# Labeling wires in control cabinets



## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

Just curious as to what you guys do to label wires in a control cabinet. I have been using my label maker with the heat shrink labels and the labels get eaten up pretty fast. I wouldn't mind so much but half of the label roll gets wasted when using the heat shrink tubing (bother p-touch). I was looking into getting some of the clip on numbers to help speed things up. I haven't found a good source for ones that would work on a wide range of sizes and they get kind of pricey for labels. Most of the control wiring is 14ga or 12ga MTW and 20ga MTW for the low voltage.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I have a Dymo 5000 that uses the 1/4 - 3/4 heat shrink tubes. It'll go through a cartridge pretty fast it you print each label individually but if you print a bunch of them together leaving a space between each one, you'll get a lot more per cartridge. 

I use scissors to cut between the spaces, it takes a bit more time but I think it's worth it. 

Here's an example......

P103 START DI17 | P104 START DI18 | P105 START DI19

P103 START DI17|P104 START DI18|P105 START DI18

Then top line is individual, the | is where the built-in cutter cuts. The | on the lower line is where you cut with scissors. You can see how much heat shrink it saves.


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

Thanks, I was actually just thinking about using the terminal block feature on my printer so it will put a line where I want to cut it with scissors. Or I will put a few spaces. I burned up a complete cartridge real fast letting it cut each label for me and then I had to trim each one because they were too long. The cartridge on the p touch is like 4.9' for the heat tubing vs 25' for standard labels. 

OK well its time to order some more labels. I ordered too many of the small labels (I can't use) because they said they were 1/4" width and didn't realize that wasn't ID or OD. I only had 2 cartridges of the 8.8mm(3/8) width that works well for #14 & #12. Used them on small projects, and thought I had more tubing than I did.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I too have gotten in the habit of running off long strips of label and cutting them up.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

I use a K-Sun machine. You can get 1/8 tubing for small wires. You can print more than one line on a single shrink. doing this, you can print the destination on one line and the origin on a line directly below it. Essentially doubles your shrink capacity. On larger shrink you can do more lines one above the other.

The K-Sun has a symbol library that comes in handy as well.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

MotoGP1199 said:


> Just curious as to what you guys do to label wires in a control cabinet. I have been using my label maker with the heat shrink labels and the labels get eaten up pretty fast. I wouldn't mind so much but *half of the label roll gets wasted when using the heat shrink tubing (bother p-touch)*. I was looking into getting some of the clip on numbers to help speed things up. I haven't found a good source for ones that would work on a wide range of sizes and they get kind of pricey for labels. Most of the control wiring is 14ga or 12ga MTW and 20ga MTW for the low voltage.


I've heard there are some hacks (workarounds) available online for some of that malicious company's products to make it stop wasting the tape. That is 100% by design just like the printers which count the sheets and won't work after n number of sheets to force you to buy new toner even though the canister is still half full.

One by one I eliminate companies I'll never do business with again. Top of the list is Xerox. Don't ever buy any of their products.

Since you brought it up I think I'll try it on mine today. 

If you post your model number maybe someone will find the process and post it for everyone.


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## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

I use the Brady BMP51. I use it fairly often with the heatshrink, but the labels are sized on the roll so I don't find there is much waste unless I don't print the entire label.

There is a wide range of label types for this model, but like anything else, once you buy into the brand you are stuck with it; although I don't have any complaints about this unit. I have had if for about 5 or so years... no issues with performance or getting media stock for it.

Cheers
John


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## GatorIE (Mar 22, 2020)

I think the main distinction lies in your use case--If you're building a lot of new panels or putting on a significant number of labels, a full-size printer is much more economical in the long run. We use the Canon/Nisca Cable ID printers which are capable of printing on loose tube (sized per wire size to fit snugly over the insulation), heat-shrink tube, adhesive labels, terminal strip markers, and a few other media. They run around $800 for the printer but the ribbon cartridges and media are incredibly economical and last forever in the quantities they are available. Here's a link to the product page: https://ftn.canon/en/product/cable-idprinter/. The Mk2600 is definitely worth the price over its Mk1500 counterpart if you do have any interest in going this route.


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## Tonedeaf (Nov 26, 2012)

dymo or brady BMP21, both allow you to make labels for individual cables


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

joe-nwt said:


> I use a K-Sun machine. You can get 1/8 tubing for small wires. You can print more than one line on a single shrink. doing this, you can print the destination on one line and the origin on a line directly below it. Essentially doubles your shrink capacity. On larger shrink you can do more lines one above the other.
> 
> The K-Sun has a symbol library that comes in handy as well.


I use this the one. I went backwards from what you are doing. I started cutting my own, but found my time was more valuable than the wasted label cutoff. Also I think it is nicer job when they are all same size. Yes it wastes label tape but price it in and it is a better job.


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

MikeFL said:


> I've heard there are some hacks (workarounds) available online for some of that malicious company's products to make it stop wasting the tape. That is 100% by design just like the printers which count the sheets and won't work after n number of sheets to force you to buy new toner even though the canister is still half full.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Brother P-Touch-E550W


I was complaining about it to my wife saying it has to be on purpose. She just said I was crazy lol

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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

We use a TLS2200.

Looking on Brady's site, it's discontinued. I did not know that, since we still get ribbon and labels for it.

Looks like they show a BMP61 as an alternative. Looks a lot more user friendly to if a person can load a list into it and have it print, rather than entering them all manually with the TLS2200, as I do now.

We buy the Brady 1000 count reel of heatshrinkable labels for our control cabinets.

I like them. 

I can't stand those machines that waste tape, we used to have a portable Brother that did that.

https://d37iyw84027v1q.cloudfront.net/Common/TLS2200_BMP61_Printer_Comparison_Guide.pdf


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Either a Brady TLS2200, or a third party to print them. Give them the list, quantity and size, and it saves me from typing 10,000 tags on site and they are ready for when we start terminating.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

From a service tech, SHAME on ALL ya. The only labels that should be used are the self laminating type. SOOOOO many times i have come across the other types rubbed off, smeared beyond recognition, or faded to oblivion. Think of us poor chaps that have to troubleshoot your panel 10 years later. Thanks for listening 

P.S **** those clip on ones... wtf ya thinking with that crap?
Also those horrid tubes that don't shrink onto the wire are absolute trash.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

Flyingsod said:


> From a service tech, SHAME on ALL ya. The only labels that should be used are the self laminating type. SOOOOO many times i have come across the other types rubbed off, smeared beyond recognition, or faded to oblivion. Think of us poor chaps that have to troubleshoot your panel 10 years later. Thanks for listening
> 
> P.S **** those clip on ones... wtf ya thinking with that crap?
> Also those horrid tubes that don't shrink onto the wire are absolute trash.


I've never seen a faded heat-shrink label. Of rubbed off or smeared. Could you post a pic of some?

I've removed panels I've built 20+ years ago and the labels still looked new. I used a Critchley LM1600 back then, one of the first portables on the market. Still have it, still works but tired.


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## GatorIE (Mar 22, 2020)

Flyingsod said:


> From a service tech, SHAME on ALL ya. The only labels that should be used are the self laminating type. SOOOOO many times i have come across the other types rubbed off, smeared beyond recognition, or faded to oblivion. Think of us poor chaps that have to troubleshoot your panel 10 years later. Thanks for listening
> 
> P.S **** those clip on ones... wtf ya thinking with that crap?
> Also those horrid tubes that don't shrink onto the wire are absolute trash.


As somebody who has serviced machines built by my current place of work over 20 years ago with the same labeling system we currently use, I'd beg to differ. Self-lam labels are a poor choice with regards to oil and solvent damage. I've seen them fail time after time when used by other OEM's. Our thermal-transfer vinyl labels are bulletproof, to the point where we use them external of the main cabinet to label hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical hoses and cables. I have used heatshrink labels previously as well and have never seen them exhibit failures either. 

I don't believe that blanket statements regarding which type of label is superior are helpful--each and every variety has a long list of pros and cons. Rather, I think that the most important consideration is to use a labeling system from a reputable manufacturer that has a proven thermal-transfer system. A quality bond between marking material and medium is the most important deciding factor in quality. For us, Canon Nisca has done a great job. I'd place Phoenix Contact in the same ballpark as well. As for Brady, Brother, Zebra and the likes, I'd rank them equally in a tier just below C/N and P/C. They all have quality and they all have crap, it's important to work with a rep or supply house to trial what works best for you.

I'll agree with you on the clip-on labels though. Whoever designed those and anyone who continues to use them should be subject to eternal damnation


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

joe-nwt said:


> I've never seen a faded heat-shrink label. Of rubbed off or smeared. Could you post a pic of some?


 I probably wont be able to. Im a simple maintenance electrician now so my whole world is one plant. I no longer have access to a whole city for my lab I haven't been in all the boxes here yet but what I've seen here is nearly the worst of it all. They are non heat shrink write on tubes. Not only do you have to decipher peoples horrid hand writing, regular ink pens and pencils are not fade oil or abrasion resistant. Plus since they are tubes they fall off if the wires aren't connected to the terminals or wire nuts.


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## Flyingsod (Jul 11, 2013)

GatorIE said:


> I don't believe that blanket statements regarding which type of label is superior are helpful-
> 
> That's ALMOST always true. ( see how i avoided making a blanket statement :wink


 Ive been around in enough cabinets to see all of them fail. Yes even the self lam ones I admit. Some substances glom onto the label whatever type it is and become unremovable or stained beyond readability. With a self lam you can usually remove a layer and see a fresh easy to read marking. you can even do it with those number book labels sometimes. With any of the others you are sol unless you have a degree in restorative archeology or something. The thermal transfer heat shrink ones do indeed stand up to oils better than the self lams but as you said pros and cons for each. Oils aren't the only assault on our labels. A laminated thermal transfer heatshrink option is in order I think. :smile:


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## Jarp Habib (May 18, 2014)

MikeFL said:


> MotoGP1199 said:
> 
> 
> > Just curious as to what you guys do to label wires in a control cabinet. I have been using my label maker with the heat shrink labels and the labels get eaten up pretty fast. I wouldn't mind so much but *half of the label roll gets wasted when using the heat shrink tubing (bother p-touch)*. I was looking into getting some of the clip on numbers to help speed things up. I haven't found a good source for ones that would work on a wide range of sizes and they get kind of pricey for labels. Most of the control wiring is 14ga or 12ga MTW and 20ga MTW for the low voltage.
> ...


Label->Margin->Chain Print. When it asks you to feed and cut, just say no. It's really easy. Though don't cut it until you're done with several prints, or you'll chop through the text of your last one. Give that one a bit of feed.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Jarp Habib said:


> Label->Margin->Chain Print. When it asks you to feed and cut, just say no. It's really easy. Though don't cut it until you're done with several prints, or you'll chop through the text of your last one. Give that one a bit of feed.


I did that and changed it back.
Thanks though.


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## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

A panel I just did last week. I just did label-single space-Label-single space-label-single space-etc and it worked out great. I used scissors to cut in between each single space. I am still pissed that it puts out about 1 1/4" and then forces me to press the cut button(digital button) and then proceeds to waste another 3/4". Just a total waste, even if I have to waste a little I don't want to cut. I have to look at the settings and see if there is a margin I can get rid of.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

Navyguy said:


> I use the *Brady BMP51.* I use it fairly often with the heatshrink, but the labels are sized on the roll so I don't find there is much waste unless I don't print the entire label.
> 
> There is a wide range of label types for this model, but like anything else, once you buy into the brand you are stuck with it; although I don't have any complaints about this unit. I have had if for about 5 or so years... no issues with performance or getting media stock for it.
> 
> ...


When I worked for an Allen-Bradley (Rockwell) SH a lot of our panel-building customers used the BMP51, and seemed very happy with it.


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

Face it guys, all wires should be professionally labeled. There’s a price to pay in both material & labor but customers will notice & appreciate it.


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

I’ve been using this for the past 6 years. Sometimes I will even make a tube from the jacket of a #4 or larger wire to wrap the label around then slide it over the wire or multiples you want to identify. Then you can rotate it to face out after you land the wires. 











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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

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## Donamcco (11 mo ago)

joe-nwt said:


> I've never seen a faded heat-shrink label. Of rubbed off or smeared. Could you post a pic of some?
> 
> I've removed panels I've built 20+ years ago and the labels still looked new. I used a Critchley LM1600 back then, one of the first portables on the market. Still have it, still works but tired.


Do you hnow where I can buy tape for LM1600?


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

Donamcco said:


> Do you hnow where I can buy tape for LM1600?


You still have one? I thought i might have the last in existence,.....

I haven't bought any for a few years but got them from;

Industrial & Packaging Label Printers, Inkjet Coders & Supplies


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

Donamcco said:


> Do you hnow where I can buy tape for LM1600?


If you mean an old dot matrix printer, just buy a new printer unit. You will not be happy with the old stuff.
I use this one and it works great



https://www.alliedelec.com/product/epson-label-works-px/lw-px400/71090856/


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