You can download a copy of DoubleCAD XT. It is compatible with DWG and DXF file types. TurboCAD is fairly inexpensive too.

 

Claris MacDraw was the bomb. Fastest drawing auto scaling program ever made. You need Ebay, luck finding an unused copy, and a twenty year old Apple to achieve that combination.

 

Auto Cad Lite is a good one.

 

Luv my TurboCad

 

I've made plenty of notes on bar napkins

 

AutoCAD LT will do what you need at a low cost and is the format that most contractors would use.

 

On sale for the low price of $950 from Autodesk, regular $1200.

DoubleCad XT can be downloaded free or the Turbocad 2D is less than $100.

 

Here is one that can produce very detailed drawings and is inexpensive.

http://www.licensedelectrician.com/Store/CM/ResiWirePro.htm

 

I have heard that draftsight is good and it is free
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/?xtor=SEC-6-GOO-[]-[]-S-[DraftSight]
I have never used it but have been told it is similar to AutoCAD, and it works with .dwg files.
AutoCAD LT would be a good place to start (for 2-D). If you learn that you would be ready to move up to AutoCAD MEP. 3-D coordination drawings seems to be where everything is going these days. And for that AutoCAD MEP is the minimum, along with the free Teklabimsight to check for clashes.

I am starting to learn Revit, which I think is the future. Revit is definitely a design tool, but may be more than you are looking for. Revit is more for engineers, but I think coordination is going in that direction. Revit and MEP both have things like "circuit manager" which is sort of a spreadsheet inside the program that links all the intelligent objects back to panels and gives you a schedule with loads. You can buy them in a suite for $500 more and you get AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP and Revit for one price ($4,500). MEP alone is $4,000.

 

I use Microsoft Visio, This is a easy program to use. just grab the shapes and place where you need them. This program will let you draw to scale with a couple clicks of a button. My favorite thing is you can copy and paste into a word document and send it. When it is in word just click on the picture and it brings you back to Visio. I am starting to use 3d visionary for all of my kitchen layouts. This program sells for under $200.00. Go try it for free at microsoftoffice.com

 

Design/Build Plans Software Customized For Electrical Drawings?

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I'd like to get something that has all the standard electrical symbols built in and ready to copy and paste to wherever you need them. And maybe something that can automatically make a reflected ceiling plan (for lighting) from a floor plan that shows the outlets, panels, and motors, etc.

Does Autocad have that?

I know some design and construction software now is "smart," so that when you start something, it often knows how to complete it, to one extent or another. I don't know if there's anything for electrical like that though.

 

On sale for the low price of $950 from Autodesk, regular $1200.

DoubleCad XT can be downloaded free or the Turbocad 2D is less than $100.

You can get it for less.
I got mine for about $400

If you don't care about professionalism, go for the cheap stuff, you get what you pay for.

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

I'd like to get something that has all the standard electrical symbols built in and ready to copy and paste to wherever you need them. And maybe something that can automatically make a reflected ceiling plan (for lighting) from a floor plan that shows the outlets, panels, and motors, etc.

Does Autocad have that?

I know some design and construction software now is "smart," so that when you start something, it often knows how to complete it, to one extent or another. I don't know if there's anything for electrical like that though.

It all depends on you budget.

 

Frankly your looking at around 7500 to 10K. JMO...

The Company Linked makes a secondary package that sits inside ACAD.

For all with smart-phones you can use some of the free apps Here.

The hosting software sells itself and has many products, Yes I have their product.

Enjoy.

 

Design Software...

I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but the last site I was on used a program called CableMatic. I wanna say the name of the company that created it was GSN Technologies. It took care of our inventory, tracking, installation, BOM... from what I understand it even did all the routing and raceway design. I didn't have any experience with that side though. Only the construction aspect. They have a website... www.gsntechnologies.com

- Good Luck...

 

I like SmartDraw. It's a competitor to Visio, but the electrical and electronic symbol library is more exhaustive, plus they have a lot of standard smart images (pumps, fans, machines etc) that can be used for HMIs and such if you get that far. It can import AutoCAD and Visio files, and export files to DXF or PDF format.

http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/electrical.asp

The basic package is under $200. They have a free trial too.

 

My advice

purchase the cheapo easy to learn software

all we need to do as electricians is present pictorals with symbolic designations , basic distances, etc

we don't need to portray jobs to scale, we're not expected to be forward architectural grade drawings, nor will anyone be scrutinizing and holding us to said levels

in fact, as most architecturals are avialable PDF , get a PDF alteration program , and use it to amend their drawings back at 'em!

~CS~