Six Gang Switch - Object - 3D View - Electrical Schedule

[DefinedDesign]

Any thoughts from anyone on how to create and show a 6 gang switch in plan and on the electrical schedule?

Adding 6 single pole switches is incredibly messy on the electrical plan and visually in 3D views, and it doesn't communicate well to the electrician in the electrical schedule.

[DBCooper]

3D is easy.  If you just put the 6 switches next to each other, they should auto gang.

 

Plan view default is a little busy though.  Not sure what you want it to look like but you could always put the switches on a different layer, hide them, and put a cad block showing whatever you want to show.

 

[SusanC]

Essentially you need to create an electrical symbol for the 6 gang switch and change the 2D CAD block for it so it shows the way you want it to in your electrical schedule.

Here is one way to create a 6 gang symbol that shows as 6 switches in elevation and 3d views, but shows up as a single switch labeled 6 gang in the Electrical Schedule.

• Open a plan and draw an interior wall.
• Place a 3 gang switch from the library.  Place another 3 gang right next to the first one and have them overlap quite a bit as shown in attachment.
• Select the two 3 gang switches and turn them into a Symbol.  The dialog box that opens will allow you to name this new symbol 6 gang.  Do not close the dialog box yet.
• While still in this dialog box:  Make sure Show Advanced Options is also checked.
• Dialog box opens.  Select Options / Wall Mounted / Switch
• Same dialog box:  Select General / set the height at 44" off the floor and 1/2" off the wall.
• Same dialog box:  Select 2D Block and select Single Pole.  This will allow your big 6 gang switch to show up in plan as a single pole.
• Now you have a 6 gang symbol that is on the Electrical Layer, shows up in your Electrical Schedule, and looks like a single pole switch, but is labeled 6 gang.

 

I'm sure there are other ways of accomplishing this and if anyone wants to chime in, please do, but this method works for me.  

Susan   

[TeaTime]

Nearly spot on! Just one missing step:

39 minutes ago, SusanC said:

• Dialog box opens.  Select Options / Wall Mounted / Switch
• Same dialog: Select 3D / set all Origin Offsets to 0"
• Same dialog box:  Select General / set the height at 44" off the floor and 1/2" off the wall.

This bit me before - when you convert something to a symbol, it's origin is centered on the 3D Model, but when it's set to Wall Mounted its origin is reset to the back of the object - make sense, but the Origin Offset changes to maintain it's location relative to where it was before. If you don't reset it, it'll insert into the wall *edit:* and the "Height to Center" will be measuring to the bottom.

[rgardner]

Couple of things here:

 

On 5/17/2023 at 10:00 AM, DefinedDesign said:

Adding 6 single pole switches is incredibly messy on the electrical plan and visually in 3D views, and it doesn't communicate well to the electrician in the electrical schedule.

Each switch needs to visually show what it is switching so it is important to have individual switches so it can show it.  If you are having issues with spacing use the multiple copy tool and set it at say 3" and copy them across.  This will allow the individual switches to have a balanced look in 2d and be close enough together (note I think within 3" one switch from another it will auto gang together in 3d).

 

2 hours ago, SusanC said:

Essentially you need to create an electrical symbol for the 6 gang switch and change the 2D CAD block for it so it shows the way you want it to in your electrical schedule.

Here is one way to create a 6 gang symbol that shows as 6 switches in elevation and 3d views, but shows up as a single switch labeled 6 gang in the Electrical Schedule.

• Open a plan and draw an interior wall.
• Place a 3 gang switch from the library.  Place another 3 gang right next to the first one and have them overlap quite a bit as shown in attachment.
• Select the two 3 gang switches and turn them into a Symbol.  The dialog box that opens will allow you to name this new symbol 6 gang.  Do not close the dialog box yet.
• While still in this dialog box:  Make sure Show Advanced Options is also checked.
• Dialog box opens.  Select Options / Wall Mounted / Switch
• Same dialog box:  Select General / set the height at 44" off the floor and 1/2" off the wall.
• Same dialog box:  Select 2D Block and select Single Pole.  This will allow your big 6 gang switch to show up in plan as a single pole.
• Now you have a 6 gang symbol that is on the Electrical Layer, shows up in your Electrical Schedule, and looks like a single pole switch, but is labeled 6 gang.

 

I'm sure there are other ways of accomplishing this and if anyone wants to chime in, please do, but this method works for me.  

Susan   

Sorry Susan this will not work for the electrician or any discerning AHJ that is doing a plan check.  Individualized switches in a 6 gang location will have multiple switches going to different lighting circuits some being single pole some being 3ways other 4ways etc.  They need to be able to visually represent that to the electrician and the AHJ who is examining the plans.

 

And finally PLEASE find a different location for some of these switches!  Aesthetically a 6gang switch block is ugly is a pain for the electrician and even after years of living in the house the customer will have problems with muscle memory for that many switches switching on and off the wrong lights occasionally.

[tundra_dweller]

3 minutes ago, rgardner said:

and even after years of living in the house the customer will have problems with muscle memory for that many switches switching on and off the wrong lights occasionally.

 

This is an excellent point and one of those little things I try to train myself to be thinking about, but these kinds of details often get lost in the big picture of the overall design.

[SusanC]

1 hour ago, rgardner said:

Couple of things here:

 

Each switch needs to visually show what it is switching so it is important to have individual switches so it can show it.  If you are having issues with spacing use the multiple copy tool and set it at say 3" and copy them across.  This will allow the individual switches to have a balanced look in 2d and be close enough together (note I think within 3" one switch from another it will auto gang together in 3d).

 

Sorry Susan this will not work for the electrician or any discerning AHJ that is doing a plan check.  Individualized switches in a 6 gang location will have multiple switches going to different lighting circuits some being single pole some being 3ways other 4ways etc.  They need to be able to visually represent that to the electrician and the AHJ who is examining the plans.

 

And finally PLEASE find a different location for some of these switches!  Aesthetically a 6gang switch block is ugly is a pain for the electrician and even after years of living in the house the customer will have problems with muscle memory for that many switches switching on and off the wrong lights occasionally.

Yes, Ryan, good point.  

Susan

[Richard_Morrison]

No one has bothered to say it, but putting six switches together in a single cover plate is an incredibly bad idea from the user's standpoint. Aside from looking ridiculous, NO ONE will ever remember which switch switches what light, and just about every use will be a trial and error and continually frustrating. If so many lights need to be controlled from one location, it's better to consider a scene controller, or at a minimum break the switch boxes up to a maximum of 3-gang each with some separation.