Terminal Block Depiction in Schematic

[dogleg43]

Are any of these terminals multi-level?
How do you differentiate between different levels of the same terminal?

 

[James Mcquade]

I have done it both ways, but in the end, I did what the customer said.
But, I used my own autocad block library.

james

 

[theColonel26]

Are any of these terminals multi-level?
How do you differentiate between different levels of the same terminal?

In this example no, but you would just add something on the end of the terminal name like TB1-1-1-A


*Strip Name*-*Block Number*-*Block Level*-Block Side*


Really my example should have been TB1-1-A and TB1-1-B etc. (but SkyCad doesn't currently support that level of detail, SkyCad being what I used)



Also you would have a corresponding terminal strip layout view to go with the schematic.

 

[mellis]

First things first... A schematic is one thing and a wiring diagram is another thing altogether.

A schematic is intended to show the function of the circuit first and foremost. Yes, it can have terminal numbers and location callouts but not to the level of detail that it obscures how the circuit works. However, the actual wiring may be ambiguous. Two different electricians may wire the circuit differently. The way they group the wires into pull groups and where they choose to make common terminations can be different but still match the schematic.

A wiring diagram is intended to show how the circuit is wired period. Wiring diagrams are not ambiguous about terminations (i.e. all wires have exactly two ends). You may be able to figure out how the circuit works, but that is not the focus. Wiring diagrams will show a wire jumping from terminal to terminal. They will indicate when a conductor is a terminal strip jumper instead of a wire.

One thing that is still overlooked a lot, even in wiring diagrams, is which side of the terminal strip the wire is supposed to be on. You may still have to do terminal strip details to show the physical arrangement of terminal blocks, how they are jumpered and which wires are on which side.

If you are only doing one drawing (and most people do) you are always making compromises.

 

[mellis]

In this example no, but you would just add something on the end of the terminal name like TB1-1-1-A


*Strip Name*-*Block Number*-*Block Level*-Block Side*


Really my example should have been TB1-1-A and TB1-1-B etc. (but SkyCad doesn't currently support that level of detail, SkyCad being what I used)



Also you would have a corresponding terminal strip layout view to go with the schematic.

Personally, I've never seen a drawing where the "sides" of a terminal were labelled. The usual format I see is: TB1-23T where "TB1" is the terminal strip number, "23" is the terminal number on that strip, and "T" indicates the top level of that terminal. I prefer T=top, B=bottom, M=middle for most situations. Using A, B, C would require further explanation.

I think that if you have to go to this level of detail, terminal strip details are required.

 

[theColonel26]

Personally, I've never seen a drawing where the "sides" of a terminal were labelled. The usual format I see is: TB1-23T where "TB1" is the terminal strip number, "23" is the terminal number on that strip, and "T" indicates the top level of that terminal. I prefer T=top, B=bottom, M=middle for most situations. Using A, B, C would require further explanation.

I think that if you have to go to this level of detail, terminal strip details are required.

Well yes you would need a terminal strip layout, but the ECAD software needs that level of detail to generate the terminal strip layout.


I have seen T,M,B


Mellis, what is your background? System Integrator, Machine Builder, or OEM?

 

[testsubject]

I use style 2 but as mentioned earlier, this does create a wiring diagram centered document and does not require any other documentation to wire the panel.
I use Autocad Electrical and it is very easy to do it this way....