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Electrical Design Basics in Revit

If your company decides to shift some or all of its electrical design to Revit, you will likely need to attend Revit training courses (or do research on your own) to learn about the software and the workflow for your discipline.

The Revit feature set is vast, so most training courses will focus on the material that applies to the most Revit users. Unfortunately, that means they will typically spend little to no time explaining the electrical design workflow.

To help you wade through the learning resources available to you, this article provides a checklist of the basic Revit knowledge required to start designing electrical systems. We also created a series of videos to introduce many of these concepts.

Families​

In Revit, every element that exists in the model has a corresponding file, referred to as a Family, that contains a 3D representation of the element and various information about the element. Rather than define a panel or receptacle from scratch, you load a predefined family into the model and insert an instance of that family on the plan.

Families vary widely in how they're made and what information they store, but if you know generally how families are built, used, and modified, that knowledge will translate.

Parameters​

Revit uses Parameters to store information in families and instances so it can be used and updated across labels and calculations. Revit provides several parameters by default, but you can also use Shared Parameters to track and display more information.

As with families, as long as you know how Revit parameters and shared parameters are defined, used, and modified in a general sense, you'll be able to use them in the context of electrical design.

Panels and Transformers​

Revit uses the term Electrical Equipment to refer collectively to panels, switchgear, transformers, and similar devices.

You will need to know:

  • How to insert them in the model
  • How to assign a voltage (defined by Revit as Distribution System)

Receptacles, Light Fixtures, Etc.​

Revit has several different device categories you can use, such as Lighting Fixtures for light fixtures and Electrical Devices for receptacles or small appliances. The information you can define is dependent on the category.

You will need to know:

  • How to insert each device category in the model
  • How to set loads on the device

Equipment Connections & Motors​

Revit treats motors and similar equipment connections as Mechanical Equipment used by the mechanical designer, which the electrical designer borrows. They can also be categorized as Electrical Fixtures, depending on the information you need to include for the device.

You will need to know:

  • How to insert them in the model
  • How to set loads on the equipment
  • How to coordinate them with the mechanical designer

Circuiting Panels and Devices​

The Electrical Circuits system that Revit uses to connect your panels, transformers, and branch circuit devices is relatively straightforward once you're exposed to it, but the process may not be intuitive for new users.

You will need to know:

  • How to create and modify power circuits
  • How to connect devices to and remove devices from a circuit
  • How to draw homeruns and loops on a floor plan

Panel Schedules and Loads​

Revit provides panel schedule templates that will show basic information about the panel, circuiting, and load calculations. The templates can also be customized to show additional parameters.

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Beyond what is defined in Revit's default templates, you will need to define load classifications and their demand factors.

Revit only conceptualizes loads as a set of numbers that add up as the loads travel up the system. It does not differentiate load calculations based upon where the load is in the system. As such, load calculations like those used for multifamily dwellings are often unreliable. Certain sections of the NEC will require a separate program to give you accurate results.

You will need to know:

  • How to create and modify panel schedule templates
  • How to create a panel schedule
  • How to define and modify load classifications and demand factors
  • How to assign load classifications to devices
  • How to configure load calculations

For ElectroBIM Users​

ElectroBIM, our Revit add-in, overrides some of the electrical functions in Revit. If you plan to use ElectroBIM in Revit, here are some things to bear in mind:

  • Modifying parameters: While other Revit users make changes to devices by modifying their parameters directly, ElectroBIM users must use the appropriate ElectroBIM commands to make changes. Any changes made to the parameters will be overwritten by the last information fed into ElectroBIM. See the Making Changes page in the ElectroBIM user manual for more information.

  • Voltage drop: ElectroBIM uses its own calculations to perform voltage drop. Any training material that covers Revit voltage drop calculations can be ignored.

  • Wire sizing: ElectroBIM uses its own wire sizing calculations. Any training material that covers Revit wire sizing can be ignored.

  • Breaker sizing: ElectroBIM uses its own breaker sizing calculations. Any training material that covers Revit breaker sizing can be ignored.

Videos​

These videos explore many of the concepts described above, as well as additional topics that may be helpful when setting up your Revit projects.