Help Database

To accommodate code requirements in the United States, Chief Architect will add 110V GFCI, or ground fault circuit interrupter, outlets near the sinks in a bathroom when the Auto Place Outlets tool is used.  It will not, however, add this outlet type to other rooms without a change to the electrical defaults.

If you would like to use GFCI outlets in a room such as a bedroom, you can:  

• Place the desired outlets manually from the library; 
  
  
• Replace the default outlets with the library outlet of your choice.
  
  
• Change the default 110V outlet and then place them using the 110V Outlet tool.
  
  
  
  

To place outlets from the library

1. Open the Chief Architect plan in which you would like to add a 110V GFCI to a room other than a bathroom.
   
   
   
2. Select Library> Library Browser  from the menu, to open the Library Browser.
   
   
   
3. In Chief Architect X4, browse to Chief Architect Core Catalogs > Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing > Electrical > Outlets > Wall Mounted > 110V to find an outlet type that suits your needs and select it.
   
   In Chief Architect X3, browse to Chief Architect Basic Content > Mechanical Systems > Electrical > Outlets > Wall Mounted > 110V to find an outlet type that suits your needs and select it.
   
   In Chief Architect X2, browse to Chief Architect Libraries> Architectural> Electrical> Outlets> Wall Mounted> 110V to find an outlet type that suits your needs and click on it to select it.
   
   In Chief Architect X1 and prior, browse to Electrical> Outlets> Wall Mounted> 110V to find an outlet type that suits your needs and click on it to select it.
   
   
   
4. When you move your cursor into plan view, it will display the Electrical icon.
   
   
   
5. Click on the walls of the room in which you would like to place GFCI outlets to place outlets at those locations.
   
   
   
   
6. Take a 3D Camera  view to see the result.
   
   
   
   
   
   

To replace outlets from the library:

You can use the Replace From Library tool to replace objects in a plan with different items from the Library Browser.

1. Select Build> Electrical> Auto Place Outlets  from the menu, then click once in a room to place the selected default outlet at regular intervals along the walls in that room.
   
   
   
2. Click the Select Objects  edit button, then click on one of the automatically placed outlets to select it.
   
   
   
3. Click the Replace From Library  edit button.
   
   
   
4. In the Replace From Library dialog:
   
   
   • Click the Library button.
     
     
   • In the Select Library Object dialog, browse the Outlets library in the Electrical library category to find the type of outlet that you would like to use as your default, then click OK. to return to the Replace from
     
     
   • Click the radio button beside Replace identical objects in room.
     
     
   • Click OK to replace all default outlets in the room with the outlet selected from the library.
     
     
     
     

To change the electrical defaults

1. Select Edit> Default Settings  from the menu, and in the Default Settings dialog, click on the word Electrical in the list on the left, then click the Edit button.
   
   
   
2. In the Electrical Defaults dialog:
   
   
   • Click on Outlet - 110V in the list on the left, then click the Library button.
     
     
   • In the Select Library Object dialog, browse the Outlets library in the Electrical library category to find the type of outlet that you would like to use as your default, then click OK.
     
     
   • Click OK again to close the Electrical Defaults dialog and apply your new default to 110V outlets placed in this plan in the future.
     
     
     
3. Select Build> Electrical> Auto Place Outlets  from the menu, then click once in a room to place the selected default outlet at regular intervals along the walls in that room.
   
   
   

  Another way to add GFCI outlets to a room is to temporarily specify the room as a bathroom, use the Auto Place Outlets tool to place outlets in the room, then restore the correct room type specification.