Best Schematic Drawing Tool for Boat Electrical Systems?
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
Obviously. That is how they were done until not that long ago. That's how I learned.But it really is a case of faster, better, cheaper. Pick any two. And then of deciding howto simplify it, because if you show all of the home runs it will be unreadable.
There is a "language" to drawing wiring diagram. To draw such that the reader understands the diagram requires electrical engineering training. There are templates you can buy to draw devices such as relays, terminal blocks, etc. All you need is a straigh edge and pencil.
Electrical or Mechanical?, I have done both on excel, you just have to be creative with the symbols.
There are a few low cost software packages out there thought Edraw Max I guess appears to be a fairly decent package but like with any package there is a learning curve, where a pencil and 1/4 line pad has immediate results.
There are a few low cost software packages out there thought Edraw Max I guess appears to be a fairly decent package but like with any package there is a learning curve, where a pencil and 1/4 line pad has immediate results.
Just to clarify the queston.
I am an electrical engineer, and I've done some mechanical design too, and have used professional schematic capture and solid modeling software.
I want a software, computer-based solution. I want that so I can find and save things on my Mac, and so I can create lots of version, extract parts lists and net lists, do design rules checking, maybe even run simulations.
Thanks,
jv
I am an electrical engineer, and I've done some mechanical design too, and have used professional schematic capture and solid modeling software.
I want a software, computer-based solution. I want that so I can find and save things on my Mac, and so I can create lots of version, extract parts lists and net lists, do design rules checking, maybe even run simulations.
Thanks,
jv
I have trouble believing that you can find something to do all that which is either free nor cheap.....
Electrical Design Software - Electrical CAD Toolset | Free Online App
Check out SmartDraw's electrical design toolset - free online app. Create electrical designs with standard electrical symbols.
www.smartdraw.com
Schematics Diagram Software for Linux - Edraw
An ease-to-use Linux Schematics Diagram Software for you to create schematic diagrams quickly with built-in free templates and symbols.
You never know, there's a lot of good free software out there.
But, I might spend up to $250 or so if I found something I really like.
I already have Alibre CAD for mechanical, but they never made the leap to a schematic plug-in.
I've used Express SCH previously for this sort of thing. It's mainly a program for designing boards, but you can use it for simple wiring diagrams, as well. It's free.
www.expresspcb.com
PCB CAD Software – ExpressPCB
www.expresspcb.com
Hi Jviss
Re your original question.
What do you all think is the best tool for drawing boat schematics? Something free or cheap, maybe? Any basic drawing program will do the job.
I use the Open Office drawing. It is free
Not sophisticated but does the job.
I did this drawing "as fitted".
Gary
Re your original question.
What do you all think is the best tool for drawing boat schematics? Something free or cheap, maybe? Any basic drawing program will do the job.
I use the Open Office drawing. It is free
Not sophisticated but does the job.
I did this drawing "as fitted".
Gary
I second Open Office Draw for basic wiring diagrams. I made this one of my DC power system using Draw:
You can also use is for plan views, I traced the outline of my boat from a brochure using lines and arcs, and made layers for plumbing, engine, safety...:
I also used Draw to lay out the rebuild of my autopilot power unit control board that failed:
I then used Fritzing (a free circuit design program) to create the schematic and board layout for the control board:
You can also use is for plan views, I traced the outline of my boat from a brochure using lines and arcs, and made layers for plumbing, engine, safety...:
I also used Draw to lay out the rebuild of my autopilot power unit control board that failed:
I then used Fritzing (a free circuit design program) to create the schematic and board layout for the control board:
We use Visio at work but it isn't free. The Open Office Suite is a great package and your tax dollars paid for it.
I just installed the trial version on my Mac. Any recommendations for a template most suited to boat wiring?