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Well, folks, I had to knock up a design the other week and needed to do it formally with line diagrams, volt drops, circuit data etc. and a discrimination study, I thought that it would take me ages.

I had some spreadsheets set up for single cable calcs etc. but nothing for the whole shooting match.

I looked at Amtech, and fell to the floor.

As it is a modification some of the equipment is existing some will be new it's not quite so cut and dried.

So, I thought that I would try ElectricalOM, from our forum sponsor Modecsoft,

@modecsoft

I duly registered on their site for the demo copy, and downloaded the installer, for Windows.

All very easy and it just worked.

I installed the software around lunchtime, without issue.

So, I then set about trying to do a design.

Now bear in mind, whilst I know how to design circuits, and volt drops etc. I have never done this in a formal design package before.

I sat there in front of the software and thought to myself, where do I start!

I had a quick look around the menus, and I found "insert" > "supply", and thought, that's as good a place as any to start, so I did.

The dialogue boxes were intuitive and I found the whole experience of using the software intuitive and easy.

I am familiar with AutoCAD, MathCAD, PLC & CNC programming software and other packages so I had experience of similar kinds of software.

Now I have heard even experienced & trained Amtech users struggling, and as far as getting support goes, it seems to take an age with Amtech, & they ring you when it suits them, not when it suits you.

I will say at this point, that I have never used Amtech, so have nothing to compare ElectricalOM with.

However, I did find it easy to use as I have already said.

I did a design, full cable calcs, discrimination study and everything that would be required, except, a physical dimensioned layout in an afternoon having never used the software before.

You could say that is easy for a single circuit, and it would be, but this was for an incoming supply, main db, 8 sub mains, and 32 final circuits!

Incomer 400A 3ph.

Sub mains 3ph, up to 100A, final circuits a mix if 1ph & 3ph, up to 32A.

To say i was impressed is an understatement.

Have a look, the free version is pretty much fully functional apart from the documentation & reporting side.

If Modecsoft would like to respond to my post, please do.

I'll post an update in a few days as to how the design is going on, and how I am getting on with ElectricalOM, because the job is quite a project and will take 6-24 months to complete.

I think that ElectricalOm will be very valuable in helping me with this.

 
Pricing looks similar, but having a free demo makes the decision easier.

Is the free version time limited?

cheers, Paul

 
The only limit that I have found so far with regard to use of the free version is that a working internet connection is required to allow the software to start up so that it can check the licence situation.

Other than that and the generation of printed reports, that seems to be the only limits I have come across.

There is one good thing that I found out from this weeks newsletter that Modecsoft send out, you can opt out, but as I am learning about the software I opted in.

You can install and use the software on multiple computers, with a single licence by transferring that via the internet.

OK, not perfect, and it doesn't allow concurrent use, but, it does mean that you could have a workstation at the office/home on which you do most of your work, and have the software installed on a laptop, and if you were away for a few days and needed to work on a design, you could transfer the licence to the laptop at home and away to go.

Not sure how that would work with the free version, but, it seems to be that way with the full version from what I have seen.

@modecsoft

 
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