# How to label properly?



## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

Label the panels from top to bottom. Odds on the left (1,3,5,7......). Evens on the right (2,4,6,8....). Label the conductors at their termination point in the field the same using number tags.

In residential, if there are tandem breakers, they are A&B for each corresponding breaker space. For example, a tandem breaker installed in the #7 breaker position would be 7A top handle and 7B bottom handle.


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## EBFD6 (Aug 17, 2008)

btharmy said:


> Label the panels from top to bottom. Odds on the left (1,3,5,7......). Evens on the right (2,4,6,8....). Label the conductors at their termination point in the field the same using number tags.
> 
> In residential, if there are tandem breakers, they are A&B for each corresponding breaker space. For example, a tandem breaker installed in the #7 breaker position would be 7A top handle and 7B bottom handle.


Plus, each panel in the building will have a "name". These are specific to each building and there really is no right or wrong way but a typical scheme might be to have Power Panels (PP), lighting panels (LP), and HVAC/equipment Panels (HP) so a building would have panels labeled PP1, PP2, PP3, LP1, HP1, etc. An HVAC disconnect labeled "HP2 #1,3,5" indicates that the unit is fed from the top left 3pole breaker in panel HP2.

Some larger buildings even label their panels by floor, for instance PP1-1, PP1-2, PP2-1, PP3-1, etc. This is the method I prefer because it makes it easier to find the panel in a larger building. If it's a PP2-X, I know the panel is on the second floor and I don't have to search the whole building trying to find the panel.

EP, EL, EH would indicate emergency panels.

This is just one typical labeling scheme that I see used often. There really is no right or wrong way to label panels, IMO just make it easy to understand and easy to expand the labeling scheme in the future.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

All of our columns in each building are identified with an alphanumeric number (first row A1, A2, A3, etc. next row B1, B2, B3 etc.) which indicate a physical location in the plant. So a breaker panel located on or near column G9 became BP-G9, or if it was for lighting then it was designated LP-G9, or a distribution panel would be DP-G9, and a motor control center would be MCC-G9. The same goes for busways; they are each named according to the building column nearest the bus’ tap box, and we also numbered all the tap positions on each bus. 

This has greatly helped whenever required to track down where a circuit is fed from to de-energize. For example, the main electrical panel for a machine will have a label that states the equipment name such as PRESS232, and then the next line underneath that it may say BUS C26-24 (indicating this panel is fed from the bus near column C26, switch position 24); we also have tags on all 480V bus drops identifying their disconnecting means. 

Each bus tap box has a label identifying the bus name, such as BUS C26, and then underneath it says SCVE A9 to identify the service this bus is fed from. Once you get to the service it is labeled with name, and the next line underneath that it may say XFMR 5 to identify the pad mounted transformer, and the transformer label points you back to the primary switch. And of course all the breakers or tubs on the service are also labeled.

Even 120V receptacle and light switch covers get a small label (or sharpie marker) such as BP-G9 CKT#5 or LP-A2 CKT#10; this part is just happening for new installations and is ongoing for existing circuits as we come across them. The great thing about this naming convention is it points you directly to a physical location without having to reference a drawing.


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## EBFD6 (Aug 17, 2008)

Michigan Master said:


> Even 120V receptacle and light switch covers get a small label (or sharpie marker) such as BP-G9 CKT#5 or LP-A2 CKT#10; this part is just happening for new installations and is ongoing for existing circuits as we come across them. The great thing about this naming convention is it points you directly to a physical location without having to reference a drawing.


I label EVERYTHING. As a service guy I appreciate when the guy before me labeled the stuff I need to work on. It makes my job so much easier and I do the same for anyone coming after me. We work at the same facilities all the time so many times I am the next guy. If I have to trace a circuit to work on it, it gets a label so I don't have to hunt for it next time.


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## icemanjc (Dec 25, 2012)

We label all of our panels and any joints in any boxes with their circuit numbers. 

We don't visibly label our receptacles on the outside, but any wires in the box have number labels. 

All of our box covers are labeled with a sharpie with the panel name, voltage and the circuit numbers of joints inside.

Switch legs are the number 0 followed by the circuit number.


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## Michigan Master (Feb 25, 2013)

EBFD6 said:


> I label EVERYTHING. As a service guy I appreciate when the guy before me labeled the stuff I need to work on. It makes my job so much easier and I do the same for anyone coming after me. We work at the same facilities all the time so many times I am the next guy. If I have to trace a circuit to work on it, it gets a label so I don't have to hunt for it next time.


I totally agree! Even if you are the next guy it’s nice to have labels; some of these circuits (especially in older buildings) can take a while to trace out.



icemanjc said:


> We label all of our panels and any joints in any boxes with their circuit numbers.
> 
> We don't visibly label our receptacles on the outside, but any wires in the box have number labels.
> 
> ...


Shop floor might be a sharpie on the outside cover, but in the office areas we use small clear printed labels.

We’ve been in business for 40+ years and have 9 different manufacturing plants in our industrial park. Labeling (and de-energizing) wasn’t always standard practice, so it’s been a large ongoing project.


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

In residential buildings you will never find anything labeled correctly. 95% are mislabeled, or not labeled.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

FlyingSparks said:


> In all buildings you will never find anything labeled correctly. 95% are mislabeled, or not labeled.



Fify


Sent from my iPhone using electriciantalk.com


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## meggerman (Jan 14, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies! :thumbsup:

It is interesting to see how various people approach labeling circuits. Proper labeling makes such a difference. Imagine what would happen if you wanted to add another outlet to an existing circuit, in say an office with many PC's. You flick off the breaker as labeled per "Cowboy Electrics Ltd" and poof, 20 Monday-morning, hungover, office employees loose their whole morning's work...

When all outlets, switches, etc. are labeled, it also makes it so much easier to count to see if you could actually add more outlets, as allowed by the electrical code. Speaking of which, what about your electrical panel charts? From what I've seen, most US and Canadian panels only have a small sticker on either side of the panel, with not nearly enough space to properly label what it actually does.

Excuse me for referring back to the UK, but the way we did it there was by sticking a chart, usually to the inside of the panel door, displaying all circuits and details. It states number of outlets, size and type of cable, how it is wired/installed, size and type of circuit breaker, etc. Again, Amtech is a good software program for typing up these charts, although some people actually create their own charts by using Excel. Have a look for example at this chart: http://blog.pirform.co.uk/post/2010/02/23/printing-circuit-charts.aspx


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

I've been throwing business at a local label engraving business for years. Everything starts at MDP1 and goes from there


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

meggerman said:


> Thanks for all the replies! :thumbsup:
> 
> It is interesting to see how various people approach labeling circuits. Proper labeling makes such a difference. Imagine what would happen if you wanted to add another outlet to an existing circuit, in say an office with many PC's. You flick off the breaker as labeled per "Cowboy Electrics Ltd" and poof, 20 Monday-morning, hungover, office employees loose their whole morning's work...
> 
> ...


We use what are called panel schedules. On commercial and industrial jobs, it is common to see them made on the computer and put in a sleeve behind the panel door. If they aren't made on a computer, it's a simple sticker on the backside of the panel door -- that's what mostly residential buildings have. In the U.S., again, it's very common to have something mislabeled or not labeled at all. Many electricians ignore that requirement of NFPA70.


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