Labeling wires in an attic

[Stephen Tashiro]

What's a good way to label Romex wires in an attic to indicate what they connect?

I find labels for sale that are small letters and numbers that slip over wires, but these are hard to see.

[mike stenson]

If I'm doing it, I'll write a circuit # (that would correspond to the specific box and breaker) on the jacket in sharpie.

[Frank Pratt]

I see the value in labeling junction boxes and wires at the termination points, but labeling the run seems like a make work project.

[Malcolm McLeod]

What's a good way to label Romex wires in an attic to indicate what they connect?

I find labels for sale that are small letters and numbers that slip over wires, but these are hard to see.

Look for Brady BMP21-PLUS. It will print in many fonts, colors, and label sizes. You can get label cartridges for either self-laminating, slip-on/shrink label stock, or just adhesive labels (...think Dymo). In case you're not familiar, self-laminating labels print on the opaque part of the label, but the label also has a clear 'wrapper' section that wraps around the text for protection. The slip-on/shrink are probably what you'd expect - shrink tube that you can print on (heating them is optional).

Relative to Mike's sharpie, Brady ain't even close to cheap!

Adder: I'd stick with the self-laminating (wrap-a-round), unless you're going to de-term every wire.

[Kev Williams]

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[mike stenson]

Look for Brady BMP21-PLUS. It will print in many fonts, colors, and label sizes. You can get label cartridges for either self-laminating, slip-on/shrink label stock, or just adhesive labels (...think Dymo). In case you're not familiar, self-laminating labels print on the opaque part of the label, but the label also has a clear 'wrapper' section that wraps around the text for protection. The slip-on/shrink are probably what you'd expect - shrink tube that you can print on (heating them is optional).

Relative to Mike's sharpie, Brady ain't even close to cheap!

Adder: I'd stick with the self-laminating (wrap-a-round), unless you're going to de-term every wire.

yea, those things are great! We used to use them to mark bundled cat5 cables.

[Günter VögelBerg]

I label them at the junction box. In several places in my house I have had to make junctions without a device for various reasons and I write on the inside of the cover plate with a permanent narker.

[roger wiegand]

write on them with a sharpie

[Mike Henderson]

If I'm doing it, I'll write a circuit # (that would correspond to the specific box and breaker) on the jacket in sharpie.

I do the same (with a sharpie). And I label in the attic so that when I'm up there I know what wire is what.

Mike

[Jan Smith]

write on them with a sharpie
That is what I do too.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I label most things, even pipes and gas lines.With a sharpie or by wrapping a piece of masking tape around it and writing on that tape.

[John K Jordan]

What's a good way to label Romex wires in an attic to indicate what they connect?
I find labels for sale that are small letters and numbers that slip over wires, but these are hard to see.

I label directly with a black Sharpie. I start by making a wiring diagram with everything numbered labeled then use the same labels on the wires and components. For receptacle boxes, I write the circuit number inside the box where I can see it if I remove the cover. Each junction box is numbered (e.g., J3, J4) with the number I used on the wiring diagram. For Romex cable I usually write the circuit number and the number of the junction or receptacle box along with arrows pointing to the source or destination as appropriate. On the junction boxes I write notes to myself of what wires will be run to that box later. (I don't bother writing on the wires if they are simple runs where everything is visible at once.) Where complicated, especially when modifying existing wiring or when remodeling and moving walls and boxes, good notes can make things so simple and foolprool, especially in a tight space! I had a situation recently where I had to temporarily power some lights and receptacles until the construction was done, then change up everything when I added new switches, receptacles, and light fixtures and had to change what the existing switches controlled. I had so many diagrams and notes on everything that at rewiring time the work was trivial, even in a crawl space.

BTW, when designing my shop I made both physical and logical circuit diagrams. The physical showed where things were located on a plan drawing. The logical showed what was powered by each breaker. Most of my lighting circuits are on 3-way and 4-way switches so I'll get confused if I don't make good diagrams. Don't forget to file all circuit diagrams in a safe place!

JKJ

[Andrew Seemann]

The problem with using anything with an adhesive, particularly in a hot environment like an attic, is that the adhesive eventually dries out and separates from the backing. Masking tape and duct tape are are particularly prone to this as are labels with a paper backing. If you do want to use tape, white electrical tape with black sharpie is probably the best. Black sharpie directly on the wire is likely more reliable though.

[Bill Dufour]

Spray paint in several colors. or sharpie. Do label each device with box and breaker #'s? We have nice etched plates glued on wall near many at school. Not really etched but routed out of layered plastic as used for name tags and desk top name plate stand things
Bil lD

[Bill Dufour]

I took a class with a ex army helicopter mechanic. He said all the wires are white with a serial number printed on each wire every foot or so. No color coding allowed.
Bill

[Mike Cutler]

Sharpie with the breaker number on it, and roughly what it feeds. I also do it in in the boxes.