Marking SATA Cables

Get a proper label machine? You know you want to. The Brother ones are good, mine was a tenner from ebay. Knockoff versions of the tapes are everywhere for cheap.

For labelling cables, you can get special heatshrink type labelling tape, but I just wrap a regular label around the cable and stick it to itself forming a tab. The tab is easy to read in the way that something around the circumference of the cable isn't.

Then you can label all the things...

Theo

"You can use a marker pen to write on cable stickers. Please wait until the writing is completely dry before using it. "

Turns out the same model is still available for the same price:

I have one, a Dymo version. On my last build I religiously marked every cable by wrapping it round and all of them are peeling off :-(

Fine tip permanent marker.

""" just wrap a regular label around the cable and *stick it to itself* forming a tab """

I see a pattern here...

With my Brother one that takes the TZ tapes you can get heatshrink labels that you thread the cable through - so there is no way it can peel off... (although the limitation is that they don't go round larger pre-terminated leads like those with a RJ45 on the end)

I've used these for years:

Sharpies, but let the permanent ink dry for a short while before handling.

Have you got a brother labelling machine? The tape is peelable from most(all) surfaces unless the tape is folded back and stuck to itself.

Many thanks for all the replies :-)

I don't use labels by having a flappy end sticking out so cannot stick them "glue to glue" so to speak. Flappy ends would be a nuisance in the confines of a computer case. I wrap them round the cable then mark them, Dymo labels have the number repeated then they are wrapped round the cable, no flappy bit.

They are difficult to write on as it's such a small area and the surface is like a debit card which is why I wondered if paper tape would be better.

Since Sharpies come so highly recommended I will get one and try writing directly on the cable and see how that goes.

If that fails I will go back to my old process of giving them stripes like a non commissioned officer using some very narrow insulation tape I have, it's a slow process though, especially for connector number 16 :-)

put some clear heat-shrink (or a wrap of scotch-tape) on top.

Use binary. That's what I do. Long stripes and short ones.

I did wonder about the resistor colour code or even morse :-)

You can get insulating tapes in almost all the resistor colour code colours, and I've used that for labelling hundred-plus wiring bundles (they were actually SATA cables, to bring this full circle, although not carrying SATA traffic). Just need to decide which number green-and-yellow is...

Theo

felt tip pens esp. permanent marker?

I will be using my magnifying head band this afternoon when I wire up the front panel, if it doesn't work you will hear the cursing :-)

Brilliant, thank you for the tip.

Nice install with reasonable cable management. Still managed to hook the power LED up incorrectly, I have accepted that as the norm after 30 years of self builds.

Win 10 installed and running.

Avoid the twin tip version. I bought a couple of those and the smaller tip dried out in a very short time.

In Roman numerals, 16 is XVI. 5 bits of stripe. <grin>