CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING

1. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

2. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • As a technician on a construction site you will need to be familiar with all of the symbols and abbreviations used on the blueprints as they pertain to your trade. • It’s just as important to know the electrical symbols as it is to know the low voltage symbols, low voltage outlets are typically placed close to electrical outlets.

3. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • You will need to locate the legend page in the set of blueprints you are working with. • The legend defines all of the symbols and abbreviations that the architectural firm is using throughout all of the plans.

4. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Symbols are defined at the beginning of a set of blueprints, there is typically several pages dedicated to identifying all the symbols used on all of the drawings. • Though most of the symbols are standardized architectural firms will have their own variation of common and not so common symbols.

5. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • The abbreviations used on a set of blueprints will also be located at the front of the drawings and have several pages dedicated to defining all the abbreviations used throughout the drawings. • In some cases the symbol and abbreviation sheets may be located in front of the specific drawings, for example all of the electrical symbols may be on sheet E-1 and E-2 may contain all of the abbreviations.

6. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Here is an example of an electrical legend, this appears on the same page of the electrical drawings which is typical for small projects.

7. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Plug outlets are standardized and are depicted the same from drawing to drawing, sometimes there’s a slight variation. PLUG OUTLETS

8. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING ELECTRICAL OUTLETS

9. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • LIGHTS, these too are fairly standard

10. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Switch symbols are also relatively standard.

11. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Here are the most commonly used symbols for communications. PRIMARY SYMBOL USED FOR CAMERA LOCATIONS

12. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING COMMUNICATIONS OUTLETS

13. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Below are some more electrical outlets, notice that the triangle is used for special purpose outlets, in some cases you have to pay special attention to the letter subscripts that are used with each symbol.

14. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Here are some more electrical symbols, notice that the switch symbol is a little different here than it was in a previous slide.

15. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Here are the emergency lights and exit lights symbols as well as the different types of fluorescent light symbols. • All telecom cables must be kept away from fluorescent lights.

16. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Additional low voltage outlets;

17. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • This is an example of 5 outlets, and a light tied to a switch and all tied to the same circuit. • What does the circle with the SD and T stand for? SMOKE DETECTOR THERMOSTAT

18. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • In this same example the voice and data locations do not have connecting lines, why? ALL COMMUNICATIONS CABLES ARE HOMERUNS TO A TC

19. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Symbols used in security alarm and access control are not standardized, however a common practice is to use a box or rectangle with the abbreviation of the device.

20. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Here are some examples of fire alarm symbols that are commonly used on blue-prints.

21. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Commonly used plumbing symbols

22. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • You’ve probably noticed that the symbols themselves have abbreviations, in many cases the same symbol or shape is used with a different abbreviation. • In the following slides we’ll take a look at some of the most commonly used abbreviations used on electrical drawings.

23. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING BLUEPRINT ABBREVIATIONS ADA - AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT AHU- AIR HANDLING UNIT AFF- ABOVE FINISHED FLOOR AWG- AMERICAN WIRE GUAGE CL- CENTER LINE EG- EARTH GROUND ELEV- ELEVATION EM – EMERGENCY EMT- ELECTRICAL METALLIC TUBING

24. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING MDF- MAIN DISTRIBUTION FRAME FOB- FACE OF BRICK GD/GND- GROUND MIC- MICROPHONE M.H.- MANHOLE NC- NORMALLY CLOSED NO- NORMALLY OPEN OC- ON CENTER PB- PUSH BUTTON

25. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING PBX- PRIVATE BRANCH EXCHANGE RFI - REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SPK- SPEAKER TYP - TYPICAL TELE- TELEPHONE RTU - ROOF TOP UNIT U- UNDERGROUND WP- WEATHER PROOF “ - INCHES ‘ - FEET

26. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Anything that has the “ADA” designation is a call out that certain height requirements must be followed. • For low voltage technicians this means all public access devices must be ADA compliant, that means the mounting height is 46” (see the handout on ADAAG, Americans with disabilities act accessibility guidelines; 4.31.3).

27. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • Another common abbreviation that you will see on blueprints is “AFF” (above finished floor). • This is a reference to the mounting height of outlets (voice & data) and other low voltage devices. • Typical mounting heights are 18” AFF on center.

28. CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING • For a more detailed list of abbreviations used on blueprints refer to the symbols and abbreviation hand out. • Remember that in many cases the low voltage systems are typically superimposed onto the electrical drawings so you will be referencing “E” drawings the majority of the time.