Wall mounted outlet on a 3d solid used to model a wall?

[Charles]

I have created a custom wall out of a 3d solid and want to place "wall mounted" outlets on it.

For it to show up in the electrical schedule as wall mounted it needs to be placed in a "wall", not a 3d solid.

Ultimately the question is.....How do you put a wall mounted outlet on a 3d solid (without using invisible fake walls) ?

Anyone have a work around for this?

Thanks,

Charles

[rgardner]

2 minutes ago, Charles said:

I have created a custom wall out of a 3d solid and want to place "wall mounted" outlets on it.

For it to show up in the electrical schedule as wall mounted it needs to be placed in a "wall", not a 3d solid.

Ultimately the question is.....How do you put a wall mounted outlet on a 3d solid (without using invisible fake walls) ?

Anyone have a work around for this?

Thanks,

Charles

Why would you make a wall out of solids?

 

you can change them to fooor mounted and change the offsets.

[Charles]

Good idea, tried it... but, it shows up in the schedule as "floor mounted"

[SusanC]

I assume there is an actual wall somewhere in your plan behind the 3d solid wall?  You can place an outlet on the real wall and change the "distance from the wall" number so it offsets.  

I'm showing a 3d solid wall in the middle of the room and I offset the outlets 48" from the wall behind it.  Shows up in the electrical schedule.  Hope this helps.

 

 

[VHampton]

That's the solution.

 

Thanks to the wall offsets, outlets can be placed in the neighbor's yard if one wanted to. 

[Charles]

@SusanCThats thinking outside the box!   Thanks for the suggestion.

Ultimately, the best solution, would be to able to rename a solid as a wall which to the best of my knowledge we can't do.....yet  Can we?

[Alaskan_Son]

16 hours ago, Charles said:

I have created a custom wall out of a 3d solid and want to place "wall mounted" outlets on it.

For it to show up in the electrical schedule as wall mounted it needs to be placed in a "wall", not a 3d solid.

Ultimately the question is.....How do you put a wall mounted outlet on a 3d solid (without using invisible fake walls) ?

Anyone have a work around for this?

Thanks,

Charles

 

I assume you're wanting the "Attached To" column in the schedule to report "Wall" instead of "Floor"?  If so, you can use a Custom Object Information Field along with a custom macro instead of the built in column.  You could also simply exclude any of those objects from the schedule.  If you need them for the quantity still though, you could add the appropriate quantity into a wall off to the side just as placeholders.

[SusanC]

1 hour ago, Charles said:

@SusanCThats thinking outside the box!   Thanks for the suggestion.

Ultimately, the best solution, would be to able to rename a solid as a wall which to the best of my knowledge we can't do.....yet  Can we?

Charles, 

My other suggestion is to take a regular wall and tweak it to fit your needs - change the finishes on it, for example - then rename it as a new wall type and save it.  I have to admit, I'm with Ryan - I'm not being critical, but I'm curious to know why are you using a 3d solid to build a wall?  

Susan

[SusanC]

52 minutes ago, VHampton said:

Maybe it was/is for a feature wall. Many interior design trends involve a build-out of wood plank or stone. 

 

...we shall soon see. It's currently 12 noon in Honolulu, Sunny and 80 degrees. Sigh... lol 

 

 

Oh my, I'd love to be on a beach in Hawaii!!

[Charles]

On 2/11/2023 at 10:59 AM, Alaskan_Son said:

 

I assume you're wanting the "Attached To" column in the schedule to report "Wall" instead of "Floor"?  If so, you can use a Custom Object Information Field along with a custom macro instead of the built in column.  You could also simply exclude any of those objects from the schedule.  If you need them for the quantity still though, you could add the appropriate quantity into a wall off to the side just as placeholders.

Thanks Michael, I will look into your solution and see if this is something that I can do.

[Charles]

On 2/11/2023 at 11:06 AM, SusanC said:

Charles, 

My other suggestion is to take a regular wall and tweak it to fit your needs - change the finishes on it, for example - then rename it as a new wall type and save it.  I have to admit, I'm with Ryan - I'm not being critical, but I'm curious to know why are you using a 3d solid to build a wall?  

Susan

Thanks Susan, that would be a solution but now it falls into my current workaround which it to use an invisible wall, attach the outlet and move it into place.

 

Regarding why I have a 3D solid rather than a chief wall.... this is an exterior poured concrete patio wall with thicknesses that vary in some areas ("think" funnel shaped transitions) and heights that do the same thing.    This cannot be done with chiefs walls, in my experience.  

 

re the beach..... I know what you mean, but we also look at you in Colorado and think, wow it would be nice to be skiing .

[SusanC]

Charles,

Thank you for the explanation of why you are using a 3d solid for a wall.  Sometimes 3d solids are just a better solution for unusual situations.

Regarding skiing...I would still rather be on a beach in 80 degree weather lol!  

Susan

[MarkMc]

a thought? convert solid to fixture (I just used a column) -inserts into wall (5"), lock size in stretch plan tab. Place a wall smaller than the object, place object, add outlet.

[SusanC]

16 hours ago, MarkMc said:

a thought? convert solid to fixture (I just used a column) -inserts into wall (5"), lock size in stretch plan tab. Place a wall smaller than the object, place object, add outlet.

Mark,

Very clever idea!  I have a couple of questions.

If I'm following you correctly (and I know I'm missing a step somewhere) :

• Right mouse click on the 3 solid.
• Select Convert to Symbol (Does it matter if it is an interior or exterior fixture in this case?)
• Click on Show Advanced Options
• Click Ok
• Select Options
• Click on Inserts into Wall and make it 5"
• Click on Sizing tab
• Lock Sizing (How did you accomplish this step? I don't see a check mark for "lock")
• Insert a small wall inside the symbol. 
• Attach an outlet.

As an alternative, couldn't you also just place a half wall inside the 3d solid as it is and attach an outlet to that buried wall?  Not trying to be critical, just trying to figure all this out!

Thanks,

Susan   

 

 

 

[Alaskan_Son]

17 hours ago, MarkMc said:

Place a wall smaller than the object, place object, add outlet.

 

1 minute ago, SusanC said:

Very clever idea!

 

Charles already mentioned this method earlier in thread.  Its the method he was trying to avoid using.  As he said:

 

 

On 2/10/2023 at 7:20 PM, Charles said:

How do you put a wall mounted outlet on a 3d solid (without using invisible fake walls) ?

 

On 2/13/2023 at 10:38 AM, Charles said:

my current workaround which it to use an invisible wall, attach the outlet and move it into place.

 

[SusanC]

Sorry about that.  I should have re-read the thread.

 

[MarkMc]

55 minutes ago, Alaskan_Son said:

Charles already mentioned this method earlier in thread. 

Not really, I did not use an invisible wall. He may still not want this but the difference is that a symbol inserted into a wall (visible) all can be moved together. 

[Alaskan_Son]

1 minute ago, MarkMc said:

Not really, I did not use an invisible wall. He may still not want this but the difference is that a symbol inserted into a wall (visible) all can be moved together. 

Ya, there are some nuances and your idea is still a good one.  I was just pointing out that Charles did indeed realize that he could incorporate a wall to hold the outlet but that he was trying to avoid using that approach.

[Charles]

Thanks Everyone, All really good ideas!    

I love the "outa the box thinking"  

-Charles