Phone App, Locator?

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jmellc

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
Occupation
Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Our plant is huge, with panels everywhere. Some open, some in hidden corners or rooms. I can keep some in my head but not all. I would like to be able to enter a panel # & get a location. Does anyone know of such an app?
 
ActionDave said:
This app could help. It has a three word name for every three by three square on the planet. You could name all your panels.

https://what3words.com/about
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I looked at their site. I’m looking more for an app where I can load in column numbers or room names. A receptacle is labeled Panel 1A. I key in 1A and come up with column 12B or Electrical Room 1, that sort of thing.
 
When we draw oneline diagrams and floor plans, the text is searchable. So for example, if you open the PDF of the floor plan or oneline and type 1A in the search box, it will take you directly to any reference on the drawing that has 1A in it (or LP-5F, or whatever), and thus show you where it is on the plan.
 
jmellc said:
I looked at their site. I’m looking more for an app where I can load in column numbers or room names. A receptacle is labeled Panel 1A. I key in 1A and come up with column 12B or Electrical Room 1, that sort of thing.
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You can build that type of table in Google Sheets (or Excel) and then just do CTRL-F and type the name of the panel in the search box, to the find the associated table match.
If you want to do it on your phone or tablet, depending on the type of device, there is a way of searching too.
 
jmellc said:
Our plant is huge, with panels everywhere. Some open, some in hidden corners or rooms. I can keep some in my head but not all. I would like to be able to enter a panel # & get a location. Does anyone know of such an app?
Click to expand...
You don't have location already on panel schedule of upstream panel(s)?

Load panel schedules into a database and use spreadsheets to sort the database into whatever categories you desire when you want some sort of report to look at or even narrow reports down to specific data field content.
 
kwired said:
You don't have location already on panel schedule of upstream panel(s)?

Load panel schedules into a database and use spreadsheets to sort the database into whatever categories you desire when you want some sort of report to look at or even narrow reports down to specific data field content.
Click to expand...
We have prints with panel schedules, yes. They are not easy to get out and look over, kept in a utility room with no desks or tables. I can get them out to help load the info. The main thing is an app I can load in my phone. Out on service calls, I don’t have time to run back to the office & use the PC.
 
An answer you may not like due to the $$ involved. Hire a consulting firm to provide an as-built 1-line diagram/ panel schedule that can be put into a digital file that you can copy to your smart phone. Or if the company has already had an Arc Flash Study/ panel sticker labeling done, indicating the proper PPE to wear (which seems to be the way all facilities are going towards due to insurance co requirements) then that info may be already available that you can tap into.
 
ATSman said:
An answer you may not like due to the $$ involved. Hire a consulting firm to provide an as-built 1-line diagram/ panel schedule that can be put into a digital file that you can copy to your smart phone. Or if the company has already had an Arc Flash Study/ panel sticker labeling done, indicating the proper PPE to wear (which seems to be the way all facilities are going towards due to insurance co requirements) then that info may be already available that you can tap into.
Click to expand...
Whatever "app" he ends up using is still going to need someone to put information into it whether internal or external to the operation. The only thing that will be really easy upfront is if there is already some database that said app can tap into and is able to sort out that data in the manner desired.
 
An excel spreadsheet would be great for this and free. You can have a column for each search criteria. Then use the filters. You could export it to a pdf and make is searchable if you wanted to as well. You could do all your original entries and then all your editing on a PC with a keyboard. I have typing crap on a phone so that would be my advice.

Save your files to dropbox and they would save right to a spot your phone could access 24/7.
 
jmellc said:
Our plant is huge, with panels everywhere. Some open, some in hidden corners or rooms. I can keep some in my head but not all. I would like to be able to enter a panel # & get a location. Does anyone know of such an app?
Click to expand...
If you have bluebeam this would be simple. Not professionally beautiful but the function would be there.
Cover sheet - have a list of all panel names
Page 2 or multiple after pages after page 1 need to be floor plans of the facility.

On page 1 - Create text box for each panel name (space out vertically a little).
Right click each panel text box, hit edit action, select "Get rectangle"
1643757774205.png1643757962493.png
Navigate to location on PDF floor plans and draw rectangle around associated panel. Every time you click on the little lightning bolt on the cover sheet next to the associated panel name it will jump you to the rectangle location in the document.
1643758272968.pngThis lightning bolt... Also why spacing is needed cause it'll be close to the following panel name.
 
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