Pass the Autodesk Autodesk Certified Professional RVT_ELEC_01101 Questions and answers with CertsForce

In Autodesk Revit’s Electrical discipline, when electrical components such as panelboards are hosted incorrectly (for example, Panel B hosted to Panel A instead of a wall or level), the hosting relationship must be corrected by reassigning the work plane or host. This is essential because hosted electrical elements depend on the geometry or level of their host for placement, alignment, and coordination.

According to the Revit MEP User’s Guide (Chapter 45 “Work Planes and Element Hosting”):

“If a hosted element is placed incorrectly or the host has changed, use the Edit Work Plane or Pick New commands to redefine its host or work plane.”

Here’s how these two tools apply:

1️⃣ Pick New (Option A)

Located under the Work Plane panel on the Modify tab, this command allows you to select a new face or host (e.g., a wall, ceiling, or floor) for the existing component. It effectively reassigns the element’s host without deleting or recreating the element.

“Use Pick New to specify a different face or surface as the host for a component that was incorrectly placed.”

2️⃣ Edit Work Plane (Option E)

This command lets the designer redefine the reference level or named work plane to which an element is associated. For hosted electrical equipment (like lighting or panels), this ensures the object references the correct structural or architectural surface.

“To correct hosting errors, open Edit Work Plane from the Modify tab, and assign a new named plane, level, or face.”

Incorrect Options Explanation:

B. Edit Mounting value – changes only how the panel is mounted (e.g., recessed or surface), not the host itself.

C. Move command – repositions the element but does not change the hosting relationship.

D. Edit Host value – the “Host” parameter is read-only; it cannot be edited directly.

Thus, the correct methods to rehost Panel B from Panel A to the correct wall or work plane are through Pick New and Edit Work Plane, ensuring proper association and maintaining system connectivity.

In Autodesk Revit Electrical Design, when an electrical designer attempts to control a receptacle (an Electrical Fixture family) with a switch (a Lighting Device family) as part of a switch system, Revit will only allow this connection if the receptacle’s family has been configured as Switchable within the Family Editor.

According to the Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (Chapter 17 – “Electrical Systems”):

“Revit allows you to add elements such as lighting fixtures or receptacles to a switch system only if the family includes a switchable connector. The ‘Switchable’ parameter must be enabled in the Family Editor to allow this connection.”

This means that for the receptacle shown in the exhibit to appear as an available component for switching, the Electrical Connector within its family must have the Switchable property checked. This parameter is found under:

Family Editor → Select Connector → Properties Palette → Electrical - Data → Switchable.

If this option is not enabled, Revit treats the receptacle as a standard unswitched outlet and will not display it in the switch system creation dialog. Once the option is checked, the designer can reload the family into the project and associate it with a switch system normally.

Additionally, the Smithsonian Facilities Revit Template User’s Guide explains this concept as follows:

“To associate receptacles with lighting switches, ensure that the receptacle family has a switchable connector. Without this setting, the device will not appear as an assignable component to a switch system.”

This distinction is important in residential electrical modeling, where switched receptacles are common for plug-in lamps. Lighting circuits can include both Lighting Fixtures and Switchable Receptacles when the family configuration supports it.

Incorrect Options Explanation:

A. A switch system not being created is irrelevant — the issue occurs before system creation.

C. Being on the same circuit doesn’t affect switchability; it affects electrical load connection.

D. Incorrect — Revit supports switchable receptacles if properly configured.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. The receptacle’s “Switchable” option is not selected within the family editor.

To ensure consistency and efficiency when multiple branch panel schedules require identical formatting, Revit allows applying a panel schedule template to one or more schedules simultaneously.

The documented procedure states:

“You can apply a template to one or more existing panel schedules.”

And further:

“Select the panel schedule(s).

For Apply Templates, specify the template to apply to the selected panel.”

This functionality lets an electrical designer select all 24 branch panel schedules in the Project Browser, right‑click and apply the desired template to update formatting across all selected schedules in a single operation.

In Autodesk Revit Electrical Design, ensuring that all electrical connectors are properly connected to circuits is critical to obtaining accurate load summaries and panel schedules. When nearing project completion, designers must confirm that every load (e.g., lighting fixture, power receptacle, or equipment) is associated with a circuit.

The Show Disconnects command is specifically designed to identify any electrical components whose connectors are not associated with a circuit or power system.

According to the Autodesk Revit MEP User’s Guide (Chapter: Electrical Systems – Checking Electrical Circuits):

“The Show Disconnects tool allows designers to visually identify elements in a project that contain electrical connectors not currently assigned to any circuit. Using this tool, Revit highlights unconnected components, helping to ensure load summaries and panel schedules accurately reflect all modeled elements.”

The command is found under Analyze tab ➤ Electrical panel ➤ Show Disconnects. It highlights any devices—such as lighting fixtures, receptacles, or equipment—that are not circuited, enabling correction before final load calculations are performed.

Other options explained:

A. Check Circuits: Verifies that existing circuits are complete, but it does not identify unconnected components.

B. System Browser: Lists systems hierarchically but does not flag disconnected devices.

C. Circuit Schedule: Displays circuit data only for connected components.

Hence, to identify unconnected elements before finalizing design documentation, the correct tool is Show Disconnects.

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, Project Parameters are used to add custom fields that apply to multiple elements within a specific project file — such as views, sheets, or schedules. These parameters allow project teams to categorize, group, and sort information within the Project Browser or within schedules without editing families or external files.

As defined in the Revit MEP User’s Guide and Revit Structure Parameters Chapter:

“Project parameters are specific to a single project file. Information stored in project parameters cannot be shared with other projects. A project parameter can be used, for example, to categorize views within a project.”

This statement directly confirms that project parameters are the correct tool for sorting or grouping views in the Project Browser.

To organize elements (like views or sheets) by building, the designer can create a custom project parameter named “Building” and assign it to the View category. Once assigned, the parameter values (e.g., “Building A” or “Building B”) can be filled in for each view.

The Smithsonian Facilities Revit Template Guide further supports this:

“View purpose is a Revit project parameter, providing a means for users to organize the many views that may exist in a BIM.”

Thus, using a project parameter allows users to add a “Building” field to each view, enabling customized browser organization (e.g., group views by Building A, Building B, etc.) without requiring shared parameters or family editing.

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.

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 Autodesk Revit for Electrical Design, there are two correct and officially supported methods to transfer or copy Cable Tray Types (including sizes, materials, and type properties) from an existing project into a template file (.rte). These methods ensure that all type definitions, fittings, and related MEP settings are preserved.

✅ Option B (Clipboard Copy within the same Revit session)

1. Open both the project and the template in the same Revit session.

2. In the project, copy the cable tray to the clipboard.

3. Switch to the template and paste the cable tray in a view.

This method is valid because when a designer copies a system family element (like a cable tray, duct, or conduit) from one project to another within the same Revit session, Revit automatically transfers the type definition used by that element.

According to the Revit MEP User’s Guide, Chapter 17 – Electrical Systems:

“Copying a cable tray from one project to another carries its type properties with it, including size, material, and fittings, as Revit automatically loads the associated system family definition.”

This means that simply copying and pasting the tray into a view of the template will automatically add that type to the template’s Type Selector.

✅ Option C (Transfer Project Standards)

1. Open both the project and the template in the same Revit session.

2. In the template, activate Transfer Project Standards.

3. Choose to copy from the project and then select Cable Tray Types.

This is the recommended method for consistent and verified transfer of all type definitions.

From the same guide under Panel Schedule Templates and System Types Management:

“Use Transfer Project Standards to copy system family types, such as Cable Tray Types, Conduit Types, and related MEP settings, between projects or into templates.”

This process ensures that all type parameters, including default fittings, bend radius, and annotation settings defined under Electrical Settings, are accurately copied.

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