CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
RISER DRAWINGS
1
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Riser diagrams or single line diagrams are used to
show the arrangement of equipment and wiring.
Riser diagrams show the connecting lines used for
feeders and cable distribution per each floor serviced.
They will provide conduit sizes, shown on the
electrical riser diagram, and backbone counts to each
floor.
2
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
For low voltage systems
the grounding riser will
be shown, in some cases
this may be a detail
drawing.
Notice that the TMGB is
connected to the service
equipment in the
electrical entrance
facility.
3
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
The electrical entrance
facility has an earth ground
connected to the electrical
service equipment, this is
the starting point of the
grounding electrode
system, and a bonding
conductor is connected to
the TMGB.
4
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
From the TMGB a TBB is
run to each TGB in each
TR.
What size TBB is required
for this electrode
grounding system? (it is
assumed you should know
this, its not stipulated on
this riser diagram).
6 AWG
5
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Riser diagrams may include a general notes section
and a legend as seen in the grounding riser diagram.
6
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
In this riser
diagram the
general notes tell
us that we need to
install a 100 pair to
each TR from the
entrance facility
and a 12 strand
MM fiber from the
data center to each
TR.
7
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Looking at this
diagram you now
know you will have
two separate pulls
from two different
locations.
You will need to look
at detail drawings to
determine where in
each of these rooms
the cables will
terminate.
8
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Here is a detail drawing of a TR;
9
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
If this was the detail drawing for the riser system
shown then the 100 pair cable will emerge from one
of the 4” conduits and terminate on a back board.
BASED ON THE
INFORMATION GIVEN IN
THE DRAWING THE 100
PAIR CABLES WILL
TERMINATE ONTO WHAT
TYPE OF BLOCKS?
BIX BLOCKS
10
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
The riser diagram is representative of the scope of work and
needs to be compared with the floor plans for the location of the
spaces.
11
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
How many and what size 110 blocks are required for
the riser installation portion of this project?
1, 300 pair block for the entrance facility
and 3, 100 pair blocks, 1 for each of the
TRs.
12
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
When working on high rise projects the riser diagrams will
need to be split up into sections.
Here is a 19 story
building not
including the sublevels. South and
East elevations are
shown in this
drawing.
13
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
14
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Here is the legend
to explain the
devices for the riser
system.
15
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
The fire alarm riser diagram would also include a
general notes section for further details on the riser
installation.
It is typical for the general notes to refer you to other
drawings for specifics, as an example the actual
device counts would be on a separate floor plan.
The riser diagram shows only the east and west wing
set up but not the number of devices required for full
protection of the wing.
16
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Notice that the DS and TS are attached to the AHU,
the AHU is the air handling unit, that has a duct
sensor DS in it, the DS is wired to a test switch TS.
These test switches can be seen in the hallways of the
school and are labeled with the AHU number that
they’re associated with.
17
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
There will also be detail drawings for wiring the
different circuits in a fire alarm system;
18
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
HERE IS A VOICE
AND DATA RISER
AND DISTRIBUTION
DETAIL DRAWING,
THIS DETAIL SHOWS
HOW THE VOICE
LOCATIONS ARE
WIRED TO THE PBX,
WHAT IS NOT
SHOWN IS HOW
THE DATA HUBS ARE
CONNECTED.
19
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
In the previous diagram the abbreviation LEC is used,
what does LEC stand for?
LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIER (PHONE
COMPANY)
20
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
Here is an electrical riser diagram
21
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
This is a
small section
cut from the
riser
diagram, as
you can see
some of
these
drawings can
get pretty
complicated.
22
CONSTRUCTION BLUEPRINT READING
The circle show a call out
to a detail drawing, the
rectangle refers you to
specific general notes and
the square shows a circuit
to the fire alarm control
panel with the type and
amperage of the fuses for
the circuit.
23