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Posted By: e57 Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 05:03 AM
Anyone have a better method of planning conduit runs on trapeeze.

Right now I am dealing with a mess of conduit on trapeeze. Not big stuff, just 1/2, and 3/4", but a lot of it. And it would be really simple if it did not have to come away from the rack, and come back to it. I have a lot of switching that needs to off to a ceiling for surface mount above the rack. Or come off to branch power in too many isolated areas along the way. The customer is a group of Arch's, and it is thier office, so the "Aestetic" they are looking for is that they "don't want to see the conduit going across the room...(east-west)" But 'function before form', I have to go down the room. (north - south) So I am being forced to "Tuck" my conduit behind beams for E - W. Now N-S, and E-W are two different levels. Now I am into 3-dimentional lay-out, and I am about to pull out my hair! (Not to mention can you say "C-condulette"?)

Any suggestions other than telling them all to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge?
Posted By: electure Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 05:42 AM
Mark,
Could you repeat the part after "Anyone"? [Linked Image]

Seriously, can you simplify it so even a nit-wit (Me) can understand it?
Posted By: Peter Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 05:53 AM
I too am having a hard time picturing this situation. But perhaps you could use single gang boxes with extensions in your runs when you need to branch off sideways. This would allow you to run the NS and EW at two different levels. If that's what you mean. I can't imagine anyone but achitects objecting to feeding switches and recepts.
~Peter
Posted By: e57 Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 07:55 AM
"Seriously, can you simplify it..."

Man, I wish I could!

All exposed ceiling with minimal walls in a huge space, and the Arch's don't want to see conduit?!?

So now they are trying to get me to follow thier wacked ways of "hiding" it.

Most of the time I can take a set of plans and lay it out with line diagrams, and have the crew just go to it. And what I get is a two dimentional plan, and two dimentional conduit runs.

So now as I lay it out, I have to call out elevation too. And the changes in elevation. Track all the extra bend, etc.

Ah... Maybe I'm just B&@%#ing.

But there must be a better way for laying out something like that. Like AutoCAD specifically for conduit runs. Feed in plans, and it does the lay-out, wire, and bend count for you, and spits out a new set with exactly what you're suposed to build for you.

A genie in a bottle would be nice too! [Linked Image]

So instead, I am ordering several cases of LB's, TB's, and C's, which mean 3-point pulls.

We added a change order for this wacked out idea, so not worried 'bout the money. But now I have to do it!
Posted By: earlydean Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 11:56 AM
Hey, you got an extra? Count your blessings! We do this for $$$$$, don't we? Your guys should know the rules on conduit runs, let them decide exactly how to lay it out. You don't need no CAD program. Tell the crew what the customer wants, let them loose, come back in a few hours, check out what they did, make any adjustments necessary, and relax.
Posted By: winnie Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 12:10 PM
What about making _all_ of the conduit runs 'N-S', going into a gutter at the end of the room?

What ever you do, be sure to send pictures. This sounds wacked enough that a successful solution (one that the customer likes and which meets code) would be worth a book [Linked Image]

-Jon
Posted By: Steve McKinney Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 12:27 PM
Can you incorporate cable trough anywhere? If visual is a concern, some of the wire-way is easier on the eyes and an absolute dream to pipe out of. Just a thought.

Steve
Posted By: Pat@Amber Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 12:36 PM
I can't believe you haven't saved up enough money to buy that magic wand yet!The genie in the bottle sells them at a discount.
They are the freaking artistic ones. Challenge them to design some type of ornamental screen to hide your conduit.
Posted By: e57 Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 04:35 PM
Yeah, brought up the gutter idea, and it did not go down well. Maybe there needs to be a more aestically pleasing term for "Gutter", or "Trough"? Not to mention, I would need two or three as I would exceed the derating exception. (Upwards of 70 circuits, and switching on each of both floors.)

As for the crew just going on thier own, right now they don't see the big picture at the end of the tunnel yet. Truthfully, neither do I. This also needs to squeaze through HVAC and Sprinklers as well, finding a window for a straight shot has been tough.

OK now I am just whining....
Posted By: mhulbert Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 08:54 PM
I used a piece of software called sketchup to plan some conduit runs...it is 3D software that is really easy to use (after about 2 hours of messing around, I was making really nice models, try that in AutoCad). It would realy take a while to model everything you have going on though, but when you are done , the 3D model will answer all questions as far as what is interefering with what, how many bends etc etc. You can swivel and look at it all from plan, elevation, x-section, iso, etc. There is an 8 hour demo here: http://sketchup.com/

Though it doesn't create the models, a program called NavisWorks lets you superimpose them all together , ie framing, MEP, sprinkler, structural, etc. Take a look at some of the models they have, I think it's Navisworks.com

Mike
Posted By: golf junkie Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/13/04 11:21 PM
e57,
I can relate to your problem.

We are doing a complete remodel on a National Guard Armory. Solid wood tongue and groove roof and the underside is the exposed ceiling with supporting beams.

All the mechanicals are exposed. The conduit runs have to hang low enough to get under the structural beams.

We are using 4x4 and hoffman nema 1 boxes for breakouts.

The achitect wanted to preserve the beautiful wood ceilings. The problem is that with all the mechanicals on them you will no longer see much ceiling.

IMO the customer would have been better served with t-bar ceilings.
Posted By: DougW Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/14/04 05:02 AM
Suggest they paint the conduit to match the end color of the ceiling...

When it's done well, you don't notice the raceways. Well worth the few $ for extra paint.
Posted By: golf junkie Re: Conduit on trapeeze?'s - 11/14/04 04:34 PM
Doug is right on. The armory has been my first experience with having conduit painted prior to hanging it.

We didn't like the idea, fought against it, but the painter has been very good about masking the ends for couplings and it really hasn't been a problem.

It does look much better, as Doug mentioned.
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