Learn how to visualize data through schedules in a power distribution system with area-based loads. This article teaches you how to create and optimize schedules, so all loads can be seen in a single place and changes can be made quickly.
Key Insights
- The article provides a detailed step-by-step guide on creating an electrical analytical load schedule in a power distribution system with area-based loads. Fields such as Name, Level, Area-based Load Type, Power Density, Power Factor, and Load Type are added to the schedule.
- The created schedule allows for an easy overview of all loads in one place, making it possible to quickly identify and correct any errors. Also, the option to sort by Load Type and add a footer is introduced to further divide and organize the schedule.
- Additional schedules, such as an Electrical Analytical Bus Schedule, can be created to further design and verify specific elements of the distribution system, like the Switchboard and Panel Boards. The schedules assist in determining the correct amp ratings for each panel.
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Now that we've set up our area-based loads and a power distribution system, we can visualize this data through schedules. To do that, we go to the View tab, find Schedules, click the drop-down, and select Schedule Quantities. The first one we're looking for is down in the E's, Electrical Analytical Loads, and the name is Electrical Analytical Load Schedule.
I'll click OK, and now I can select from the available fields. We're going to start with the Name field, add that, then we go to Level, add that in, Area-based Load Type, add that, Power Density, add that in, and the Power Factor right away. Now the Area, add it in, Apparent Power, the Voltage right here at the bottom, the Number of Phases, the Current, and finally, the Load Type.
Once I have these fields, I click OK. This will create our schedule. Where is it in the Project Browser? It's down here, Schedule Quantities, and it's under None.
To change that, I go to the View Template, currently set to None. I'll click the None, and I will select first Electrical Schedule, and I don't want this to be an electrical schedule, those are for the final schedules. I want an analytical schedule, so I'm going to select that and click Duplicate, and call this Schedule Analytical, and click OK, and OK.
Now I'll see it moves, and I have a new category under Schedules and Quantities called Schedule Analytical, and I can hide the None for now. So there it is, and what's the purpose of this schedule? It's to visualize all of our loads in one place and make changes quickly. So first, I'm going to split this up.
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I notice that I have Area-based Loads and Equipment Loads all in one schedule. I want to split that up a little bit, so I'm going to go to Sorting and Grouping in the Schedule Properties, and click the Edit button. I'm going to sort by the Load Type, and I want to add a footer that's Title, Count, and Totals, and a blank line.
I also want the Grand Totals, and click OK. Now I've split the schedule in two. I have 18 Area-based Loads and 3 Equipment Loads.
I can open up some of these columns to view all of the data, and I might notice, for example, an error. Right here, I have General Classroom, when this is just the name. I don't need the word General.
I can delete that, and hit ENTER to lock that in. Now my Name column looks good. The Level column, I can actually reduce that a little bit, make it look nicer.
Area-based Load, I can expand, and I can see I forgot one. But it's easy to fix it right here, where this Classroom 4 has no Load Type. I click the dot, dot, dot, and I know it's a General Classroom.
I click OK. Now all of my Load Types are assigned. Power Density looks good.
Power Factor, I can squeeze down. Area, I can squeeze down as well. Parent Power.
Voltage, I can squeeze down. Number of Phases needs more room for the S, and the Current, I can squeeze down, and then I've got the Load Type. Now I can see all of my loads in one place.
That was fun, so let's add another Schedule. I'm going to go to View, and Schedules, Schedule Quantity. This time, I'm going to go to Electrical Analytical Bus.
The name is Electrical Analytical Bus Schedule. I will click OK. I'll add in a few fields here.
The first field is the Name field. Name, I will add that in. I also want the Level.
Actually, we'll skip Level. We don't really need to know what the Level is for now, so we'll just go with Name. I think we want Supply From, so let's go to that one, Supply From.
We definitely want the Voltage, the Number of Phases, and Current, the Total Current. Let's go down and find the Total Connected Current, and say OK. Here is our Bus Schedule.
It again will go to that None category. I want to change the View Template. Now I have this Schedule Analytical.
I click OK, and now I've got two Schedules in my Analytical area. And this Schedule I can use to design and to verify. Number one, I've got the Switchboard, and it has 1,048 amps connected to it.
Well, let's click on it over in the System Browser and see what I've set that switch to. It's 1,500 amps, Switchboard. Switchboard has 1,500 amps.
I'm loading it with 1,048 amps, so I might be OK there. Let's go down to Panel Board 1. I'm loading it with 58 amps. If I click it here, I'll notice it's a 200 amp board.
Well, I may not need the full 200 amps. I might be able to get away with 150, so I can make that change to Panel Boards 1,2, and 3. Now I get to Panel Board 4, and a whole different story here. I'm loading this one up with 751 amps because it's the kitchen.
Well, that won't work. That's a huge board to have it be one board. So what I want to do is divide that up into four 200 amp panels, four or five.
This is how I use my analytical model as a design tool to help me create a distribution system that makes sense and has the correct amp ratings for each panel. Now that we've created our schedules, the next step is to come back and visualize our analytical model on the floor plans.
