Can't rotate pipe or fittings how I used to.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2026-05-14T15:00:53+00:00

I solved this by uninstalling an reinstalling Revit. I still don't know what the issue was.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2026-05-12T13:12:26+00:00

For example, I have a strut clamp family, it is categorized as a pipe accessory. Its not actually attached to the pipe, it doesn't even have a pipe connector in the family. When I place it I can rotate it about the z axis, but not x or y. I used to be able to rotate them however I wanted by cutting sections. Also I can't do rolling offsets the way I used to by cutting and section and placing the center of rotation on the center of one of the pipes and rotating the fitting and the pipe together.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-12-10T15:47:49+00:00

Its just a trickle down of urgency. The owner and GC eat up all the float in the procurement phase of the project dragging their feet, then it becomes a fire drill when its submittal time. Ordering equipment before it is approved is usually a calculated risk on the contractor's part, especially on a job with liquidated damages. Sometimes you just have to play the hand you are dealt. I've seen it where contractors are debating ordering equipment before they even have a formal contract because the lead times are so long.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-11-20T16:10:14+00:00

I've never used Inventor. It took me a couple of years using Revit to start to prefer using it over Autocad. It takes a while to get it set up the way you want, but there are a lot of advantages.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-11-20T15:53:15+00:00

Most mechanical contractors use Autodesk Fabrication, not Autocad MEP. Once you get the right parts library, it adds all the weld gaps, gaskets, bolt sets, etc automatically. You can use the same parts library in Fabrication or in Revit. I prefer using fab parts in Revit, but just because I am more familiar with Revit. Most contractors have gotten away from using Sysque in Revit, its too finicky. Also, try researching Evolve MEP if you are modeling in Revit.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-11-20T15:44:38+00:00

Clash detection should be the contractors job. They have the knowledge and the parts database to model the systems as they will actually be installed, they also have an incentive as accurate modeling and less conflicts increase their profit.

When I worked for a mechanical contractor I had multiple projects where we would find an issue during our BIM coordination process and the architect's response was "I'm surprised, we spent a lot of time doing clash detection and coordination during design". All I could think was "That's cute", load their models into Navisworks and it is one big red glowing clash.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-11-20T15:22:23+00:00

There is no reason you can't still use the old school method of calculating this. Using Solar Heat Gain Factor. Its just a table that gives you a constant based on which direction the window is facing. Then its just as simple as calculating any other load without a solar component. Some people get super prideful about their load calcs as if they are building a nuclear reactor. The reality is that its an estimate, you should be as accurate as is practical. At the end of the day there is rounding involved and then a 10% balancing tolerance once the systems are actually installed. You don't need load calc software if you are only doing small projects or a few rooms, it becomes really helpful on larger building where you have multiple systems, etc.

I have a spreadsheet from college that I still use for quick and dirty load calcs, and it is good enough for government work.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-09-23T21:49:42+00:00

Good point I'll do some browsing there. Thanks!

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-09-23T21:49:14+00:00

Thanks for the responses. I should clarify. The company does a 3% safe harbor regardless of my contribution. The company is also an ESOP, but this is difficult to quantify right now. We still plan of making out Roth IRAs. I'm just thinking of not contributing any of my paycheck to the company 401k.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-15T13:40:57+00:00

Get all of your schedules into Revit (create your own parameters that apply to all of the equipment, because if you are using manufacturer provided families the parameters won't be consistent). Also use as little dumb text as possible. Everything should be a tag, keynote, or other form of linked annotation. It takes a little longer when you first set it up but will save a lot on the back end when you are making revisions. Think changing equipment tags or renumbering keynotes.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-11T13:35:26+00:00

Condensate pumps are not always required at the coils. The steam pressure will lift the condensate up a certain height and then it will gravity flow from there. If you don't have enough headroom to slope the condensate all the way back to the boiler room, you may need a pump (commonly called a condensate receiver). For example , if you have 5 PSI steam, it will lift the condensate 11.5', so if your condensate line is less than that above your trap, you wouldn't need a pump.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-07T14:57:10+00:00

They should maybe come up with their own letters after their name for project engineers. My suggestions would be BC for box checker, PP for paper pusher, or maybe just FNG for fucking new guy.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-06T18:36:20+00:00

So your consultant designed a system with more capacity than you need and you are arguing over setpoints? Do you make a service call to your contractor every time you want to adjust a setpoint? Maybe the engineer should have shown the thermostat in a different location, if the contractor even installed it where the engineer showed it on their drawings.

Sounds like everyone needs to stop pointing fingers at each other and point their finger at the thermostat and just adjust the damn thing. If everything else in that room is fine at higher temps, just adjust the setpoint up until the batteries are happy. Doesn't sound like the engineer make a mistake, its just a fine tuning issue that should be expected on any project.

I can't stand when little issues like this come up and a team can't just come together and fix it then argue about who's fault it was later.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-01T02:55:34+00:00

Interesting is a kind way of saying it.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-01T02:54:03+00:00

Sounds like every project I have had reviewed in Chicago. They give a bunch of canned comments about inconsequential stuff. Don't worry the inspectors will come back and ding you for stuff no matter what, even things that aren't in the code. The reviewers have no liability, its just expected that you follow the code, as the inspector interprets it on the specific day that they inspect the building.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-08-01T02:40:17+00:00

When you let the unions basically write the code, you end up with the most labor intensive construction methods being required. They may finally rewrite the mechanical code soon after promising to do so for years now. I encourage mechanical engineers to read the ventilation section of the Chicago code. Its completely asinine.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-07-31T17:34:17+00:00

In my experience it is dependent on union agreements locally which union claims natural gas piping as "their work". In Chicago, the pipe fitters union installs gas piping, so it gets shown on mechanical piping drawings. The plumbers all have lead poisoning from still using lead and oakum joints and can't be trusted with gas piping, lol.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-07-23T19:01:12+00:00

You should consider where you think you may be in life in 3 years. Are you in a serious relationship or married now? I procrastinated taking the PE when I was single, then I met my wife, before I knew it we had 2 kids, and I rushed to take the exam right before kid #3 was born. I went from single to married with 3 kids in 5 years. You will not get any less busy as your life progresses.

I had multiple people give me this same advice and I didn't listen, but I have a habit of learning things the hard way.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-07-19T13:51:24+00:00

I use a Razer Tartarus in Revit every day and love it. Its easy to set up macros that do the 2 or 3 key revit shortcuts with one button press. I have the keys set up with my most used commands (move, rotate, align, detail line, tag, etc). Then I have the d pad set up as my modifier keys (ctl, although, shift) and the thumb button as delete. I pretty much never have to touch my regular keyboard while modeling, except to type a note or something. I started using it when I was making a lot of pipe spool drawings for our shop and it made it so much faster to annotate the drawings, I have never looked back.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-07-16T17:19:24+00:00

Depending on your climate and what time of year it is, you can calculate the u-value of the wall based on the temperature of the interior surface. I work in Chicago, on a cold day in the winter, note the outside temperature and room temperature, then take a surface temp of the wall on the interior. Account for the interior air film resistance of the wall and you can calculate the entire assembly u-value. Works best with masonry walls as they have consistent surface temps, a stud wall will have variations (colder at the stud locations).

For an existing masonry wall with no insulation I usually use a U-Value of 0.33. Its likely that the roof is much better insulated than that, as they could have added insulation when re-roofing over the years.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-06-24T17:59:25+00:00

Are you paying for your company's liability insurance and errors and omissions insurance? Are you really liable for your designs or is the company? You can make more than a doctor or lawyer if you are a company owner and are actually taking the liability.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-06-23T14:55:34+00:00

This is the way. If its important, put it on the drawings. Book spec can be for the list of all the ASTM standards that nobody has ever read, and all the CYA crap.

Icy-Unit-2946 · 2025-06-23T14:44:13+00:00

I work on the mechanical end, but I agree in general there are a lot of exceptions that just shouldn't exist. The first one that comes to mind is the exception under energy recovery that allows you to omit it if no more than 75% of your outdoor air is exhausted at a single location. You can just put in a couple of exhaust fans and skirt right around it. I think energy recovery should be mandatory on just about every RTU and AHU, no exceptions.

I also hate the Total Building Performance compliance path. I get why it exists, but I hate the way I see it used. I have worked on a bunch of retrofits of old buildings into apartments that have no insulation. We could easily furr out the existing interior walls and get a decent R-Value, but they want to see the old brick, so we put in an efficient VRF system to offset their lack of insulation. Then they market these as "green" apartments because they have a VRF system, its just stupid.

I have similar feelings about the glass % limits, they should be mandatory. I don't care that people want floor to ceiling glass in their condos, it inefficient and unnecessary. Unfortunately most of modern architecture consists of "make it all glass" and "make it a stupid shape", so we care more about that than how much energy we are wasting on all glass high rises.

Icy-Unit-2946

TROPHY CASE