The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

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  • Welcome

    Recently our previous blog service (Typepad) ended their business – so, we have a new home. It will take a bit to get images back and displaying properly, but we are working on it!

    Final pageview count of original blog: 387,232

  • Using a Non-Standard Pipe Type in HydraCALC

    A customer called today asking how to enter a 1" black plastic underground pipe for the calc. This particular situation sounded unique enough that I did not tell him to add that pipe type to our database, as I would have if he expected to see this pipe type used repeatedly. I told him to just enter in the pipe info directly into the calculation by entering the actual diameter (not nominal) and the C-Factor:

    Hyd1

    This is all that is needed by the program to calculate the friction loss. The Dia. column can contain entirely Actual diameters, or Nominal, or a mix of both.

    When the calculation is initiated, a dialog box will appear for each unique pipe diameter, asking you what nominal diameter it represents:

    H2

    I picked 1", as that is what the nominal diameter in this example was. This value is recorded in the data, so you will not be asked again for the nominal for this particular diameter.

  • Using the Hydratec Software Download Area

    Hydratec uses ShareFile to distribute our software installs and updates. New customers, or those without access, must request access to be able to get at these downloads. Access is only available to customers with a Hydratec subscription or those on an update plan.

    You can access the download area and request access by picking the Sign In link at the upper right corner:

    DL1


    Requesting Access

    An account must be created in order to access updates and installs. After picking Sign In above, you will see a graphic for ShareFile Software Downloads. The request access link is at the bottom of this (circled in green, below):

    DL2

    Select that, and you will be brought to the Software Request Access Form:

    DL4

    Complete this form and pick the Submit Request button at the bottom. Access will usually be granted within 36 hours – if your company is eligible for such access, as explained earlier in this post.

    If you use an email address that is not known to us (such as a non-corporate address), however, verification may be further delayed as we check to see if your company can verify your employment.

    You may have more than one user whom you want to be granted access. Just have each one fill out this form. Also let us know if only one or two specific users are to have access so that we may block other users who request access. When access is granted, you will receive an email stating such. You may then use your email address and password to log into the subscription fulfillment system by using that same link.

    Logging In

    After picking Sign In (and assuming you are eligible for access), you will see a graphic for ShareFile Software Downloads. The sign in button is blue, and is circled in green, below:

    DL3

    This will direct you to our ShareFile log in page. Enter in your user name and password. If you forget your password, use the ‘Forgot Your Password?’ link below the login.

    DL5DL6

    Note: Accounts that have an amount past due may find their access suspended. Please contact us if you see folders that tell you to do so.


    Once you are logged in:

    Instructions Folder

    DL7

    Once you log into the subscription site you will see the ‘Instructions + What’s New’ folder. This folder contains, the What’s New document and other documents that support using this system, as well as informational documents that apply to customers in general. The What’s New document includes a list of the last 12 months of updates, installs, data, documentation and videos, along with the folder locations of those items.

    Software Folders

    You will also see folders for each software package that you have a subscription for. In that folder you will find sub-folders for Installs, Updates, and Documentation. You may also see folders for Videos and Data. 

    DL8

    Each folder has at least one document explaining the contents of the folder, and/or specific instructions for the proper installation of the files within that folder. Please read them, as they are necessary for the proper updating of the software.

    Data downloads could include complete data updates of new pipe types and fittings for hydraulics and new part numbers for HydraLIST, for example.

  • Redefining Blocks

    So, you have a situation where you have a particular block in your drawing, and you want to change the block and have your drawing updated with that new block. If you don't have that block already defined in your drawing, or you can purge it out of the drawing, then you don't need to do anything, just insert the new block.

    But, if it is already there, and you again insert the block, AutoCAD does not look on the hard drive for a copy, it looks in the 'Block Table' of your drawing, for efficiency. So, you need to force AutoCAD to look at the new block from the hard drive.

    This is how that is done:

    1 Change the block as you see fit. You can do this in your 'master' drawing and do a WBLOCK to export it, or you can edit the block directly, as 'blocks' are no different than any other drawing.

    2.Then, Type in CLASSICINSERT at the AutoCAD Command Prompt. That brings up this dialog:

    RB1

    3. Pick the Browse button and steer to the folder where you have the new version of your block and select it. – Note: you MUST pick browse and reselect the block, even if the correct name is already in the Name: field. This forces the redefine.

    RB2

    4. Pick Redefine block – this will replace all existing instances of your block, while retaining any attributes you may have

  • Using HydraVIEW to Print a Pump Curve

    From a customer:

    Does Hydra Cad produce a printable fire pump curve graph?  I have some fire pump results and they are wanting a graph.

    This question probably arises because the HydraCALC standard Water Supply Graph does not show solely the Pump curve when there is a City and Pump inputted, for clarity sake. It only shows a combined City Supply and Pump Curve. If there is only a Pump inputted, then the Pump Curve will print, but the Water Supply Graph might be too cluttered for some, and they only want to see the Pump Curve.

    Fortunately, there is an easy way to do this using HydraVIEW.

    Open HydraVIEW.

    Pick the Tools dropdown menu and then pick Draw WSC (Water Supply Curve)

    HydraVIEW

    This will bring up the following dialog box:

    WSC Choice

    As you can see, there are three options. The first is the most common one – drawing a standard US style water supply curve. The second will draw a pump curve from a hydrant test. Pick OK with the first one selected.

    This displays the input screen for a custom water supply curve. Notice you can enter the information concerning all aspects of the multiple curves that HydraCALC prints on the water supply graph

    WSC Dialog

    Here we will concern ourselves only with the pump curve

    NFPA13 Conforming Pump

    For a standard NFPA13 pump curve, we would input information into the Pump area. Below, I have entered in the information for that pump, including the Rated Pressure, Rated Flow, Churn percentage and Elevation of the pump, in feet.

    I have also entered in a Project Name and a Page Number for this graph, so I can add it to my regular printout.

    P2

    Picking OK will result in that curve getting generated:

    P3

    Non-NFPA13 Pump or Pump Test

    If you want to print a pump curve for a pump you have run a test on, or it is a pump that does not conform to NFPA13, you can use the Advanced button to create that pump.

    PA

    Put in the results of your pump test to create a curve.

    Lastly, notice there are button to save this curve and load it again for another job. The Zero Data button simply clears the entries in the dialog box.

    Pc

  • Saving, Reading and Matching the Top Five FIGs in Drawings

    From a customer:

    "Now that I freelance for several different clients, I run into some issues with AutoList. I have to change a couple of the Top Five FIGs each time I bounce between clients projects, as I only stocklist as they request piping to allow for any building or coordination changes.

    This causes issues when I have to go back to a previous project as the Fitting group info is not drawing dependent."

    But it is drawing dependent! 

    The Top Five FIGs are saved in the drawing when you run AutoList. If you haven't run AutoList at least once, then they aren't saved.

    Further, you can read the Top Five stored in such a drawing. And, you can set your current Top Five to match those of the drawing you just opened. Here's how:

    Go to the Top Five by using the Choose Fitting Groups button in the Listing Tag Setup dialog or through Fitting Mapping. On this dialog are the buttons we are referring too:

    FG1

    Read Drawing FIGs will display the stored FIGs in a text file

    Match Drawing FIGs will display the stored FIGs and then 

    In the future, we will add a Write Drawing FIGs which will record the current FIG setup in the drawing without having to run an AutoList. This way you can make templates for each customer you have and use Match to align the two.

  • Listing Two Sides of a Branch Line Under the Same Listing ID

    If you want to have only one branch line ID for an entire branch line, but are worried that AutoList will absorb other fittings into that branch line, or will miss certain sprinkler heads because of the default way it does things, then this is how to set things up properly.

    The part I mention above concerning missing sprinkler heads is this:

    Listing tags do not pick up fittings and heads that coincide with their insertion point. They can only ‘see’ ahead of themselves, not behind them, nor can they see what is directly underneath them.

    So, the sprinkler head in the following image will not be picked up in AutoList due to the fact that the listing tag is at the same point as the head itself:

    L1

    What to do?

    The solution in this case is to insert two listing tags at the top of the riser nipple, each pointing towards a different end of each line. So, you would put one listing tag at the end of the pipe near each coupling near the top of each riser nipple, resulting in each one pointing to another branch line end.

    This will normally result in each side being listed with a different numbers, but there is a way to keep them the same.

    In order to get both sides of the branch line to list under the same line number, you can tag them by choosing Many in the Start Points section of the dialog. Secondarily, you will make the number of Start Points be 2.

    L2

    You will then be asked to pick each of the two pipes, and then asked to place one identifier.

    L3

     

  • Creating a Revit Model with HydraCAD for AutoCAD

    This ability has been in HydraCAD for AutoCAD for at least 10 years. You can draw a 'regular' HydraCAD system, and then create the Revit model for coordination with the BIM team on a project.

    This requires a few things:

    • You must have Revit on the computer using the HydraCAD for AutoCAD in order to make the conversion
    • You must know the version of Revit that the BIM team is using to coordinate. Each version of Revit is different, unlike most versions of AutoCAD
    • It is helpful to know the 'common point' that is being used by the BIM team to line up the models provided by each trade

    If you have HydraCAD for Revit, then great! Because then you are actually drawing in Revit and don't have to do anything.

     

    Lining up the HydraCAD model with the 'common point' of the BIM model:

    Step 1: From the Collaborate toolbar, pick the command named Move Model:

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    Step 2: Pick Denote Basepoint. Select the ‘common point’ the BIM team is using.

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    Step 3: Pick the Move Model button to make the move. The drawing won't look any different after using this command.

     

    Generating the Revit model:

    Step 1: Elevate your drawing to 3D.


    Step 2:     Pick the Create RevitLink command from the Collaborate toolbar:

    1


    Step 3:     Pick the version of Revit to go to and pick the Generate button

    2

    Step3a: If you get any errors such as this, below, pick the Delete Elements button. You may have to pick it once for each error

    2a


    Step 4:     Pick Launch Revit MEP

    2

    Step 5: Once Revit is open Pick New from the MODELS portion of the menu

    4

    Step 6: Make sure Create new is set to Project, not Project template and pick Browse from the Template file selection. 

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    Step 7: Browse to the C:\HES\Hydratec for Revit\Data\Families\20## folder, where ## if the version of Revit you are generating the model for

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    Step 8: Select the HydraCAD-Imperial_Default.rte (if using US unit system) or HydraCAD-Metric_Default.rte if Metric

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    Step 9: Pick OK

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    Step 10: Pick Save to give your project a name and location

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    Step 11: On the Addins tab, select the Retrieve HydraCAD Revit MEP Content item from the HydraCAD button

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    Step 12: This will begin Step 2 of the conversion process. This process will take at least a few minutes to complete. Maybe 10 to 20 or more

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    Step 14: After the conversion is complete, you can save and send the .RVT file to whomever you want. If you want to view the fire sprinkler piping, use the Project Browser to select Views – Coordination – Fire Protection – 3D Views – 3D Fire Protection

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    Step 15: This will show the model that was created. Each element and head has been given information as to its type or manufacturer. Save this model and share it with the BIM team

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  • Generating BIM Models for Revizto

    Revizto is BIM software that competes with Autodesk's offerings, specifically, Revit. Revizto can open HydraCAD drawings, but some information may not be showing up properly. These two HydraCARD Knowledge Base entries should help you get by the issues we most often hear about:

    When reading a Persistent Model drawing in Revizto, the units are not correct

    -and-

     

  • Alternate Part Numbers

    HydraLIST has the capability to store an Alternate Part Numbers for each HydraLIST part, along with our standard part number. Why is this important? Because many fab shops, either independent or sprinkler company based, already have their own part numbering scheme. This ability allows our customers to continue to use their own part numbers when referencing our parts, assemblies, pipe types, hangers, etc. So, they don't need to start from scratch and build everything over again.

    In the HydraLIST database (accessed via the green circled button), the input screens have a column for such Alternate Part Numbers:

    APN

    The first yellow highlighted column shows our PN and the second, the Alt PN. Just enter in each alternate part number and save the data and you are done.

    When it is time to print out a stock list, there is an option to print the Alternate Part Number on the General Setup tab:

    APN2

    Please check out the HydraLIST manual for complete details!