Labelling wires inside a circuit breaker box

[Smarty]

I have just installed a generator for emergency power backup which requires

8 wirenut splices inside my breaker box (to bring the 8 protected circuits over to a new transfer switch and breaker subpanel provided by the generator manufacturer, Generac Guardian). To keep these 8 wires clearly labeled for future identification, I have tagged each wire with its' circuit with such names as "Furnace". "Refrigerator", "Sump Pump", etc., using adhesive-backed paper labels wrapped around each of the 8 wires.

I feel a bit uneasy about leaving paper labels inside my breaker box, and wonder if there is a correct way to properly tag wires inside a 200 amp breaker box which allow for distinct and easily readable marking but are not in some way violating code or creating some type of fire hazard.

I very much appreciate any recommendations. Thank you.

Smarty

[RicodJour]

Something like this:

R

[Smarty]

Great solution!!! Looks like 3M and others use a vinyl adhesive backed tape. My Dymo labelmaker may actually be a good approximation to the pre-titled vinyl labels which 3M sells.

An excellent approach I had never considered. Many thanks,

Smarty

[gfretwell]

I see a lot of electricians simply using a short piece of Romex jacket, slipped over the wire and marked with a sharpie pen.

[John Grabowski]

adhesive-backed

You can use white electrical tape for tagging and labeling the wires.

[hallerb]

if you leave paper label wrap with scotch clear tape. over time the adhersiv will fail and the label fall off

[Pete C.]

The Brother Ptouch labels work well if you print the info twice and fold the label around the wire like a flag.

Pete C.

[Jim Redelfs]

OK. CO$T is no object.

Uneasy from a SAFETY standpoint? Heh! :)

If things go to hell inside a properly installed enclosure, a few inches/scraps of paper won't make ANY difference. The issue here is wasted effort as the labels would eventually degrade and become unreadable.

I have had much success in labeling wiring with the extravagant use of my Brother P-Touch labelmaker. Extravagant because I make them so the whole phrase/text is viewable from one side. This requires either a blank side to back-up the front side's adhesive or, with some experimentation, identical text on BOTH sides of the tag.

5-6 years ago, using Brother's laminated TZ tape, I posted a label on a fence post that faces south and the label has yet to fade. That bodes well for long-term reliability when labeling either side of a breaker panel.

[yomama]

Why? So you think it's going to burst into flames? Did you ever notice how romex has the bare wire wrapped in brown paper? Guess what, that is in your breaker box.....

[HeyBub]

1. Word processor (or even edit.com)
2. Sheet-fed stick-backed paper in printer
3. Scissors

[Smarty]

Thanks to all for the excellent variety of suggestions. I was not sure if code makes paper labeling illegal, even if the real hazard does not exist. As an electrical engineer, I am occasionally amazed at how bizarre some of the electrical code rules are, and thought that paper labeling inside a box was perhaps prohibited.

I like the Romex and Sharpie approach as well as vinyl labels. I'm going to try both and see which one works better for one of my 8 wires, and then do the rest using the better looking method.

Thanks for all the excellent help !

[J.A. Michel]

Write on the Romex jacket with a sharpie. Another good one I have seen is using a regular Dymo label, and then covering it with clear shrink tube.

[RicodJour]

So you think it's going to burst into flames?

I don't know anything about the Romex paper. There are chemical treatments to add substantial fire-resistive properties to paper. Maybe they added some chemicals, and maybe it's just a brown paper bag reincarnated. Better safe than sorry. I'd go with the vinyl labels or the Romex sheathing tags.

R

[Mark Lloyd]

How about wrapping them with colored electrical tape, and keep a list outside the box? Something like red-blue for the furnace.

[sylvan butler]

Using a piece of romex jacket is great. Since it is a tube slipped over the wire it cannot just unstick and fall off the way any kind of adhesive label might. Also, it is readily available when doing the related work. No added cost or equipment. :)

I do prefer using a regular ballpoint. That ink seems to bleed into the plastic jacket whereas the sharpie seems to be mostly on top and to rub off. Plus, I write better with a regular ballpoint, and there are plenty of them around. Sharpies mush up the point, and aren't quite as readily accessible.

sdb