Revit MEP 2011 Piping/Connection Layout between Multiple Floors

[se13gits]

Hi all.
My first time learning Autodesk Revit MEP 2011 and I am unable to find any real good resources (books, videos, etc.) that go step by step for setting up piping layouts for single floors horizontally between plumbing fixtures and then linking the stacks vertically between multiple floors.
Got a couple amateur questions about piping:

1.) So I have my sinks, water closets, bathtubs, boilers, etc. setup for each floor. When I go to setup the piping and connections automatically or manually, Revit MEP keeps putting the piping in the ceiling of the level I'm working on when I really want them to be underneath the floor. Is this because of a height offset I'm set to or is there a setting I can change?

2.) Is there anyway when setting up the piping/connections for the layout to display "dynamic dimensions" so I can place the piping in accordance with the interior/exterior walls, floor penetrations, etc. already existent in my mech. floor plan? (working in the plumbing plan view for each floor)

3.) Why does the Revit MEP not let me in 3-D view/elevation view connect the piping on one floor with the piping on the bottom/top floor so I get a vertical stack linking all the floors? How do I connect layouts for multiple floors with vertical stacks?


I'm just having difficulty learning the REVIT MEP 2011 Plumbing/Piping without a decent author able to explain to me step by step how he/she sets up the plumbing for a sample building so I can do the same. Getting frustrated playing around with everything in in REVIT MEP without a good guide/resource.
Thanks guys. Appreciate any help/resources you can give me.

[moliva]

1. the offset is probably set to 9'-0" or something near that so anything you draw will be offset from the level of the view by that amount....you can set it to -3'-0" so that you get it 3 ft below the level that you are on. you'll have to modify your view range to have the depth show at least 3ft below the level you are on as well to be able to actually see the piping through the floor.

2. Not quite sure what you're after but you can draw your pipe and then dimension to parts of your building and lock those dimensions, or quickly edit to the preferred value.

3. You'll want to work in section. draw a section near where your risers are and switch between plan and section view to get the pipe situated where needed. You'll need to be aligned to get things to connect properly.

just keep playing w/ it, and keep searching through the forums they are a great resource.

[se13gits]

I'm lost. Height offset corrects the positioning but Revit MEP now gives me weird layouts for the floor piping where one fixture's piping will come too close to the floor's own branch that goes out to the vertical riser connecting all floor's branches and I will get an error message saying the distance is too close or inadequate for the fixture to be fit into the branch.

Ah okay, I think it best if I just start from the very beginning since this is my first time setting up plumbing for a building.

I've attached a picture of the plumbing fixtures for the 1st and 2nd floor of a building I am trying to draw cold water piping branches linking each floor's fixtures that will link up to one vertical main that will go down from the 2nd floor branch, link the 1st floor branch, and then go underneath the building to main water supply.

First picture is what I am working on.
Second picture is what I am trying to get it to look like.

How would you tackle this? Please explain in steps.

[moliva]

are you using the automagic layout?? I never had much luck w/ that ...not very useful in my opinion.

here's some quick steps that I usually follow. Create your riser where needed. Then, start w/ your furthest fixture from the riser. connect the cold supply (assuming hot and cold) and route at the intended offset (below floor) along the route that you would like back to your main riser. Then, select each fixture from there along the way and connect to this or repeat to create branches w/ multiple fixtures. Then size the pipe as you move along if you didn't when initially laying out. keep tabs of your pipe offset so that you can keep on the same level.

[se13gits]

are you using the automagic layout?? I never had much luck w/ that ...not very useful in my opinion.
here's some quick steps that I usually follow. Create your riser where needed. Then, start w/ your furthest fixture from the riser. connect the cold supply (assuming hot and cold) and route at the intended offset (below floor) along the route that you would like back to your main riser. Then, select each fixture from there along the way and connect to this or repeat to create branches w/ multiple fixtures. Then size the pipe as you move along if you didn't when initially laying out. keep tabs of your pipe offset so that you can keep on the same level.

LOL, yes I believe Revit MEP has the best AI I've ever seen.

Trying to draw the riser from the 3-D and Elevation views but the work plane error keeps popping up, what view should I be drawing the riser from and then how do I adjust the length of the riser? Is this correct in the picture attached?

Also, now having trouble getting those fixtures to attach to the branch line going out to the riser because the fixtures are all slightly offset from each other (top view) won't "align" function with the outermost fixture I started the floor's branch line from.

[moliva]

I typically work in a section view when having to manipulate vertical piping, either drawing a riser or piping to a fixture. Go to View>Section and draw a new section next to where you are working, you can reduce or expand the depth of the section to control how much you see.

[se13gits]

Uh, I can't find "section/section view" under the "view tab" (RMEP 2011).

How do I create a "section view" that I can work/edit my piping and connections in?

[moliva]

see image, it should be fairly straightforward.

[se13gits]

I've started most my floor piping with a 0'0" offset (intersections' offsets being set accordingly) so it lines up with each floor's floor and I can actually see the thing on the 2-D plumbing floor plan views as opposed to editing the piping and dimensions in a 3-D plumbing view.
Now I'm having the problem of actually selecting all the piping with connections at the 0'0"offset and moving down into the floor slab level. Select all won't let me drag the piping without breaking the existing connections.

1.) How do I select all the piping I have on one floor in the 2-D drawing and change the offset/select all the piping in the 3-D plumbing drawing and drag them down? Is there an easy way to select all of a floor's piping and move it down as a group a couple inches with their connections?

2.) Is there an easy way of viewing sections of pipes that are at different height offsets and put them on the same 2-D plumbing plan view?

3.) Is there anyway to color-code/tag pipes by themselves/without being hooked up to fixtures?

4.) Is there an easier way of spacing pipes once you lay them then having to go to modify and linear measurement tool because not all the dimensions are displayed when I click certain pipes?

5.) Do I control the sloping of pipes with the offset I put them at or is there some kind of tool/option/property I'm missing for sloping sections of piping?

Sorry, got a lot of questions as the problems come up for me.

[moliva]

you should draw the pipe where it needs to be not at 0'-0"....if it's below floor adjust your depth in the View Range to allow you to see it.

you can set up filters to change color based on pipe type but it gets a little messy, better to color by system type or name...

not sure what you want as far as easier spacing, you can get fairly close by eye-balling it or if you want exact use the aligned dimension tool.

i wouldn't attempt sloped piping at this stage, figure out how to route and manipulate pipe first then fiddle with that mess.