignment ▾. See the Elevation section for more information.

  •  Vertical Alignment: ▾ Specifies the reference point used for the Starting Elevation and Ending Elevation.

    •  Center of Conduit The elevations refer to the centerline of the conduit. The conduit will extend both above and below these elevations.
    •  Top of Conduit The elevations refer to the top of the conduit. The conduit will extend below these elevations.
    •  Bottom of Conduit The elevations refer to the bottom of the conduit. The conduit will extend above these elevations. If the conduit has hangers, they will extend below this elevation.
    •  Bottom of Hanger The elevations refer to the bottom of the hanger for the conduit. The hangers and the conduit will extend above these elevations. If there is no hanger, the bottom of the conduit will be at these elevations.

  •  Horizontal Alignment: ▾ Specifies the reference point for the conduit construction line.

    •  Centered The construction line is the centerline of the conduit. The conduit extends to both sides of the construction line. Any transitions in the conduit are concentric.
    •  Flat on Left The construction line is the left edge of the conduit. The conduit extends to the right of the construction line. Any transitions in the conduit will be eccentric, with the flat edge on the left.
    •  Flat on Right The construction line is the right edge of the conduit. The conduit extends to the left of the construction line. Any transitions in the conduit will be eccentric, with the flat edge on the right.

  •  Shape: ▾ The shape of the conduit. The fields that are available for specifying the size of the conduit are based upon the selected shape.

    •  Round The conduit will be round. Most conduits will be modeled using this shape.
    •  Rectangular The conduit will be rectangular.This shape can be used to model bus ducts.
    tip

    Multiple parallel conduits can be modeled using the rectangular shape. The space that the conduits occupy can be blocked out with a single rectangular conduit. For collision detection, this limited detail is often enough to verify conflicts in the model.

  •  Diameter: The diameter of the conduit in inches. This size should be the actual exterior dimensions of the conduit, not the trade size. The exact value is used to draw the conduit for collision detection purposes. This field is enabled if the Shape ▾ is set to Round.

  •  Width: The width of the conduit in inches. This size should be the actual exterior dimensions of the conduit. The exact value is used to draw the conduit for collision detection purposes. This field is enabled if the Shape ▾ is set to Rectangular.

  •  Depth: The depth of the conduit in inches. This size should be the actual exterior dimensions of the conduit. The exact value is used to draw the conduit for collision detection purposes. This field is enabled if the Shape ▾ is set to Rectangular.

  •  Radius Criteria: ▾ How the conduit bend radius will be sized. The options available are dependent upon the Shape ▾ of the conduit:

    •  Round
      •  Based Upon Conduit Size (NEC Table 2) The conduit bend radius will be based upon the size of the conduit. NEC Table 2 is used to choose the radius of the conduit bend.
      •  Custom Size Specify the conduit bend radius in the Custom Radius field.
    •  Rectangular
      •  Based Upon <Size> Conduit (NEC Table 2) The conduit bend radius will be based upon the size selected and NEC Table 2. A selection for each size in the table is included.
      •  Square Elbow The conduit bend is a square elbow instead of a bend.
      •  Custom Size Specify the conduit bend radius in the Custom Radius field.

  •  Custom Radius: The radius of the conduit bend in inches. This field is enabled if Custom Size is selected from Radius Criteria ▾.

  •  Layer System: ▾ See the Layer System section for more information.

Hangers Settings​

  •  Hanger Type: ▾ The type of hanger. Controls whether hangers and their graphics are included.

    •  None No hangers are included. The other hanger fields will be disabled.
    •  Wrap The hanger will wrap around the item. A single support rod will be inserted in the middle of the item.
    •  Trapeze The hanger will be a support underneath the item with two support rods on either side.

  •  Size: The size of the hanger, in inches. The size is used to control most of the dimensions of the hanger graphic. The support rod diameter will be equal to this size. Other dimensions will be scaled based upon this size.

  •  Hanger Depth: The distance the hanger extends below the item, in inches.

  •  Starting Offset: The distance from the start of the centerline to the location of the first hanger, in inches.

  •  Ending Offset: The distance from the end of the centerline to the location of the last hanger, in inches.

  •  Spacing: The distance between each hanger, in inches.

  •  Left Width: The distance the hanger extends to the left side of the centerline, in inches.

    If this value is 0, the hanger will be wide enough to support the item. If it is greater than 0, the hanger will extend exactly that distance to the left of the centerline. It is possible this distance will be less than the width of the item the hanger is supporting. In that case, you need to increase the width. A width greater than necessary to support the specific item can be used to support a rack of items or to allow for future expansion.

  •  Right Width: The distance the hanger extends to the right side of the centerline, in inches.

    If this value is 0, the hanger will be wide enough to support the item. If it is greater than 0, the hanger will extend exactly that distance to the right of the centerline. It is possible this distance will be less than the width of the item the hanger is supporting. In that case, you need to increase the width. A width greater than necessary to support the specific item can be used to support a rack of items or to allow for future expansion.

  •  Ending Elevation: The elevation where the support rods end. The support rods will be drawn from the item up to this elevation. See the Elevation section for more information.