Software for creating electrical drawings

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kevinware

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What is the opinion of this form as to what software is the easiest and the best to use to create electrical drawings?

This is what I want to accomplish. I want to design and draw electrical services and electrical systems for homes and large buildings like warehouses and really anything else I can think of. Please understand this is all for personal growth and I do not mean any disrespect toward any of you "PE's" out there. I want to see if I can do it. As an electrician I am expected (In my mind) to be able to install and size circuits and services, so why should I not be able to draw them?

Thanks for everyone's help,
Kevin
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

Autocad.

If you can wire the building do you really think drawing the lines on a paper will be a challenge? The drafting is not really that difficult. Especially electrical drafting. I doubt you will experience much "personal growth" by learning how to draw some lines with the mouse. If you can use paintbrush, you can probably figure out Autocad.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

Originally posted by kevinware: I do not mean any disrespect toward any of you "PE's" out there. I want to see if I can do it.
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No disrespect is perceived. But understand that the PE's job has nothing to do with making the image look good. The PE's job is to make the design comply with code, comply with the contract, and comply with industry standards, while keeping the safety of the public as the paramount criterion. If you want to learn how to do the drawings neatly, I think that would be a good learning experience. But I do not know how to do that myself, so I can't give any suggestions for inexpensive and simple-to-use drawing programs.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

Thanks everyone for the replies so far, but I have another question. After doing some research on AutoCAD I found that I need something called symbol blocks and these are something I have to create. Is this true? can I download them form a web site? Any guidance would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Kevin
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

There are symbol libraries that you can obtain. The makers of Autocad can sell you symbol libraries that apply specifically to electrical design. But I do not know if they are available at no cost.

Speaking of cost, have you looked into the cost of Autocad? It might be a but more than you had in mind for your learning opportunity. I am sure there are other drawing programs available, if you want to keep looking around.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

This has come up before I and always recommend Visio Professional. Its much easier to use than Autocad. I had a whole series of PMs with one member regarding Visio Professional. If you go the microsoft web site, you can download a 30 trial copy. I've used Autocad and the learning curve is steep. Much less so with Visio, as its drag and drop stencils and shapes.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

I don't have any experience with Autocad -- I've never used it. But I been told that the learning curve for it is steep (i.e. time consuming). It's also expensive. It's overkill for what I needed to do.

On the recommendation of several members here(including Tom), I purchased Microsoft Visio Professional 2003 and have been very satisfied with it so far.

Until Visio, I'd never used any type of graphics program before, not even paintbrush.

I haven't been able to spend a lot of time on Visio yet -- I got sidetracked on some other time consuming projects soon after I bought it. But I was able to make the drawings that I needed to do at that time, with very little difficulty.

Visio Pro comes with a small library of electrical symbols built in. I also made a few "custom" symbols that I needed that didn't already exist. I didn't have any particular problems doing that, but I still have a lot to learn in that area.

Anyway, I'm really glad that I bought it. I have no doubt that it will do electrical floor plans, one-lines, and other normal electrical drawings easily and quickly (I've done some already). It'll be a lot easier when I can spend a little more time learning some more of the basics & some of the more advanced techniques & tricks.

For the price, its power and flexibility and the time involved to learn to use it, I think Visio Pro 2003 was the best choice for me. No regrets so far! I appreciate the other members steering me toward it -- so far, it seems to be a very good choice.

Buy the "Academic" version of it if you can qualify -- it's a full and complete version, just less expensive.

But be sure that you get the "Professional" 2003 version -- it's the only version that will do the job for you.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

AutoCAD LT under $1000
TurboCAD, there are some other freeware programs.

IF you want a feel of AutoCAD go to the local community college and take a course in AutoCAD. I think you'll be suprised.
I commend you for wanting to draw the service, etc for personal use, but why spend a big chunk of change on CAD? You could draw everything on paper with a pencil! If you want to learn CAD, go to the community college. BTW they also have courses on Paint, or other "drawing" programs.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

It depends on whether you need to share the drawings or not. If the drawings are strictly for your use, pick whatever you like. If you need to share the drawings you need a "real" CAD program, and the standard is AutoCAD. AutoCAD LT is enough for basic work -- you only need full AutoCAD if you plan to run "add ons" or do significant customization.

Intellicad is an AutoCAD "work alike" that's even cheaper than AutoCAD LT and would be good as entry level. I've considered it for use in my PE office, but haven't moved to it because of lack of support for SDI mode and the ShowTabs variable.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

I have TurboCad version 8. I bought it so I could make some site drawings and read the layout drawings provided by the dock manufacturer I work with. They use AutoCad 2004 (full version) and when they email me the drawing, they just send it as a .dxf file (drawing exchange format). I read them with no problem. TurboCad was not difficult to learn. I don't have any electrical symbols though.

Purchased it a couple of years ago for about $100 at Office Max.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

We used to use Macdraw for some really complex circuit stuff like control wiring in conveyor systems. It was simple and useful, and scaleable. Alas it no longer exists except on my old Classic 2.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

At the request of jschultz, I am moving a comment from a new thread (which was inadvertently started) to this thread (where the comment was intended to be posted).
Originally posted by jschultz:

Progrecad LT is a free version of Intellicad. Intellicad is basically autocad but cheaper. It's native file format is DWG, same as autocad. The command's are nearly identical. If you want to learn autocad, I suggest you start with this free version, since the transition to full autocad would be very simple if not seamless. If you need to be able to customize things and make your own macros, you can buy the pro version of intellicad for $349. Autocad would probably be at least $2500 for a comparable version. Autocad LT will be over $500 most likely and is only somewhat customizable. Autodesk also makes Autocad Building Systems (ABS) which is an add-on for autocad. They have an electrical portion that is suppose to make drafting electrical systems very easy. Prepare to spend a fortune on it. Also, the demand load calcs are not done correctly, so don't use that part if you want accurate results.
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Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

I'm glad this thread came back to the top.
2 yrs an "engineer" designed and drew up the electrical plans using an old apple system I think draw. I asked him for the plans in a CAD format--dwg or dxf. He said he couldn't transfer teh drawing to CAD format. The building owner also wanted it on AutoCAD, since they use AutoCAD. Since neither of us has received the drawing the way we want, we have had to redraw the system.
The point is: If you intend on exchanging your drawings, it must be in an exchangeable format that everyone else uses.

He could not even print his drawing in pdf.

Has anyone used AutoCAD Electrical? I checked some web reviews and it looks like the old add in to AutoCAD that was made by VIA Wiring Development.
 
Re: Software for creating electrical drawings

tshea,

I use AutoCAD with a third party electrical symbol library. Our ACAD administrator found it, we compared it to what Autodesk offers and for $35 per license it was the best thing we found.

Tony

JoePa for President
 
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