Setting Up Plumbing Fixtures for Copy Monitor in Revit

When working with plumbing fixtures in your project, you'll often encounter families that don't match the exact dimensions required for your design. Here's how to efficiently customize and configure these elements using your project browser's plumbing fixtures library.

Navigate to your project browser and locate the plumbing fixtures category. Click the plus icon to expand this section and reveal all available fixture families. You'll find the "sink island single" family, which serves as our base template for customization.

Rather than immediately launching the copy monitor tool, take advantage of Revit's built-in measurement capabilities. Hover over the architectural element's tab and use tab selection to highlight the specific fixture. This reveals critical dimensions—in this case, 30 × 21 inches. Cross-reference these measurements by examining the type properties, where you can verify both width and depth parameters.

With your target dimensions confirmed, it's time to create a custom fixture type. Locate the "sink island single" family in your browser, which typically includes standard sizes like 18 × 18 private and 18 × 18 public variations.

Select the 18 × 18 public version as your starting point, right-click to duplicate it, then rename the new type to "30 inch by 21 inch public." Remember that renaming alone doesn't modify the actual parameters—this requires a separate step through the type properties dialog.

Access the type properties by right-clicking your newly created fixture type. Navigate to the dimensional parameters: set the length to 30 inches (input as "0' 30\"") and configure the sink width to 21 inches ("0' 21\""). Verify that your parameters display as one foot nine inches for sink width and two feet six inches for sink length. Note that parameter naming conventions may vary between families—some use "width and depth" while others employ "width and length."

Next, address the lavatory vanity requirements. Expand the lavatory vanity category and identify the fixtures requiring customization—typically two units measuring 48 × 18 inches. Use tab selection to confirm dimensions, then examine the parameters to verify the lavatory width (four feet) and length (18 inches).

Following the same duplication process, select the 30 × 18 public variant, duplicate it, and rename to "48 × 18." Access type properties and adjust the lavatory width parameter to 48 inches (four feet). Leave connector radiuses at their default values unless specific project requirements dictate otherwise.

With your custom fixture types properly configured, initiate the copy monitor workflow. Navigate to the Collaborate tab and select "Copy Monitor > Select Link." Choose your architectural link file, then access coordination settings to establish proper type mapping.

The system retains previous settings, so expand the plumbing fixtures category and configure type mapping for each element. Match the lavatory vanity with your custom 48 × 18 creation, pair the lavatory oval A with the existing 25 × 20 public type, and assign the kitchen sink single to your custom sink island single 30 × 21 fixture.

Complete the mapping by specifying the urinal as wall-hung with a three-quarter inch flush valve, and configure the water closet as wall-mounted, flush valve, public, 1.6 gallons per flush. Review your complete mapping list for accuracy before proceeding.

Execute the copy operation, which automatically places all fixtures according to your established parameters. The system performs significant coordination work automatically, though some fixtures may require manual positioning adjustments. Each copy-monitored element displays a distinctive symbol indicating its coordinated status.

Understanding coordination alerts is crucial for maintaining project integrity. When you move a copy-monitored fixture, Revit generates a coordination alert noting that the "relative position of two fixtures changed." Address these alerts through the coordination review process after completing your copy monitor session.

Access coordination review by selecting "Coordination Review > Select Link" and choosing your linked file. The system presents options to postpone, reject, accept differences, or move instances back to their original positions. Selecting "move instance" and applying the change typically resolves positioning discrepancies and clears coordination warnings.

Projects containing copy monitor elements may trigger coordination review notifications upon opening, indicating that elements require attention. This robust system includes comprehensive tracking capabilities, allowing you to document actions, add comments, and maintain detailed coordination logs throughout the project lifecycle.

This systematic approach to fixture coordination establishes a solid foundation for efficient MEP modeling. In the next phase, we'll address remaining fixture positioning issues and explore advanced coordination techniques for complex project scenarios.