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Old 23-01-2014, 13:21   #16
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re: Schematic Software

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Originally Posted by capt-couillon View Post
List of usable tools Here Tried several, found Schemelt worked best for me. Here is a simple (in progress) schematic for Solitaire drawn with Schemelt.

Online (no-download req) and tied to DigiKeys parts database, its geared more towards electronics than straight electrical, but ability to create your own components is helpful. BlueSea fuse block and meters in referenced schematic are "custom" components. Little learning curve, but I was drawing right along within an hour.

Have fun...
All this looks very interesting. I'm a graphic designer and do my systems layouts in InDesign...but realistically I would rather use accepted symbols for various components instead of making up my own colour-coded keys...it's starting to look like the London Underground map...

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Old 25-01-2014, 04:44   #17
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re: Schematic Software

GILow,

You do not mention if you have a PC or Mac computer. I have an iMac computer and recently purchased an electrical circuit drawing software from the Apple store named "Electric Design" for $9.95. I am a newbie at using schematic software, and the help function in this program is lacking, but so far the program is very intuitive and I have been able to start immediately drawing circuits. If you have a Mac, this software seems promising, but as I said, I am a newbie.
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Old 25-01-2014, 06:12   #18
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re: Schematic Software

My engineers used a program called " WIRECAD"
We used this for all the Studios and Post Production Edit Suites
Don't know if it would be any good for you but certainly worth a look see
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Old 25-01-2014, 13:00   #19
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re: Schematic Software

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GILow,

You do not mention if you have a PC or Mac computer. I have an iMac computer and recently purchased an electrical circuit drawing software from the Apple store named "Electric Design" for $9.95. I am a newbie at using schematic software, and the help function in this program is lacking, but so far the program is very intuitive and I have been able to start immediately drawing circuits. If you have a Mac, this software seems promising, but as I said, I am a newbie.
Thanks Ken43, I have both religions of computer, so I will have a look at that one also.
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Old 25-01-2014, 13:08   #20
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re: Schematic Software

I've found TinyCAD (Windoze) to be about the fastest dedicated electrical/electronic CAD for quickly doing schematics.

There are a number of symbol libraries, but I haven't yet found a good marine-oriented one, but it's fairly easy to create and save your own symbols. I have a "marine" library started but it's not yet comprehensive.
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Old 25-01-2014, 13:54   #21
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re: Schematic Software

I use TURBOCAD.

You can buy it from ebay for very cheap.
It has a very flat learning curve, easy for beginner.
It will import/export to AUTOCAD so you can download stuff and use it.
Because it is a true CAD application, you may find that you grow into it.

I used it to design my bow sprit. I downloaded images or cad files of various anchors and scaled them onto my drawings to find the correct roller placement.

I have also used it to do electrical schematics.

Think of your time as an investment. You are unlikely to outgrow TURBOCAD.
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Old 25-01-2014, 15:50   #22
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I only use my full blown CAD apps for making bits for the boat.

I find that a lot of CAD programs make it difficult to rearrange lines (which happens a lot when drawing a schematic) and the don't automatically handle crossovers.

Over the years I have found that an old copy of Visio, as mentioned by a previous poster, is the best tool for occasional drawing of schematics. Visio is easy to use and understands schematic diagrams and has libraries of symbols built in along with many third party libraries available for download - a lot for free.

It's advantage is that it is easy to rearrange lines (and has automatic routing), knows about crossovers and can also be used for many other diagramming tasks. When i've drawn schematics for my boat, I have drawn out over a picture of the plan, which visually places components in the schematic on the plan of the vessel. I also use visio to draw up the pin outs for connectors (i use lots of connectors, automotive style) and add other pages into the same visio file is required.
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Old 25-01-2014, 16:32   #23
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re: Schematic Software

Drawing Wiring Diagrams Drawing Wiring Diagrams
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Old 26-01-2014, 04:47   #24
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Re: Schematic Software

I have used Visio for this, and find it perfect for us non-CADD-user types. But once I retire I won't likely have Visio any more.

Sure enough, Open Office (the free MS Office knock-off) has a Visio-like component:
Apache OpenOffice Draw

I haven't tried it yet, but if it's as good as the other Open Office products, this is what I'll use.
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Old 26-01-2014, 09:31   #25
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Re: Schematic Software

This is a great thread. I won't recommend InDesign except to say that if you are already a graphic design person without a CAD background, it's not much of a leap to just stay in InDesign. You just use grids and guides more. I suspect that old copies of CorelDRAW or OpenOffice Draw, as mentioned above, would serve equally well.

The symbol libraries seem plentiful and free online if you put in 15 minutes.

If you are actually designing for fabrication, however, particularly if you're going to an automated process or CNC router, etc., a variation of CAD might be best.

But most of us are just trying to lay out relatively straightforward maps of the boat's wiring circuits.
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Old 26-01-2014, 12:07   #26
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Re: Schematic Software

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I draw a lot of electrical diagrams and technical drawings and though I know there must be a better way, I never got around to finding what it is. Instead I am using MS Paint. I take advantage of the shapes, the copy and paste, the flip and rotate, the text. Sometimes it is effective, particularly as I saved all the frequently used symbols and copy and paste them. Sometimes it turns out tedious. Like when I have to select and move a major portion of the schematic over to make more room for another component and than have to reconnect all the severed lines. I'll try to attach an old example.
Stan
Excellent drawing!
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Old 26-01-2014, 12:10   #27
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Re: Schematic Software

My non technical VectorWorks created wiring "diagrams" for Shiva.. a work in progress!
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 1 - Electric Schematics 14.1 v2.pdf (428.3 KB, 205 views)
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Old 26-01-2014, 22:30   #28
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Re: Schematic Software

If you are a Mac user, go to the App store facility built into the OS X, & look for "Electric Design". Has a library of 3,000 symbols, costs $11. Pretty intuitive, needs to be, the HELP is poor. For a boat schematic, I found the others mentioned here had way too big a learning curve.

HINT. This is not in the Apple Store, you'll find it using the APP icon on your iMac home screen.
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Old 27-01-2014, 03:33   #29
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Re: Schematic Software

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Drawing Wiring Diagrams Drawing Wiring Diagrams
You wired your subwoofer to your shower sump circuit...?!

I think you may be related to the PO of my boat.

Matt
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Old 27-01-2014, 03:36   #30
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Re: Schematic Software

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My non technical VectorWorks created wiring "diagrams" for Shiva.. a work in progress!
Gawd! I didn't think it would be THAT much work... That's a helluva lot of effort, got me thinking a bit more about what I am trying to achieve.

At first glance my reaction was that my setup will be much simpler, but when I looked harder I realised I still need to document maybe 60% of what you have there.

Sigh, a bit more homework for me I fear. Thank you for sharing that set of diagrams, they serve as a good set of pointers.

Matt
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