Display smoke detector range

Step-by-step guide

Review smoke detector layout and create guides for the position and range of smoke detectors.

Open the project E04_01.rvt.
Ensure the current view is Smoke Detection > Ceiling Plans > 1 – Smoke Detection.
Select a smoke detector from the view.
Click Edit Family in the ribbon.

In an open Revit project, a smoke detector selected in the 1 – Smoke Detection view, and in the ribbon, Edit Family selected.

From the Project Browser, open the view Ref. Level.
If not already set, change the scale to 1/8" = 1'-0".
In the Manage tab, click Object Styles.

In the Ref Leve view, the scale set for this example, and Object Styles selected in the Manage tab of the ribbon.

Create a new Subcategory by clicking New.
Name the Subcategory “Range”.
Click OK.

In the Object Styles dialog box, New highlighted, and in the New Subcategory popup, the name “Range” entered.

Create another Subcategory named “Position”.
Set the Line Color of Range to Red.
Set the Line Color of Position to Black.
Set the Line Pattern to Hidden for both.

In the Object Styles dialog box, the Line Color and Line Pattern options configured for the two new subcategories.

Click OK.
From the Annotate tab of the ribbon, click Symbolic Line.

The Annotate tab of the ribbon, with Symbolic Line selected.

In the Draw panel, select Circle.
Expand the Subcategory menu and select Range.
From the center of the smoke detector, draw a circle.

In the Draw panel, Circle selected, with the Subcategory set to Range; and in the Ref. Level view, drawing a circle from the center of the smoke detector.

From the Annotate tab, click Diameter to add a diameter dimension, and set the value to 42'.
In the Create tab, select the reference plane command.
Draw 2 horizontal reference planes as shown.
Draw 2 vertical reference planes as shown.

The Ref. Level view, with 2 horizontal and 2 vertical reference planes drawn, represented by dotted lines.

From the Annotate tab, use the Aligned command to place a horizontal and a vertical continued dimension as shown.
Select each line and apply the equality (EQ) constraint to each.

In the Ref. Level view, the equality (EQ) constraint is applied to the drawn horizontal and vertical continued dimensions.

Use the Aligned command again to place an overall horizontal and an overall vertical dimension.
Set the value to 30' for both dimensions.
Lock both dimensions.

In the zoomed-in Ref. Level view, the lock icon is being clicked to lock the placed overall horizontal dimension, with the value set to 30 feet.

From the Annotate tab, select Symbolic Line.
Select Rectangle in the Draw panel, and set the Subcategory to Position.

In the Draw panel of the ribbon, Rectangle is selected, with the Subcategory set to Position.

Draw a rectangle from corner to corner of the reference planes.
Apply all 4 lock icons to constrain the geometry.

In the Ref. Level view, a rectangle drawn from corner to corner of the reference planes, with all 4 lock icons applied to constrain the geometry.

Click Load Into Project to load the modified family, and overwrite the existing version.
Review the location of the smoke detectors in relation to the visual guides added for position and range.

The Smoke Detection view, showing the location of the smoke detectors in relation to the added position and range visual guides.

The smoke detectors are too far apart and do not provide adequate coverage in this case.

On the View tab, click Visibility/Graphics to enter the Visibility Graphics Overrides for this view, and expand the Fire Alarm Devices category.
Note the new subcategories and deselect both.

In the Visibility Graphics Overrides for the view, with the Fire Alarm Devices category expanded, the checkboxes for the 2 new subcategories are cleared for deselection.

Click OK.

The visual guides for range and position are now hidden in this view.

The Smoke Detection view, with the visual guides for range and position now hidden.

Save the project.
(Do not save the families for this example.)

Display smoke detector range

Step-by-step guide

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