LoopCAD

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

This company had a booth at the recent RPA convention in Sacramento where they were handing out a demo CD of their program where you draw the rooms in a house (like in WrightSoft), define some spacing guidlines and the program will draw the loops for you.

I just tried it and it's brilliant. It'll take a while to figure it out properly, but after a while, I imagine it can be a very useful tool.

http://www.loopcad.com/LoopCAD/LoopCADMain.asp

<A HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=53&Step=30">To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"</A>

[Deleted User]

Interesting for presentation...

but you know as well as I that when it comes to the field, those drawings are rarely followed.

I particularly like the ones done by mechanical engineers that show the lines running directly under the wall plates.

I still contend that EVERY engineer, regardless of his letters, shoudl be required to spend at least 2 years in the trenches prior to getting his shingle.

They'd have a much better understanding of why it's not wise to put five pounds of system into a 2 pound room.

ME

Steve Ebels

Mark, I couldn't agree more

We're just starting a job where we have approx 4.5 ft of width in which to install a Vitodens with low loss header and a mix valve setup, 3 pex manifolds with 4 to 8 loops each, a 45 gallon indirect, the well tank and all the piping to connect the items lists above. The space we have to work in is about 7 ft high and only 3 feet deep.

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Brian

Loops

This looks like just the thing I've been looking for.I think it would be great for presentation as well as playing with design options intead of standing in the middle of the house scratching your head.

Brian

hot_rod

I'd like a program

that could take the the digital pictures of my completed tube layout, and turn it into a nice looking CAD drawing like that! A nice "as built" type of documantation.

hot rod

heatboy

I used a beta version of LoopCAD..........

for the tube layout on the vo-tech project I'm involved with. The kids were able to understand why we were doing what we were doing. This is the first version, so there will be many upgrades, as with any new software, to come. Even Neanderthals, like myself, can produce usable loop layouts.

hb

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Mike Kraft

My 2 sense:)

In my neck of the woods I try to "hawk" RFH.Unfortunately selling HWBB can be a challenge.

Last year I had the privelage of working on two jobs with John Abularge from : http://www.radiant-design.com/.John is such a down to earth guy.His passion,enthusiasim are truely authentic and exact.

The home that I worked at was a large mc-mansion.The application was staple down/gyp.John reminded me of my high school soccer coach.He had specific stradegies for each player.He had a cad drawing for the tube,room by room.These drawings had already been reviewed with him and his layout men previous.Then once again on the site.

These guys began laying the tube runs with colored ink pens and square cuts of 6" x 6" re-enforcing wire.Others prepared the tubing and uncoilers.While others began constructing the manifolds and installing them.

As this happened the tube installers began the staple down.Following his design to the tee.Later in the day the layout crew finished and the tubers were near completion of the second floor.The layout crew then worked in the basement running supplies and returns back to the panel.The panel was constructed in his shop and previously mounted.All the boiler piping was already completed.He also had a player who's job was completeing all the control wiring.

This cad and crew is a well oiled machine.At days end the efficiency of the job was nothing short of phenominal.I was a staple down guy.It was my first staple down install.The snags that I had hit with the drawings were none.On the second day John and I were stapling together.There was but one small area that we modified from the drawing.Other then that it was flawless!!!!

My guess is the learning curve with cad can be a bit high.But repeat offenders can only become righteous with this tool.No wonder this guy wins so many awards.

Check his web site ........amazing!!!All this guy does is RFH.He is a true credit to his passion:)

cheese

Theealchemist

loop cad ............get the update!!!

Make sure you get the latest update from Loopcad.com!!! We picked up the Demo @ REX too and the first chance we had popped it into the computer. Some type of drawing error came up, we "aborted" and the drawing became useless. Brad from Avenir, (makers of loopcad) said they found a bug but the latest download (revision 1) fixes the problem. Good tech support so far from a demo version.........these guys do Wirsbo's Radiant design software also.

Tom Meyer

I agree with Mark

I thought I was an engineer until I was a contractor. 10 years in the field taught me alot about the effect of the lines I was drawing on a piece of paper.

Some universities require engineering students to complete an internship, but I think it might be more appropriate to call it an "apprenticeship" and make it at least a year instead of a few months, at best.

Senior Designer/Trainer
Precision Hydronics Corporation
www.precisionhydronics.com

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Like ANY tool

it is only as good as the operator and works best for its intended purpose.

Drafting/Designing/Drawing aids are just that--ASSISTANCE to make a process you ALREADY UNDERSTAND FULLY easier to accomplish.

Many of the most spectacular and enduring engineering/building projects of man have been accomplished by those somewhat lacking in the "formal" training of the engineering elite, but firmly grounded in the realities of translating drawings into stone...

Remember that a wood chisel makes a great paint can opener, but it's NOT a reversible process!

Alan(CaliforniaRadiant)Forbes

You get to be

your own engineer this time. With LoopCAD, you can modify the way the program lays out your tubing; change the direction, tighten the spacing or modify the layout (counterflow, serpentine, etc.).

It's taking me a while to figure out how to draw the rooms, especially rooms that have irregular shapes. But from an installers point of view, you can get the layout pretty close to what you're going to end up with out in the field. And the more work you do on layout in the office, the more time you and your installers will save on the job.



To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"