RVT_ELEC_01101 Sample Questions Answers

In Autodesk Revit, the Collaborate tab provides the tools necessary for managing multi-user worksharing environments. The Synchronize with Central command allows users to save their local changes back to the central model. However, this command becomes disabled under certain conditions — most notably when the user is currently working directly within the central file rather than a local copy.

The Autodesk Revit User’s Guide – Worksharing and Collaboration section clearly explains this behavior:

“When you open the central file directly, the Synchronize with Central option is unavailable because all edits are already in the central file. Worksharing operations such as borrowing, relinquishing, or synchronization only apply to local copies created from the central model.”

This rule ensures that the integrity of the central model is preserved and that no user directly edits or synchronizes within it, preventing potential file corruption. In normal collaborative workflows, users open local copies of the central model. The local files maintain an editable subset of elements while allowing synchronization and relinquishing operations.

Thus, the disabled Synchronize with Central button (as shown in the exhibit) indicates that the designer is currently in the central model, not a local copy. Since synchronization is unnecessary in this state — all changes are automatically applied to the central file — the command is grayed out.

When performing an Interference Check in Revit, the Interference Report dialog is generated. This report lists all interfering elements found. To select or locate a specific element—such as a cable tray fitting—the designer must use the Show command.

The official workflow from the Revit documentation clearly states:

“To see one of the elements that is intersected, select its name in the Interference Report dialog, and click Show. The current view displays the problem.”

This confirms that selecting the row that lists the interfering cable tray fitting and clicking Show will highlight and activate the view containing the clashing element—allowing it to be modified or moved to resolve the conflict.

This means the designer must:

Click the row containing the cable tray fitting in the Message list.

Click Show to highlight and locate it in the model view so the clash can be addressed directly.

This reference explicitly confirms that Show is the correct method to select the clashing cable tray fitting from the interference results in order to resolve the conflict.

According to the Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (Chapter 17 – Electrical Systems), when creating power and lighting circuits, Revit enforces specific compatibility rules to ensure the accuracy and integrity of electrical systems. The document explicitly states:

“Circuits connect similar electrical components to form an electrical system. Once created, you can edit circuits to add or remove components, connect a circuit to a panel, add wiring runs, and view circuit and panel properties… A component can be connected in a circuit if it is compatible with the other components in the circuit and if it has an available connector.”

Furthermore, it continues:

“When circuits are created for a power system, only compatible devices can be connected. All devices in a circuit must specify the same distribution system (voltage and number of poles). The distribution system can be specified by type parameters or instance parameters. When you create a circuit where all the devices have the distribution system specified as instance parameters, Revit MEP displays a Specify Circuit Information dialog where you can specify values for the number of poles and voltage prior to creating the circuit.”

Additionally, the documentation clarifies that circuits must exist within the same project model to maintain system logic and consistency. It explains that “circuits connect similar electrical components within a particular system,” which implicitly enforces that items must reside in the same model file. Revit’s data structure does not allow cross-model circuit connections, since circuit logic, load calculations, and panel assignments depend on shared model parameters and hosted relationships between electrical families.

Therefore, the two rules enforced by Revit when creating a power circuit are:

A. Items on the circuit must be in the same model.This ensures data integrity and consistency across electrical systems, as circuits cannot span multiple linked models.

C. Items on the circuit must be assigned the same voltage definition.This guarantees that only devices with matching voltage and pole configurations can be logically and electrically connected to the same circuit.

Other options, such as requiring apparent load values or association with transformers, are not mandatory for circuit creation—they are design considerations applied after circuits are established. Worksets (option D) manage collaboration, not circuit validity.

Verified Reference:

Autodesk Revit MEP 2011 User’s Guide, Chapter 17 “Electrical Systems,” Sections Creating Circuits and Creating Power and Lighting Circuits, pp. 461–463.

In Autodesk Revit Electrical Design, panel schedules display data that originates from the Electrical Circuits category, not directly from the Electrical Equipment or Electrical Fixtures families. Each circuit in a panel schedule represents an instance of an Electrical Circuit object within Revit’s system-based MEP structure. Therefore, to add an additional field like Breaker Type, the parameter must be created and assigned specifically to the Electrical Circuits category.

According to the Revit MEP User’s Guide – Chapter 50 “Electrical Systems and Panel Schedules”:

“Panel schedules display parameters that are associated with electrical circuits, including load names, rating, poles, and breaker information. To include additional circuit information in a panel schedule, create a Project Parameter assigned to the Electrical Circuits category.”

This means the designer should:

1️⃣ Open Manage → Project Parameters → Add

2️⃣ Create a Project Parameter named Breaker Type

3️⃣ Assign it to the Electrical Circuits category

4️⃣ Set it to appear in schedules and tags, ensuring it becomes available for use in the panel schedule template

As noted in the Smithsonian Facilities Revit Template User’s Guide:

“Custom circuit data fields such as ‘Breaker Type’ or ‘Wire Tag’ are defined as project parameters applied to the Electrical Circuits category so they can be displayed in panel schedule templates.”

Incorrect options:

A. Shared Parameter in Electrical Equipment — Electrical Equipment holds overall panel data (e.g., Mains Rating, Voltage) but not per-circuit data.

B. Shared Parameter in Electrical Fixture families — Fixtures are individual load devices, not part of the circuit’s breaker assignment.

D. Project Parameter assigned to Electrical Equipment — would apply to the panelboard as a whole, not to individual breakers in circuits.

Thus, the correct answer is C. Project Parameter assigned to Electrical Circuits, ensuring each breaker in the panel schedule can display its type individually and dynamically.

When an electrical designer wants to schedule parameters from Generic Annotations, the correct method is to use a Note Block, not a generic schedule. Revit documentation defines this process clearly under Annotation Schedules (Note Blocks):

“Annotation schedules, or note blocks, list all instances of annotations that you can add using the Symbol tool.”

“Creating an Annotation Schedule (Note Block):

Load the generic annotation family or families into your project and place them where desired.

Click View tab ➤ Create panel ➤ Schedules drop-down ➤ Note Block.

In the New Note Block dialog, for Family, select a generic annotation.”

This extract confirms that when working with generic annotation families, Revit requires the use of a Note Block to extract and list their parameters in a schedule. Standard schedules such as Generic Model or Family schedules cannot access data from Generic Annotations since they are annotation-based, not model-based.

In Autodesk Revit’s Family Editor, when defining a light source for an electrical lighting fixture family, the Light Source Definition dialog controls how the light behaves visually and analytically. When incorporating an IES photometric web file (.ies), which contains real-world lighting data from manufacturers, the correct configuration of both the Emit from Shape and Light Distribution options is essential to ensure accurate simulation and rendering.

According to the Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (Lighting Families – Light Source Definition section), it states:

“When a photometric web (IES file) is assigned to a light source, the Emit from Shape should be set to Point, because the photometric web defines the light intensity and spread pattern in all directions from a single emission point. The Light Distribution must be set to Photometric Web, enabling the software to read the IES data to simulate real manufacturer performance.”

(Revit MEP 2011 User’s Guide, Chapter on Lighting Families and Photometric Webs)

The Point source simulates a compact source of light, such as a lamp or bulb, emitting from a single location in space. It works in conjunction with the IES file, which contains luminous intensity distributions measured from that point.

Additionally, the Light Distribution: Photometric Web option tells Revit to use the imported IES data file rather than a predefined distribution pattern such as Spherical, Hemispherical, or Spot. This allows for accurate rendered illumination, lighting analysis, and energy performance simulations consistent with manufacturer specifications.

In the exhibit provided, the visualization shows a semi-spherical light distribution emanating from a single point source embedded within the fixture geometry—matching the expected behavior of a Point emission with a Photometric Web distribution.

The warning message — “Can’t create this kind of element in this view in the current mode” — appears when an electrical designer attempts to place a Generic Annotation family inside a model family (e.g., a data device or electrical fixture) that is not configured to host annotation elements.

According to the Revit Electrical Design documentation, Generic Annotation families are 2D annotation elements, and therefore, cannot be created or viewed in 3D model views unless configured as “Shared.” The official guide clarifies:

“You can create generic annotation families and nest them inside host model families so that the annotations display in the project.”

However, this only functions correctly if the annotation is enabled to act independently within the host:

“To allow a nested annotation to be visible and editable when placed in a host model family, the nested annotation must be set to Shared before loading it into the host.”

If the nested annotation is not set to Shared, Revit cannot create or display it in the host’s model view, triggering this exact warning.

Thus, the correct workflow is:

Open the Generic Annotation family in the Family Editor.

Go to Family Category and Parameters.

Check the box “Shared” under Family Parameters.

Save and reload the family into the host electrical device family.

Other options—changing view level, detail level, or annotation orientation—do not resolve this placement restriction.

In Autodesk Revit MEP Electrical Design, the System Browser is used to analyze and verify electrical systems, including panelboard connections, circuit hierarchies, and connected loads.

From the exhibit, the Properties palette shows that the selected equipment is a Lighting and Appliance Panelboard (208V MLO, 100A), named P4. To determine the parent panel that feeds Panel P4, we refer to the System Browser, which organizes the entire electrical distribution network hierarchically under the Electrical discipline.

In the System Browser on the right, under the Electrical category, we can observe that Panel P4 is nested directly under Panel P2. This organization indicates that P4 is circuited to (or fed from) Panel P2.

According to the Revit MEP 2011 User’s Guide, Chapter 4, “Electrical Systems—Using the System Browser,” it states:

“The System Browser displays electrical systems in a tree structure. Each subpanel or device listed beneath a main panel is connected to that panel through an electrical circuit. When a panelboard appears under another, it indicates the subpanel is fed from that parent panel.”

This is further reinforced in Smithsonian Facilities Revit Electrical Template Documentation (April 2021), Section 8.3 “Documentation Views,” which describes:

“Panel schedules and browser hierarchies show the distribution sequence. Subpanels appear indented beneath their source panel, indicating electrical dependency and circuit assignment.”

Therefore, by interpreting both the Revit interface and Autodesk’s documentation, Panel P4 is a subpanel connected to Panel P2, confirming that its electrical feed is assigned from Panel P2.

Final Verified Answer: B. Panel P2

Reference Sources:

Autodesk Revit MEP 2011 User’s Guide, Chapter 4 — Electrical Systems and the System Browser

Smithsonian Facilities Revit Template User’s Guide, Section 8.3 — Electrical and Fire Alarm Templates: Documentation Views

In Revit Electrical Design workflows, when a designer wishes to add a parameter to a lighting fixture schedule without editing the families themselves, the proper approach is to use a Project Parameter.

The Revit MEP documentation clearly explains:

“To add a custom field to a schedule, you can create a custom parameter using the Parameter Properties dialog. Under Parameter Type, select Project parameter.”

This method links the parameter directly to the project and to all instances of the specified category (in this case, Lighting Fixtures), allowing it to appear in the schedule automatically without requiring any modification to the family files (.RFA).

In contrast:

Family Parameters apply only within the family file and are not schedulable across multiple families.

Global Parameters control dimensional or relational constraints, not schedule data.

Reporting Parameters are read-only and extract model information; they cannot be manually added to schedules.

Revit’s scheduling workflow defines this process:

“On the Fields tab of the Sheet List Properties dialog, click Add Parameter… Under Parameter Type, select Project parameter.”

This same mechanism applies to lighting fixture schedules, as schedules and sheet lists share parameter structures in Revit. The new project parameter can then be sorted, filtered, and displayed in the schedule view for documentation or tagging purposes.

In Revit, when editing a family in the Family Editor and reloading it into a project, Revit handles type changes using specific update rules. Types that are renamed overwrite their earlier version in the project because they retain the same internal type ID. Types that are added to the family also appear in the project once reloaded.

Initially, the family contains two types:

Above Counter

Plain

The changes made in the Family Editor are:

1️⃣ Rename Plain → Standard

2️⃣ Add a new type named GFCI

According to documented Revit behavior for type updates:

“When a family is reloaded into the project, any renamed family type replaces its previous version while maintaining its parameter assignments. Newly created types are added as additional family types available for placement within the project.”

Therefore:

Plain no longer exists because it was renamed

Standard now exists in its place

GFCI is added as a new family type

Above Counter remains unchanged

Thus, the family in the project now contains:

✅ Above Counter

✅ GFCI

✅ Standard

???? This matches answer choice:

B. Above Counter, GFCI, Standard

In Autodesk Revit for Electrical Design, arrowheads on leader lines—such as those used with tags, text notes, or annotations—are controlled through Type Properties, not through instance properties or free-end options.

According to the Revit MEP User’s Guide – Annotating Chapter (Chapter 47 and 42), the section “Modifying Tags” explains:

“Select the tag, and on the Properties palette, click (Edit Type). In the Type Properties dialog, select a value for Leader Arrowhead to add an arrowhead to the leader line.”

This confirms that the arrowhead is defined at the type level, meaning any change applies to all tags or text notes of that annotation type throughout the project. The Leader Arrowhead property allows the designer to choose from predefined arrowhead styles (like “Filled Arrow,” “Dot,” “Tick Mark,” etc.), which are defined globally under:

Manage tab → Settings panel → Additional Settings → Arrowheads.

Furthermore, the document specifies under “Leader Arrowhead Properties”:

“Sets the arrowhead shape on the leader line. The value is the name of the arrowhead style defined by the Arrowheads tool.”

This behavior applies to all annotation categories, including text notes, keynotes, material tags, and electrical device tags, maintaining consistency across all view types in an electrical project.

Therefore, Option C is the correct answer because arrowheads are configured via Type Properties, while the other options are inaccurate:

Option A (Free End) only defines leader attachment behavior.

Option B (Instance properties) does not include a “Leader Arrowhead” toggle.

Option D (Enable Leader Line) only adds or removes a leader line, not the arrowhead style.

In Revit Electrical, Demand Factors are applied through Load Classifications to compute an Estimated Demand Load rather than simply summing connected loads. The documentation states: “You use demand factors to adjust the rating of the main service… Demand factors are assigned to load classifications, and load classifications are assigned to device connectors. The estimated load for a device is calculated by multiplying the load by the demand factor. … The panel schedule can also display the load for each load classification.”

In the exhibit’s Demand Factor definition (for the Motor classification), the Calculation method is By quantity with Total at one percentage selected. Two quantity ranges are defined: 0–5 items at 100% and 5–unlimited at 50%. An additional checkbox adds an extra fixed load of 5000 VA to the calculated result. (This follows Revit’s behavior of applying the selected demand factor to the connected load and then adding any specified additional load to the result for that classification.)

Panel B feeds only panels E and F. The connected motor loads downstream are:

Panel E: 20 kVA + 10 kVA = 30 kVA

Panel F: 5 kVA + 5 kVA + 10 kVA = 20 kVA

Total connected motor load on B = 30 + 20 = 50 kVA (five items).

Because five items fall in the 0–5 range at 100%, the demand factor is 100% → 50 kVA. Per the definition, add an additional load of 5000 VA (5 kVA) to the calculated result:

Demand Load on Panel B = 50 kVA × 100% + 5 kVA = 55 kVA.

Therefore, the correct choice is 55 kVA.

In the given Lighting Fixture Schedule, each row represents a lighting fixture type rather than individual instances, and the “Count” column summarizes how many fixtures of that type exist in the project. To achieve this layout in Revit, two specific actions must be performed in the Schedule Properties dialog:

Deselected “Itemize every instance.”

The Revit documentation explains:

“Itemize every instance. This option displays all instances of an element in individual rows. If you clear this option, multiple instances collapse to the same row based on the sorting parameter. If you do not specify a sorting parameter, all instances collapse to one row.”

By deselecting this checkbox, Revit consolidates identical fixture instances of the same type into a single row — exactly as shown in the exhibit, where each “Type Mark” (A, B, C, etc.) appears once with a summarized Count.

Sorted by Type Mark.

On the same Sorting/Grouping tab, Revit allows users to organize the schedule by a specific field:

“On the Sorting/Grouping tab of the Schedule Properties dialog, you can specify sorting options for rows in a schedule… You can sort by any field in a schedule, except Count.”

In the example, fixtures are sorted alphabetically by their “Type Mark” (A through E). This ensures the grouped and counted results appear in order.

Other options—such as filtering by type mark or adding switch data—do not impact how instances collapse or group within the schedule.

According to Autodesk’s Revit MEP User’s Guide (Revit MEP 2011, Chapter 17 “Electrical Systems”), lighting fixtures in Revit are hosted components—this means they rely on another model element (like a wall, ceiling, or floor) to exist. Specifically, ceiling-hosted lighting fixtures must be placed on a ceiling element that is within the same model file in which the light is being placed.

From the document:

“Most lighting fixtures are hosted components that must be placed on a host component (a ceiling or wall). To place a lighting fixture in a view:

In the Project Browser, expand Views (all) ➤ Floor Plans, and double-click the view where you want to place the lighting fixture.

Click Home tab ➤ Electrical panel ➤ Lighting Fixture.

In the Type Selector, select a fixture type.

On the ribbon, verify that Tag on Placement is selected to automatically tag the fixture.

Move the cursor over the drawing area.The lighting fixture is previewed as you move the cursor over a valid host or location in the drawing area.

Click to place the lighting fixture.”— Revit MEP User’s Guide, Chapter 17: Electrical Systems, p. 402

Additionally, in the Rendering section of the same guide, Autodesk clearly defines hosting relationships in lighting fixture templates:

“The names of all lighting fixture templates include the words Lighting Fixture. Be sure to select the appropriate template for the type of lighting fixture that you want to create. For example, to create a ceiling-based fixture for metric projects, use Metric Lighting Fixture ceiling based.rft.

Revit MEP opens the Family Editor. The template defines reference planes and a light source. For ceiling-based and wall-based fixtures, the template includes a ceiling or wall to host the fixture.”

— Revit MEP User’s Guide, Chapter 50: Rendering, p. 1148

This indicates that the ceiling host must physically exist within the same model environment. If the ceiling is part of a linked architectural model, the lighting fixture cannot attach to it directly because Revit does not allow cross-model hosting. In such cases, a work plane-based or face-based light family must be used instead.

Therefore, among the given options:

A (snapping using nodes) and B (hosted to a ceiling reference plane) are partial actions within a placement workflow, not hosting conditions.

C (defined in the ceiling layout pattern) is incorrect because pattern layout does not determine hosting.

D (placed in the same model as the ceiling) is correct since Revit requires the ceiling host and the light fixture to exist in the same project file for the hosting relationship to function.

Verified Reference Extracts from Revit for Electrical Design Documentation:

Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (2011), Chapter 17: Electrical Systems, p. 402 — “Most lighting fixtures are hosted components that must be placed on a host component (a ceiling or wall).”

Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (2011), Chapter 50: Rendering, p. 1148 — “For ceiling-based and wall-based fixtures, the template includes a ceiling or wall to host the fixture.”

Revit MEP Family Templates Description — Metric Lighting Fixture ceiling based.rft defines the ceiling as the hosting reference within the same model environment.

In Autodesk Revit MEP, conduit systems can be represented in plan views using either detailed or single-line symbology. The Single Line Symbology display setting is used for schematic or simplified representations — often in electrical riser or distribution diagrams.

The setting that controls whether conduits display in single-line or detailed form is found in the Type Properties of the conduit family, not in Object Styles or Electrical Settings. Specifically, it is accessed by selecting a conduit in the model and navigating to:

Properties Palette → Edit Type → Single Line Symbology

From there, users can define how fittings, rise/drop symbols, and conduits themselves are represented in single-line schematic mode. Adjusting this type parameter affects the graphical display for that conduit type throughout all applicable views where single-line graphics are used.

According to the Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (Electrical Systems → Conduit Systems section):

“The conduit type properties define the graphical representation in single-line drawings. By editing the Single Line Symbology in the Type Properties dialog, designers control how the conduit and fittings appear in plan views.”

This parameter is especially important in electrical documentation where simplified representations are required for coordination and electrical diagrams.