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Wire Labeling

There are many options to label wires. I never do. I find it much more effective to document what pin does what on each connector (the connectors are also identified). This makes future maintenance or modification easy.

Carl
 
I found using heat shrink printed labels to be best. Identifies the wires at each end/termination in a way that won't fall off with time. Costs a bit more, but well worth it in my view.
 
I found using heat shrink printed labels to be best. Identifies the wires at each end/termination in a way that won't fall off with time. Costs a bit more, but well worth it in my view.
+1 for this method. Every wire in my plane has a heatshrinked label on both ends. A year or two years later, I will know what wire is.
 
I found using heat shrink printed labels to be best. Identifies the wires at each end/termination in a way that won't fall off with time. Costs a bit more, but well worth it in my view.

Do you use a label maker?
 

I like the video, but would suggest color coding to be even more important. White power, negative and ground all white?
Tefzel comes in any gage, many colors. I don?t need to label a red wire going from the Fuel Pump fuse to the Fuel Pump positive, or black wire to the Fuel Pump negative, etc.... to troubleshoot this circuit.
Ignition wiring, labels help a lot with initial wiring and down the road maintenance, but like Carl, I relay on my wiring diagrams, wire color, and size, most of the time. It is pretty obvious.
High Density harnesses present an entirely different problem. Many are furnished as assemblies. A good block diagram with supplements from install manuals will guide you down the road.
 
I followed a tip I saw on hints for homebuilders: I printed labels in 6 pt font on my laser printer and bought clear heatshrink from Stein Air for about $.30/ft. In addition to the labels, I used colored wires: red for power, black for ground and white for data (per the advice of my Sport Air Workshop instructor) and labeled every wire at both ends. Adding a label to each wire takes less than a minute. That time investment has already paid for itself during construction, and I'm sure it will be worth more when the plane is in operation.
 
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Great idea

I followed a tip I saw on hints for homebuilders: I printed labels in 6 pt font on my laser printer and bought clear heatshrink from Stein Air for about $.30/ft. In addition to the labels, I used red for power, black for ground and white for data (per the advice of my Sport Air Workshop instructor) and labeled every wire at both ends. Adding a label to each wire takes less than a minute. That time investment has already paid for itself during construction, and I'm sure it will be worth more when the plane is in operation.

I'm planning that as well but never occurred to use colored paper. Great idea. Thanks.
 
I wish I had known of this system and used it during the build, highly recommended. When doing it you THINK you can recall it all, but when you turn 81 you cannot. Also, the next owner will thank you for doing it also. SO easy to use also.

+1 for this method. Every wire in my plane has a heatshrinked label on both ends. A year or two years later, I will know what wire is.
 
heat shrink labels

I also use the 6mm dymo heat shrink labels. I hand write on the other side the same thing as is printed by the label maker. Unfortunately it only prints on one side.

I also use some heat shrink tube and write on it with a very fine point permanent marker when I run out of heat shrink labels.

Both methods seem to work fine.
 
Three points I would like to underscore that already have been mentioned here:
1. Stick to a standardized wire color code
2. Clearly label each end of all wires
3. Document, document, document

40+ years in the industrial controls world has taught me that even though you think you will remember everything, you don't. Also you will not be the only one working on the wiring (resale value?). There's not much worse that laying on your back bent like a pretzel, in the dark, when its cold, at 60+ years old, with bi-focals trying to trace some wire down. Knowing a pin number is nice but to confirm a wire without disassembling a connector can be important too.

Here is the label maker I have been using and am vey pleased with it. The heat shrink tube labels are a bit pricey but worth it to me. Print them in a single series then cut them to save material. If you print them separately the device will index and waste material.

Brady BMP21

Brady Heat Shrink Sleeves
 
I bought one of these after much research:

https://labelworks.epson.com/product/lw-px900/

Pricey, but very worth it. Every wire in the upgraded system is labeled with heat shrink tube. It is very easy to do, easy to read and makes things more serviceable down the road.

Plus you can use the labeler for all kinds of other things around the house and hangar!
 
When I added an EIS and reconfigured my panel I planned to label at both ends using what I had already (3mm black on white labels covered by clear heat shrink). As I got into the work, I found a detailed wiring diagram coupled with multi-colored wires accomplished most of what I needed. One end of a harness fixed the wires in a connector. I did then label the other end to pull it to the other connector, usually leaving those labels in place. Labels were definitely nice at the fuse block and the ground block, where all wires were the same color.
 
Labels

I used a label maker with a small font and put a pc of clear heat shrink over it. I already had a label maker and the clear heat shrink is cheap.
 
+ 1 here too.

Yep we do the same. The little Stick-Up kits with 10 or 12 colors in them. We cut a small strip the color we like about 3/16" wide, mark what we wish it to be called on the strip, stick it to the wire and then use clear heat shrink over that. A fine gel pin works best. Hope this helps. Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
I used a label maker with a small font and put a pc of clear heat shrink over it. I already had a label maker and the clear heat shrink is cheap.

Same here. I didn't pay anything for the label maker, just bought some inexpensive clear heatshrink. However, I think if I had to buy a labeler anyway (and I'd definitely recommend one), I'd go ahead and spring for one that prints on the shrink itself. Saves a couple of steps and TONS of little while sticky-backer-bits all over the cabin!
 
+1

I bought one of these after much research:

https://labelworks.epson.com/product/lw-px900/

Pricey, but very worth it. Every wire in the upgraded system is labeled with heat shrink tube. It is very easy to do, easy to read and makes things more serviceable down the road.

Plus you can use the labeler for all kinds of other things around the house and hangar!

+1 for this label maker.

Also, check out Hawk Labeling. They are AWESOME to work with!
 
I first tried printing wire numbers on paper labels with my laser printer, cutting them into small strips, sticking them on the wire and covering them with clear heat shrink tube. This worked but took a lot of time and didn't allow for easy changes when I didn't have the right pre-printed label. So I tried just hand writing on the paper label, cutting and applying with clear heat shrink over the top. This worked, but also took extra time and didn't look as good. Both methods were too fiddly for my liking - just a personal thing.

I ended up purchasing a Dymo Rhino 4200 label maker with black on yellow heat shrink label cartridges in 1/4" and 3/8" sizes. The 1/4" works for most single wires, and the 3/8" fits the 2 and 3 conductor shielded cables. I selected the black on yellow color as the yellow labels are easily spotted on the white wires in a large bundle.

These tubes start out flat, so when you open the tube and put it on the wire, it will hold in place until you shrink it. This allows me to leave the labels on the wires after pulling them, and then to put them into final position and shrink them after trimming the wire to final length for termination.

While this is a more expensive solution than the paper labels with clear heat shrink over the top, it takes me less time, is more flexible, and results in a professional installation. So after all the money I've spent on the RV-10 and high priced avionics, the additional few dollars for this solution is well worth the money to me.

As for just color coding the wires, while I am using some color coded single wires, good luck finding multi-conductor cables in anything other than white. And these are mostly what you use for the avionics wiring.

While it is very important to have a well documented set of wiring diagrams, they don't provide as much help if you can't easily identify the wires when you are trouble shooting or have problems. As a professional electrical engineer with 40 years of experience in industrial instrumentation and control, I would never consider nor accept an installation where the wiring did not include a logical system of wire numbering with the wires clearly identified with their respective number at each termination.

Just my 2 cents worth. As the builder of an experimental aircraft, we are all entitled to our own opinions and to build as we see fit. That's one of the privileges of our experimental hobby.

Regards,
 
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The Brady BMP21 is a great unit for wire labeling. There are options for heat-shrink labels, as well, but I just use the 3/4" black on white and wrap the label around the wire.
 
interesting

I had the opportunity to crawl around in a B-767-300-ER that was in for heavy maintenance recently.

The comment here's reminded me of some of the things I saw "behind the curtain". As most of the baggage compartment walls were removed, the wiring was plainly visible...literally thousands of plain white wires, hundreds of bundles, and running everywhere.

Even WITH the detailed schematics that I know they have, I would hate to have to troubleshoot a wiring problem in that jungle!:eek:
 
I had the opportunity to crawl around in a B-767-300-ER that was in for heavy maintenance recently.

The comment here's reminded me of some of the things I saw "behind the curtain". As most of the baggage compartment walls were removed, the wiring was plainly visible...literally thousands of plain white wires, hundreds of bundles, and running everywhere.

Even WITH the detailed schematics that I know they have, I would hate to have to troubleshoot a wiring problem in that jungle!:eek:

The big boys mark their wires the whole length. If you looked close you would probably find wire numbers stamped/etched every foot or so. Back in the 70's the avionics shop at TI had a wire stamping machine used to mark wires going into modification kits. I got a FWF engine package for my Navion that came off an Beech A36 and all the sensor wires were marked full length per their wiring diagram. And I just saw that ACS will sell you wire marked to your spec - really pricey but available.
 
+1 for Dave Macdonald's reply. The Dymo labelmaker along with Industrial heat-shrink labels work for me. Believe I first saw this recommendation in a HomebuilderHelp youtube video.

- John Munroe
RV-7: Bought & Flying
RV-8: Under Construction (SB wings currently)
 
They probably were marked but it would still be a nightmare trying to find which wire you were looking for...

This is one of the reasons for making neat wire bundles, without the sphaghetti criss-crossing of wires that I see in many airplanes...so that once you *find* a wire (or identify it at one of the ends), you can easily trace it through the bundle.
 
yes

...but it the case of the 767, some of those bundles were as big around as a half dollar...

Anyone remember those half dollars?:D
 
There's a whole 'nother part of documenting the wiring when it comes to avionics. Knowing what individual pins and wires are is nice, but it's also nice to know things at a higher level -- such as, serial port #1 from device A goes to serial port #3 on device D, that kind of thing. And similarly, all the input and output port settings on each device, all the autopilot gains, everything.

I documented all that in a spreadsheet, saved it as a pdf and have it on my cell phone. If I'm ever in the boonies with an avionics problem, they'll have the manuals with all the pinouts, but I'll be able to give them the as-installed sytem overview. There's a big difference...

And the avionics folks have standard color coding conventions. Better to use industry standards than invent your own.

Ed
 
...but it the case of the 767, some of those bundles were as big around as a half dollar...

Anyone remember those half dollars?:D

That's why you end up with wires that are just abandoned in place. Rather than waste time digging one out of a harness, if you know the wire is bad somewhere between the endpoints, just run a new wire.

Fortunately, our little RVs usually don't have wire bundles that large :)
 
I used a label maker with a small font and put a pc of clear heat shrink over it. I already had a label maker and the clear heat shrink is cheap.

I tried this recently, but found the heat required to shrink the (polyolefin) heat shrink tube was enough to activate the thermal ink on the label stock which made the whole label turn black. How did you avoid that?

Thanks,
 
I used my 14 year old HP Officejet to print labels in 6 point font, cut them into itty bitty strips, slipped some clear heatshrink tubing over them and the wire then ran the heat gun on it for a few seconds. Very inexpensive.

I don't have a lot of good pics since I didn't bother to document that process, but here's an example:



Another during work-in-progress of the fuse block. You can even see I hand-wrote one of the labels ("LEMO") because I was too lazy to run back to my computer and print out a label for one wire.

 
Time = Money

I just finished my panel and can tell you that first and foremost, flat labels will come off. I'm sure someone will have an argument that I did it wrong but flat labels will come off. When your hands are dirty while working in the shop, and you peel off the label to put on the wire, you end up getting the crud on the sticky... I tried everything and even bought bigger labels but over time they will come off.
Do yourself a favor, buy the heat shrink labels, do it once and forget about it. If you have the extra time, print them on your printer, cut them, put them on with clear hear shrink (too time consuming for me). Either way, use heat shrink so they don't come off.
 
I tried this recently, but found the heat required to shrink the (polyolefin) heat shrink tube was enough to activate the thermal ink on the label stock which made the whole label turn black. How did you avoid that?

Thanks,

You may have the wrong type of labeller. I used a unit that consumes Brother?s P-touch tapes and had zero of this happening. I even found that by heating the label itself it kind of melted onto the wire and didn?t need heat shrink (although because this technique often made the text a little blurry, I usually opted for the print nd clear shrink method)
 
There's a whole 'nother part of documenting the wiring when it comes to avionics. Knowing what individual pins and wires are is nice, but it's also nice to know things at a higher level -- such as, serial port #1 from device A goes to serial port #3 on device D, that kind of thing. And similarly, all the input and output port settings on each device, all the autopilot gains, everything.

I documented all that in a spreadsheet, saved it as a pdf and have it on my cell phone. Ed

Ed makes a good point. Wire labels are great, but without good documentation they don't help much with trouble shooting or revisions. You need up-to-date complete as-built documentation to efficiently find any problems.

While I do have a couple of spreadsheet tables I developed to help me keep track of things while developing my wiring diagrams, they don't help me as much as the actual wiring diagrams in understanding how everything works together.

I have developed my wiring diagrams using PowerPoint in a format that was recommended by Pahan Ranasingha in the AEA "Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft" class. Developing the wiring diagrams in this way results in easy to read, fully documented diagrams in a format that prints easily in a set of 8.5" x 11" pages. I can print the set of pages to a pdf file, and then take the file down to my local Office Depot/Staples and get them printed in ledger size (11 x 17) to use in the shop. This larger size allows me to keep track of as-built changes while working, which I can then take home and use to revise my original PowerPoint file to keep it up to date. Once I have completed the work, I will then print the as-builts to a pdf file which I will carry with me on my iPad and cell phone. This way I will always have the diagrams with me without the weight and space required by the paper drawings. If I need the large paper drawings at some distant airport for serious trouble shooting, I can always get them printed at a local office supply store from the pdf files I will carry on my phone.

I'm not saying this is the only way to do your documentation, just that this is what works well for me. If you find a spreadsheet to be easier for you, then by all means use a spreadsheet. Just be sure you keep an up-to-date current set of as-built documentation so that trouble shooting problems doesn't become a nightmare!

One other suggestion - pull in a few spare wires when you are doing your installation. These will become huge time savers when you realize you forgot a wire, or have to replace a damaged wire in the future. They don't take up much space or weight, and are easily installed at the time of your original wire installation.

Regards,
 
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Ed makes a good point. Wire labels are great, but without good documentation they don't help much with trouble shooting or revisions. You need up-to-date complete as-built documentation to efficiently find any problems.

While I do have a couple of spreadsheet tables I developed to help me keep track of things while developing my wiring diagrams, they don't help me as much as the actual wiring diagrams in understanding how everything works together.

I have developed my wiring diagrams using PowerPoint in a format that was recommended by Pahan Ranasingha in the AEA "Avionics Installation for Experimental Aircraft" class. Developing the wiring diagrams in this way results in easy to read, fully documented diagrams in a format that prints easily in a set of 8.5" x 11" pages. I can print the set of pages to a pdf file, and then take the file down to my local Office Depot/Staples and get them printed in ledger size (11 x 17) to use in the shop. This larger size allows me to keep track of as-built changes while working, which I can then take home and use to revise my original PowerPoint file to keep it up to date. Once I have completed the work, I will then print the as-builts to a pdf file which I will carry with me on my iPad and cell phone. This way I will always have the diagrams with me without the weight and space required by the paper drawings. If I need the large paper drawings at some distant airport for serious trouble shooting, I can always get them printed at a local office supply store from the pdf files I will carry on my phone.

I'm not saying this is the only way to do your documentation, just that this is what works well for me. If you find a spreadsheet to be easier for you, then by all means use a spreadsheet. Just be sure you keep an up-to-date current set of as-built documentation so that trouble shooting problems doesn't become a nightmare!

One other suggestion - pull in a few spare wires when you are doing your installation. These will become huge time savers when you realize you forgot a wire, or have to replace a damaged wire in the future. They don't take up much space or weight, and are easily installed at the time of your original wire installation.

Regards,

Dave-

Is that powerpoint format something you could share? I have been doing my "as built" documentation by hand with a pencil, but it would be much better if I could do it on the computer. My problem is that I don't find powerpoint very user-friendly for doing wiring diagrams. I've tried, but it seems more of a hassle than it's worth. But if there is some technique that makes getting all those lines and boxes and such actually easy to manipulate, I'd appreciate hearing about it.
-Ivan Luke
 
Dave-

Is that powerpoint format something you could share? I have been doing my "as built" documentation by hand with a pencil, but it would be much better if I could do it on the computer. My problem is that I don't find powerpoint very user-friendly for doing wiring diagrams. I've tried, but it seems more of a hassle than it's worth. But if there is some technique that makes getting all those lines and boxes and such actually easy to manipulate, I'd appreciate hearing about it.
-Ivan Luke

Try ExpressSCH...https://www.expresspcb.com/expresssch/

It's not bad, and it's free. Obviously, there are really good ones out there for a cost, but this tool worked just fine for me.
 
I tried this recently, but found the heat required to shrink the (polyolefin) heat shrink tube was enough to activate the thermal ink on the label stock which made the whole label turn black. How did you avoid that?

Thanks,

I used a standard brother label maker. I had no problem with that.
 
If you?re in a sharing mood

Dave -
I?d sure appreciate a copy as well. Your plan seems very logical and I?m about a month from starting this task myself. I have a written plan, but hadn?t even considered how to handle the ?as built? variation.
 
When doing wiring, the first thing I do is create the schematic with a labeling scheme.
During actual installation, I use yellow heat shrink and a fine line sharpie. Just write directly on the heat shrink and just shrink it onto each end of the wire run.
If it?s a particularly hostile spot, I sometimes shrink clear over the yellow.
The writing shrinks along with the wrap but remains easy to read.
It?s easy, fast and cheap.
 
Dave-

Is that powerpoint format something you could share? -Ivan Luke

Ivan,

I'm happy to share but I don't have an easy way to post my files right now. My files are also a work in progress and so not yet complete.

However, there was another RV-10 builder who attended this same AEA class who has done an excellent job of explaining the process. Check out his posts on VAF at http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=152279&highlight=ppt

Also Tim Spear posted a copy of Leok's ppt file on his web server for folks to download. Look at the last post on this page for a link to the ppt file: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?p=1195513&highlight=ppt#post1195513

If after you have read his postings you still want a copy of my working file, send me your email address via private message on this board and I will email you a copy of my file.

Using PowerPoint does take some practice to do efficiently. There are tools for grouping, aligning, rotating, etc. that work well. I've been using PowerPoint since about 1994, and so it has become an easy tool for me to use. If there are other tools (CADD, drawing programs, etc.) that your are comfortable using, they might be a better choice.

Cheers,
 
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This works great

Thanks for all your input. I bought a Dymo LabelManager 160 for 20 bucks on Amazon, and 1/4? heat shrink label tubes. I was concerned that the 1/4? tubes would be too big for 20 gauge wire but it works perfectly.

EECC2395-0AB7-4A22-AA89-920C568B73D3_zpsfjknfyft.jpg


7F22C555-35AC-43D8-943F-D2B337D4FCD8_zpsancigvhf.jpg
 
Thanks for all your input. I bought a Dymo LabelManager 160 for 20 bucks on Amazon, and 1/4” heat shrink label tubes. I was concerned that the 1/4” tubes would be too big for 20 gauge wire but it works perfectly.
What heat shrink label tubes did you buy? The $20 LabelManager is not supposed to be able to print on heat shrink, but obviously that is not true.
 
Has anyone been able to find printable tubing in something smaller than 1/4?? Most all of the wiring I plan to install is 22 gauge.

I think I?ve found one printer for nearly $300 that has something less than 1/4? tubing available, but the tubing is something like $40 for a 3 foot length.

I?ve used laser printer labels with clear heatshrink in the past, but I really like the look of the printed heatshrink.

Thanks in advance!
 
Rod,

The 1/4" tubing will do 22 gauge wire. I'm amazed at how much it will shrink.

Here's how it looks... sorry about the spelling :D

9D8F84B4-7BB7-4443-AE96-D5D52E72BFFC_zpsgpez29jx.jpg
 
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Thanks!

K-sun is the brand I found that seemed quite expensive. Any advice on a reasonably priced source? Or am I going to have to find the pry bar for my wallet again? :)

I’m just airline pilot cheap!

UPDATE in the middle of the night...

I ordered the Epson LW-PX900. It prints at 360dpi and accepts shrink tube cartridges ranging from 1/8” to 1”. I found the best price at an online place called Image Supply. I ordered 1/8, 3/16, and 3/8” black on white tubing. My thought was 22/24 gauge wire, multi-wire shielded, and RG400 in selecting the shrinktube sizes. I’ll report back with pics and a PIREP.

The total for my order was right around $375. OCD costs money! Gots to have a tidy wiring harness. Pahan would be proud... right Pahan?
 
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