Creating a plenum

[finney13]

Anyone know how I can create a plenum in ABS? Basically have a floor to ceiling return plenum I need to connect to in a couple places.

I am not having any luck just using the "Add duct" because it won't let me connect to it offset from the center.

Thanks

[david_peterson]

What if you made a new "Duct" the size of the plenum and made non plotting? I'll say that I've never used the program, so I'm not sure what other implication that may have, so this is just a thought.

[finney13]

What do you mean by non plotting?

[david_peterson]

In ADT (I'm guessing this also works for ABS) you can put an override on an object to set the line weight, or plot style. Change that to non-plotting color or style, or put it on it's own layer and freeze it. This way you can kind of "trick" ABS into seeing an object (so you can model correctly) and not have that object display in plan or section. Just a thought.

[finney13]

Interesting... I guess I could just have a duct to represent the plenum like I am doing now, then have other ducts that do not plot as you suggest to allow for the connection to the plenum?

That might work if I can keep the "hidden" ducts from trying to interfere with the real duct or "plenum".

Need to be able to build a box of whatever size the user determines that will allow for connections on multiple sides and at multiple elevations.

Might be something that could created in MvParts, but just not very experienced with using that yet.

[david_peterson]

Again, I've never used ABS so I'm just guessing here.

If I understand your next question, it's that you think you may end up with an interference condition between the "non-plotting duct/plenum" and the supply ducts that are in the plenum space? I don't have an answer for that one. But I'd bet you may be able to cheat. If you place a smaller duct inside a larger duct (plenum) as long as the 2 don't touch you should be ok. When it comes to connecting them, I'm wondering if you can simply place the elbow of the trunk and just set it 1/256" away from the plenum space. Or can you simply choose to ignor the interference? Just a few more thoughts.

[finney13]

Good thoughts. Thanks for the responses.

[finney13]

Just FYI for anyone interested,

I figured out that you can just create a duct of whatever dimension necessary, and connect to it by using the perpendicular OSnap as opposed to the ABS snap. This seems to force ABS to connect the ducts where you tell it to as opposed to it trying to figure it out itself.

You need to be in the same general elevation, but I did not realize ABS would connect the ducts using basic OSnaps (not preference, I know, but works fr this application).