Understanding component defaults

Component defaults allow you to pre-configure settings that apply to newly created components. Instead of setting conductor material, termination temperature, or power factor every time you add a cable or motor, define defaults once and all new components use those values automatically.

What component defaults are

Component defaults are pre-configured property values applied when you create a new component. They include:

Cable defaults:

• Conductor material (copper or aluminum)
• Termination temperature (60°C, 75°C, 90°C)
• Ambient temperature
• Installation type
• Cable series selection

Motor defaults:

• Power factor (0.8 to 1.0)
• Efficiency (0.85 to 0.98)
• Service factor
• Starting method

Load defaults:

• Power factor
• Load type (resistive, inductive, etc.)
• Continuous operation flag

Transformer defaults:

• Impedance percentage (by kVA rating)
• Cooling type
• Tap changer settings

Sizing defaults:

• Default cable series for sizing calculations
• Cable, bus, transformer, and switch sizing margins
• Auto-parallel sizing (enable/disable)
• Max single conductor size before paralleling (350 to 750 kcmil)
• Max parallel runs allowed (2 to 6)

Sizing defaults control how the auto-sizing engine behaves across all component types. See Auto-parallel sizing for details on the parallel conductor settings.

Defaults streamline repetitive data entry and ensure consistency across your electrical designs.

Why defaults matter

Consistency:

• All cables use the same conductor material and termination temperature
• Motors share common power factor and efficiency assumptions
• Reduces errors from inconsistent assumptions

Efficiency:

• Set properties once instead of hundreds of times
• Faster diagram creation
• Less time spent on repetitive configuration

Compliance:

• Ensure all designs use approved materials and methods
• Organization-wide standards enforcement
• Project-specific code requirements

Accuracy:

• NEC sizing calculations depend on accurate temperature and derating assumptions
• Wrong defaults lead to undersized conductors
• Consistent defaults improve calculation reliability

Hierarchy system overview

Defaults use a four-tier hierarchy: System → Organization → Project → User

Each tier can override values from lower tiers. The hierarchy resolves in this order:

1. System defaults - Built-in baseline values (cannot be modified)
2. Organization defaults - Company-wide standards (org admins set)
3. Project defaults - Project-specific values (project owners set)
4. User defaults - Personal preferences (each user sets their own)

Resolution rule: User wins over project, project wins over organization, organization wins over system.

System defaults (baseline)

System defaults are hardcoded values built into ekx. They represent:

• Industry-standard assumptions
• NEC typical values
• Safe, conservative choices

Examples:

• Copper conductor material
• 30°C ambient temperature
• 75°C termination temperature
• Motor power factor: 0.85
• Motor efficiency: 0.90

You cannot modify system defaults. They serve as the foundation that other tiers override.

Organization defaults

Organization defaults apply to all members of your organization. They represent:

• Company standards and specifications
• Approved materials and vendors
• Regional or industry-specific practices

Who can set: Organization admins and owners

Applies to: All organization members, all projects

Use when:

• Your company always uses specific cable series
• You have standard motor specifications
• Regional code requires specific assumptions (ambient temperature for your climate)
• Procurement restricts materials to approved vendors

Example: An organization in Phoenix, Arizona sets ambient temperature default to 40°C (104°F) because outdoor installations routinely experience extreme heat. This applies to all projects in that organization.

Project defaults

Project defaults apply only to the specific project. They represent:

• Project-specific requirements
• Client specifications
• One-time exceptions to organization standards

Who can set: Project owners and editors

Applies to: Only the specific project

Use when:

• Client specifies particular materials
• Project uses voltage levels different from company norm
• Unusual installation conditions (industrial vs commercial)
• Testing alternative designs

Example: A data center project requires 90°C terminations for all conductors due to high-temperature equipment rooms. This project default overrides the organization's 75°C standard, but only for this project.

User defaults

User defaults are personal preferences that follow you across projects. They represent:

• Individual workflow preferences
• Frequently used values in your role
• Personal shortcuts

Who can set: Any user (affects only their own new components)

Applies to: Only components you create

Use when:

• You specialize in specific system types (motors, lighting, etc.)
• Your typical designs use certain configurations
• You want quick access to preferred settings

Example: An engineer who primarily designs motor control centers sets user defaults for motor power factor (0.88) and efficiency (0.92) based on the specific motor manufacturer their projects typically use.

How defaults are applied to new components

When you create a component, the system:

1. Starts with system defaults as the base.
2. Overlays organization defaults if any exist.
3. Overlays project defaults if any exist.
4. Overlays user defaults if any exist.
5. Applies the merged result to the new component.

Example hierarchy resolution:

Creating a cable with these defaults defined:

The final component has:

• Copper conductor (from system default, no overrides)
• 90°C termination (project overrides org and system)
• 40°C ambient (user overrides all others)
• Cable tray installation (organization overrides system)

When to use different scopes

Use system defaults when:

• You don't need to override anything
• Industry-standard values are appropriate
• You're new to the system and learning

Use organization defaults when:

• Your company has standard specifications
• Multiple projects share common requirements
• You want consistency across all company projects
• Regional or industry practices differ from system defaults

Use project defaults when:

• Client specifications differ from company standards
• Project has unique requirements (voltage levels, environments)
• Testing alternative designs against your standard
• One project needs different assumptions

Use user defaults when:

• You have personal preferences for workflow efficiency
• Your role involves specific component types repeatedly
• You want shortcuts for frequently used values
• Your designs differ from project/org norms

Defaults do not apply retroactively

Important: Changing defaults affects only newly created components. Existing components keep their current values.

Example:

1. You create 10 cables with copper conductors (from defaults).
2. You change organization defaults to aluminum conductors.
3. The 10 existing cables remain copper.
4. New cables you create will be aluminum.

To update existing components:

• Select each component individually and change properties, or
• Use batch operations (if available), or
• Delete and recreate components with new defaults

Whitelist-based merging

The defaults system uses whitelist validation to ensure only valid fields merge across tiers. This prevents issues when:

• Field names change in software updates
• New fields are added to component schemas
• Old fields are removed or renamed

How it works:

Only fields defined in system defaults can be overridden by higher tiers. If you add a custom field to organization defaults that doesn't exist in system defaults, it's ignored during merge.

This ensures backwards compatibility and prevents orphaned configuration from causing errors.

Fields excluded from defaults

Some component properties are never part of defaults:

Identifiers:

• Component ID
• Project ID
• Organization ID

Positioning:

• Canvas X position
• Canvas Y position

Naming:

• Component name (auto-generated: "Bus 1", "Cable 2")
• Component tag or label

Connections:

• Connected bus IDs
• Source/target component IDs

Metadata:

• Created timestamp
• Updated timestamp
• Created by user
• Updated by user

These fields are component-specific and make no sense as defaults.

Related topics

• Setting defaults - How to configure defaults at each scope
• User settings - Managing your personal user defaults
• Cable sizing - How defaults affect NEC calculations