40. SOLVING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:53 am
Sometimes outlets, valves, or water supplies are not connected to the pipe system and it may be difficult to determine exactly where the break is. Here are some tips to help solve connectivity issues.
The Check Outlet Connectivity tool checks if outlets are connected to a control valve and also checks if control valves are connected to a water supply. If outlets or control valves are unconnected they will be marked with a red crossed circle: Although the break may not necessarily be located where the symbol is displayed the visual arrangement of the symbols does give a good indication of where the problem may be:-
1. Ensure you are connecting zone items to zone pipe and mainline items to mainline pipe.
2. If all the outlets in the zone are marked as unconnected it is likely the break is between the valve and the first outlet in the zone.
• Check if there is a junction symbol at the valve and if so, move the junction or the valve to connect them.
• Use Move to check the junction at the valve stub on the submain.
Similarly if all valves are marked as unconnected it is likely the water supply is not connected to the mainline.
3. If only a portion of the outlets or valves are unconnected the break can usually be located at one end of the pipe which runs between the connected portion and the unconnected portion. One way to locate where the break is can be done by placing a valve or outlet along the pipeline and then run Design|Check Outlet Connectivity. If it is connected then delete the item and place further along the pipeline. In this way you can see where the item stops being connected.
4. There should not be a junction visible where point objects such as valves, outlets, or water supplies connect to pipes. The junction will disappear when connected. However, if you have the Junctions layers off then we recommend turning these layers on when trying find the connectivity issue.
5. If the break is not at the water supply, valve or outlet sometimes the break is at one of the junctions along the pipeline. You may see where the junction is not square and actually are two junctions at not quite the same place and therefore are not connected. Use Select Window to highlight the junction and then use Object Info. If more than one junction is listed in Object Info without a short pipe segment this is where the pipe ends do not connect.
6. When drawing the hydraulic design the Snap mode must be set to "Connect". If the Snap mode is "Place" no hydraulic items will connect. The Snap panel on the Status Bar will always display your current Snap mode:-
7. If there are multiple water supplies feeding the same system, IRRICAD will give an unconnected error when running Mainline Design if one of the water supplies is not connected to the pipe. Make sure your mainline junctions are visible (turn on the layer) and check for junctions at the water supplies, or non-connections on the pipeline between the water supply(s) and the rest of the system. See also our Tips post 41. CONNECTIVITY ISSUES DURING MAINLINE DESIGN (viewtopic.php?p=676#p676).
8. If you are having trouble connecting to junctions zoom out a little and try again. If you are zoomed too far in then this means YOU have to be very accurate in locating the centre of the junction. However, if you zoom out then IRRICAD will be much more able to locate the centre of the junction, as long as you are clicking within the snap tolerances. Also note, that "Valve and Handle" symbols do not have their centre in the centre of the cross over but part way up the handle, which is the actual centre of the symbol.
9. If none of the above reasons appear to be the issue then double-check the "Scope" of the valves and pipes. If they have been set to BOM Only or Visual Only then any items downstream will be seen as 'unconnected'.
We hope you have found this helpful. If you have a tip you would like to share, please email your tip to Support@IRRICAD.com
The Check Outlet Connectivity tool checks if outlets are connected to a control valve and also checks if control valves are connected to a water supply. If outlets or control valves are unconnected they will be marked with a red crossed circle: Although the break may not necessarily be located where the symbol is displayed the visual arrangement of the symbols does give a good indication of where the problem may be:-
1. Ensure you are connecting zone items to zone pipe and mainline items to mainline pipe.
2. If all the outlets in the zone are marked as unconnected it is likely the break is between the valve and the first outlet in the zone.
• Check if there is a junction symbol at the valve and if so, move the junction or the valve to connect them.
• Use Move to check the junction at the valve stub on the submain.
Similarly if all valves are marked as unconnected it is likely the water supply is not connected to the mainline.
3. If only a portion of the outlets or valves are unconnected the break can usually be located at one end of the pipe which runs between the connected portion and the unconnected portion. One way to locate where the break is can be done by placing a valve or outlet along the pipeline and then run Design|Check Outlet Connectivity. If it is connected then delete the item and place further along the pipeline. In this way you can see where the item stops being connected.
4. There should not be a junction visible where point objects such as valves, outlets, or water supplies connect to pipes. The junction will disappear when connected. However, if you have the Junctions layers off then we recommend turning these layers on when trying find the connectivity issue.
5. If the break is not at the water supply, valve or outlet sometimes the break is at one of the junctions along the pipeline. You may see where the junction is not square and actually are two junctions at not quite the same place and therefore are not connected. Use Select Window to highlight the junction and then use Object Info. If more than one junction is listed in Object Info without a short pipe segment this is where the pipe ends do not connect.
6. When drawing the hydraulic design the Snap mode must be set to "Connect". If the Snap mode is "Place" no hydraulic items will connect. The Snap panel on the Status Bar will always display your current Snap mode:-
7. If there are multiple water supplies feeding the same system, IRRICAD will give an unconnected error when running Mainline Design if one of the water supplies is not connected to the pipe. Make sure your mainline junctions are visible (turn on the layer) and check for junctions at the water supplies, or non-connections on the pipeline between the water supply(s) and the rest of the system. See also our Tips post 41. CONNECTIVITY ISSUES DURING MAINLINE DESIGN (viewtopic.php?p=676#p676).
8. If you are having trouble connecting to junctions zoom out a little and try again. If you are zoomed too far in then this means YOU have to be very accurate in locating the centre of the junction. However, if you zoom out then IRRICAD will be much more able to locate the centre of the junction, as long as you are clicking within the snap tolerances. Also note, that "Valve and Handle" symbols do not have their centre in the centre of the cross over but part way up the handle, which is the actual centre of the symbol.
9. If none of the above reasons appear to be the issue then double-check the "Scope" of the valves and pipes. If they have been set to BOM Only or Visual Only then any items downstream will be seen as 'unconnected'.
We hope you have found this helpful. If you have a tip you would like to share, please email your tip to Support@IRRICAD.com