The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

Recent Posts

Unblocking a Group of Files

After downloading a file, it is often Blocked. You must right-click on it, pick Properties and then check the Unblock item: But doing a dozen or more files gets old, real fast. I just learned a way to Unblock a batch of files at once. It involves using PowerShell, a Microsoft tool that is a…

Adding Hanger Types to HydraLIST

If you want to use a new type of hanger, or are a fab shop that gets a job from a contractor that uses a hanger type that you do not have, it is easy to add that new hanger type to your own machine. A hanger is an assembly, and an assembly is just…

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 Typepad blog: 387,232

October 2026
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Author: art

  • A customer sent a job over looking for an explanation: “I have an inquiry about HydraCALC. I’m trying to calculate a system with sloping branch-lines as shown in below figure. I made two calculations in which everything is the same except for the elevation. First, all heads have same elevation of 20 feet. And second,…

  • From a customer: Can I AutoList a plug at top of this tee? From my co-worker Bill – yes you can: This will list the correct tee at the end of the riser nipple and will list the plug with the miscellaneous material. 1. Set up a sprinkler to use for this purpose. We often…

  • My co-worker Paul produced this blurb, on request from a customer who was attempting a Velocity Pressure calculation (a velocity pressure calculation is required by NFPA when designing Fixed Spray deluge systems). This type of calculation requires the use of the Input Types field, discussed in this post a ways back: Why Use Input Types? For…

  • From a customer a little while back: Q: I would like the head guide to have an option to spot the head based on the last one (with Ortho on so they line up). Kind of like the insert multiple sprinklers command. Or add the option to the “insert multiple” where you can access the head…

  • A customer from Sweden asked the following this week: “I have a question about HydraCALC, is there a way to change the default path for where the program initially finds its projects to open? For instance, now when I press OPEN, it always open “C:\HES\HydraCALC\Ver50\Data\Jobs”, we have our projects in a different location, so for…

  • Want to make your own symbols? EasyWant to use the same symbol for two different temperature heads? Easy The answers all come down to the same thing. The second one albeit a little differently. And…a trick concerning the word ‘same’ The answer is to start with an existing HydraCAD head, making changes to it (or…

  • From a customer in Indiana: Q: Over the past few years we have added several items to our database and many of the items require a long description. I have tried to abbreviate as much as I can but I am unable to get the description small enough to fit in the “Item” description box…

  • A customer asked last week: How do I properly use a 4×3 Bell Reducer so that it lists correctly? The answer, according to my co-worker Bill McKenna: 1. A coupling should already be on the pipe intersection where the diameters are changing 2. Select the coupling type required for the Bell Reducer being used: The Diameter…

  • From a Customer, via a co-worker: I have a quick question. How to I list 001 Victaulic 90’s and 009 Victaulic Couplings? Is there an equivalent? I cannot seem to locate them in HydraLIST The answer depends on which program is being used: Using AutoList from HydraCAD: Change your fitting mapping to one of the available…

  • You buy an Autodesk Subscription, but are stymied when trying to install it on a user’s machine? Yeah, so are a lot of people. Autodesk does not do a good job of explaining how user access works, IMHO. Here is a typical scenario: ABC Sprinkler Company buys two AEC Industry Collections. Johnny B. is the…