When modeling pipe inside of Revit, occasionally there are a few hiccups – your elevation is off, or the pipe you are trying to connect to is not lined up just right.

Maybe you are trying to connect a pipe to a lower one to route sanitary waste out of the building. But no matter how many times you try to connect the two pipes, you consistently get an error that says there is not enough space, or the angle is too small or large to make the connection.

After several minutes of trying, you decide to give up and come back to the problem area. In this blog, we will discuss three ways to solve this problem when it occurs.

First Option: Check Alignment

First, I use to troubleshoot pipe connection problems is to make sure the pipes are aligned correctly and are not off center from each other. The align tool is a quick and simple tool inside of Revit. Use the shortcut “AL” and simply click the pipe you want to align to and the pipe you want to move. This with align them in a straight line. It is best to do this inside of a plan view, as it may work incorrectly in a 3D view.

Second Option: Evaluate Fitting Space

Next, I make sure there is enough room for fittings, which is a common problem inside of Revit. Since Revit automatically places fittings when modeling pipe, it is important to ensure there is enough space on the pipe to make elbow or tee fittings. Simply move the end of the pipe or shift a pipe over to provide enough space for the fitting on the pipe. The more experience you get with modeling pipe, the easier this will become.

Third Option: Check Connection

Lastly, I make sure Revit is making the type of connection I want. Revit is an intelligent piece of software, but it cannot predict if you want a vertical riser to make a connection to a lower or higher pipe or if you want to have a sloped pipe for that connection. When you are in the pipe command, there is a button that allows you to specify a vertical connection or a slope connection in Revit. It is often an easy change to forget, as you are modeling and can potentially cause problems when connecting pipes together.

Conclusion

If you are having trouble connecting your pipes, you have options to assess to solve this problem. These three tips will guide your pipe modeling workflow, ultimately speeding up your process to avoid errors and help you model your pipes.

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This blog is written by MEP Technical Specialist Zach Barker. If you have any questions or need help with your Revit or MEP needs, please email us at whyATG@atgusa.com.