Here’s a set of generic switches, based on the old Logic range, constructed as low-poly as I can see how to make them. Again, these are accurate dimensions to the nearest mm for the most part, sometimes to the nearest 0.1mm but not guaranteed.
If you want to show any switch as ‘on’ flip the switch button along its own long (green) axis. And optionally, make the switch button unique and colour the upward face red. Older switches don’t have the red face.
In Britain, unlike US, the ‘on’ position is ‘down’ - in this kind of rocker switch, push the bottom corner in.
PS. I drew the components on the red-green plane, then rotated them upright, so their blue axis points towards you, parallel to the negative green axis. You could convert them to ‘cut opening’ components to insert in a wall, and/or make them ‘glue to any’ or ‘glue to vertical’.
I really like these low poly versions, those would be my default switches/outlets if it is my preference even though they are not as fancy as the others.
If a house is constructed of breeze bloock or cement block what type of electrical boxes would be typically used?
It seems to me that British construction would require surface mount switches/outlets more often than flush mount devices.
I’m going to need some low poly models of (very simpified) of typical electrical boxes.
Take a look at these models for what I have in mind:
As I’m contemplating the British Electrical Standard and how best to implement it into the plugin I’m first taking a look at switches and the parameters shown in the draw menu for NEMA switches:
For switch styles it makes sense to me to initially include the MK Logic and Logic Plus, let me know if there are any other preferences in this regard, or suggestions.
Rather than try using the same menu and code for the UK standard(s) [BS 1363 and BS 4573] I will probably have a completely different code base for each standard thereby allowing me to fully customize the plugin for that particular standard without affecting the code for an already existing standard.
In the menu itself I will probably display a small British flag in the upper right corner indicating to the user that they are utilizing the plugin in the British Electrical Standard Mode.
I probably also show include a few more parameters, off the top of my head:
1.) Flush or Surface Mount
2.) Electrical Box: Allow the user to select the electrical box type.
I will need a ceiling fan with and without a light. I will probably take the ceiling fan you have provided and modify and simplify it to try and get its size below 100kbytes
Not necessarily surface mounted, and in new construction rarely so.
I’m no expert on this, but I think the builders would put up the walls, and and some point the electricians come and do a ‘first fix’, clipping the cable to the wall keeping its run mainly horizontal or vertical, or perhaps fixing conduit, fixing outlet boxes sunk into the wall, and leaving maybe a foot of extra cable threaded though holes in the boxes, and left exposed.
(I think usually metal) boxes are sunk into the inner (soft cement block) wall, but sticking proud by the thickness of applied plaster (sometimes plasterboard - similar I think to US drywall). Maybe 9-10mm (around 3/8").
Then the plasterers apply a main and then a second finishing skim coat of plaster, then the electricians come back for their second fix.
Here’s a typical recessed double socket fixing box - lots of knockouts about 20mm or 3/4" diam. for cable or conduit, and round and oval holes (about 5mm D) for fixing screws to attach to the wall, as well as a couple of threaded tabs at the front to take the electrical fitting fixing screws (nowadays M3.5 thread).
Power socket boxes will have deepish boxes, light switches shallower ones (the former typically 25mm (~1") or 32mm (~1 1/4"), the latter around 19 or 20mm (~3/4")).
Here’s a plastic one for ‘dry line’ walls or plasterboard:
Surface mount pattresses (boxes) are usually plastic, most commonly white, but may be other colours of plastic, or even metallised plastic or plated metal.
Here’s a typical plastic surface mount box - one specifically for MK Logic Plus fittings, with the rounded corners. Others may have square corners for the older Logic-style fittings or similar products by other manufacturers .
The fronts of surface mounting boxes will be maybe 1mm bigger overall than the backs of the fittings, and the backs of the boxes typically another mm or two wider still, so there’s a slight taper towards the front, and the fitting doesn’t have to be too-exactly located to look good.
(There’s a technical name for the taper, to allow release from the injection mould, which I can’t remember at the moment).
You could have a look at the Screwfix trade suppliers’ website from which I took some of these images - www.screwfix.co.uk.
In particular, here’s a page with a range of fixing boxes:
And another page with links to electrical fittings of different types:
And yet another page of Crabtree fittings on the Screwfix site (Crabtree is another long-established brand).
Their front page features softer-looking, more rounded fittings than the old MK Logic range.
But I’m sure a few UK based SU Forum users will have more detailed and up to date information about modern residential building construction methods and detailing than my rather out of date guesses about how it’s now done!
I know of few houses in Britain that use ceiling fans.
However, that post may be more about the general US market, where I know they are much much more common, as is A/C, which is almost unknown in residential buildings in the UK though common now in shops, offices, and other commercial and industrial buildings.
Now I just need a few fluorescent lights and can lights and we should have a more reasonable distribution of light fixtures built into the plugin.
P.S. Rather than call them the more colloquial “can lights” the proper naming convention should be “recessed lights”. I’ve added a H7ICT (Halo - Cooper Industries). The interesting thing about recessed lights is that they do not require an electrical box since they typically have one incorporated into the housing or attached to the light assembly. So the logic of the module needs to make this distinction when utilizing this light type.
P.S.2 I think the same logic also holds with fluorescent (surface mount and recessed) light fixtures. I think these are typically direct wired and no electrical or junction box is required, correct me if I am wrong. With suspended fluorescent fixtures I think it makes sense that a junction box would be required. I could really use some input from a practicing electrician right now.
Was thinking like a shop or garage type florescent lights fixture that come in different lengths… florescent uses a ballast where led doesn’t… florescent can be converted too…was really just wondering if there will be an indication if led or florescent is being used
I can make the distinction with the light fixture type/style and then have the 2D symbol reflect this if it is something that would be useful.
I’ve been perusing the warehouse for fluorescent light fixtures and there are numerous models but so far I’m not impressed by any of them. Does anyone have some standard fluorescent fixtures that I can use as a starting point?
Ultimately the number of included electrical devices and fixtures will probably exceed the amount of devices that I want to package as default with the plugin. My thinking on this is that down the road I can provide “packs” that the user can drop into the appropriate plugin library sub-folder to add more pre-configured components to the plugin.
For example the commercial electrician or designer may want a much larger selection of fire and safety devices than the average residential designer. It doesn’t make much sense to overly bloat the plugin size to include all of these specialized electrical components when most of the user base will not use them. Rather it makes sense to provide these electrical device “packs” as an upgrade type feature where the user decides for themselves which additional devices they would like to have available for their use.
Also if enough people utilize this plugin it may also garner the interest of some of the manufacturers who then might be willing to provide some “official” models of their hardware (low poly preferably) for use within the plugin. Looking at a number of manufacturer’s websites lately and there is only a handful that provide any sort of 3D models and those are usually in Revit. I would like to see more SketchUp models become available.
My personal preference is that a ceiling mount fluorescent uses a standard ceiling rough in box and so the fluorescent fixture would be added to the library but the 2d symbol would just be standard ceiling mount. This cuts down the number of unique symbols that need to be shown in the legend.
I also used to show a rectangle on the plans for flor. fixtures but ultimately the builder/owner can choose whatever fixture they want so now I just use ceiling mount symbol.
Ultimately I would think that you would want to be able to produce an Electrical Legend and Schedule which would include fixture name/type if known.
Recess lights come in at least three sizes R20, 30 ,40 and insulated or non-insulated rough ins
and often trim kits are sold separately
Also:
door bell buttons and chimes, garage door openers, under cabinet lighting, LED strip lighting, floor plug
I understand that some people are used to (and may want to continue) showing a unique symbol for certain fixtures, I still use one for double and single flood lights for example but ultimately they are also just a ceiling mount fixture with a specific trim fixture. It is more about habit than necessity.
I would think that for the electrician the plan just needs to show what type of rough in box is needed and how it is switched. And then the finish schedule would show trim choices.
In California, and increasingly elsewhere, Incandescent lighting on inspected projects is nearly extinct due to our Title 24 energy codes. And fluorescent is increasingly rare. Roughly 70% of the lighting my employer sells for new construction is LED.
For fluorescent fixtures (surface, suspended and recessed) I will probably show the appropriate rectangular symbol that is the same size as the actual light fixture. Looking at numerous light plans and other electrical plans this seems to be the most common practice.
Would you provide a rough in box for a surface or recessed fluorescent light? and if you did where would you put it?
