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cad program

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zepfan
zepfan Member Posts: 397
in Thermostats and Controls
does anyone know of a good inexpensive cad based or other type of computer program  for doing wiring diagrams? sometimes a job requires more then a hand drawn diagram.any feedback would be much appreciated.thank you

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  • Empire_2
    Empire_2 Member Posts: 2,343
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    Zepfan

    I tried typing in a search on google and there are a whole lot of programs in different price ranges.  I to would love to have a program like this, but nothing I know or use comes to mind.  If you buy one and like it, let all of us know.  Google search HVAC wiring diagrams software.



    Mike T.
  • Tim P._3
    Tim P._3 Member Posts: 50
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    thinking outside the box..

    You could try something like KiCad or I think Eagle has a free version.



    They're designed for laying out circuitry/PCBs but I think they would scale well to a wiring diagram.
  • HDE
    HDE Member Posts: 225
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    MS

    Microsoft Visio works well and you may already have it.

    Besides PDF's and picture format you can save in DRW and DRG formats for AUTO CAD compatible programs
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,853
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    What Homer said...

    Visio allows you to use tekmars templates (FREE), which have pretty much everything you'd need to generate technically correct drawings.



    Funny story about Macintosh, which all of its users claim is THE BEST graphics PC on the market. I was convinced by a close confident to go Mac, which I did, and when I asked one of the wandering Apple Geeks in the store for assistance in finding a good drawing program for the Mac, he looked around to make sure no one was within ear shot, and whispered "Micro Soft Visio is THE best program on the market..."



    Funny how that stuff works out eh...



    ME
    It's not so much a case of "You got what you paid for", as it is a matter of "You DIDN'T get what you DIDN'T pay for, and you're NOT going to get what you thought you were in the way of comfort". Borrowed from Heatboy.
  • Paul Rohrs_14
    Paul Rohrs_14 Member Posts: 80
    edited January 2012
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    Visio

    Couldn't agree more with ME and the others.   Visio is very well suited to drawing the electrical needs of our industry.   While some prefer ladder diagrams with embedded controls, my experience has been that the electrician who is going to wire the ensemble is better equipped when he/she has a point-to-point wiring diagram in their hands.



    Attached is one such example.   I have drawn quite a few stencils for Lochinvar equipment so if you go with Visio, let me know and I'd be happy to send some stencils your way.



    Best,



    Paul
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