Wire Labels
 

What have everyone used for heat shrink labels for doing wire labels on 22g wires and up?
I am starting a total rewire and avionic upgrade and am looking for suggestions.

Thanks!

I'm using a Dymo Rhino 5200. It takes several sized of heat shrink.

Dymo Rhino 4200 for me.

DYMO 4200 as well. The OEM cartridges are expensive, so I bought the aftermarket ones on Amazon, which are about 1/3 the price they work just as well.

Chris

I just type out the label on my computer and slide it under a piece of clear heatshrink and shrink.

George

Ditto on the Dymo and the aftermarket cartridges.

Same here. Dymo 4200 with after market cartridges. Just did autopilot installed and worked great down to 22 gauge wire for the 1/4" sleeves.

Thanks for the replies and info.

Black Sharpie, white shrink tube. write on the shrink tube then shrink it. It's fast and cheap.

My experience
 

I did this for my it wiring at the house. After a few years the sharpie faded. Now I can’t read them. For the plane i am using the printed heat shrink.

Dymo 160
 

There?s a cheaper dymo than the 5200, I think 160, and the cartridges are $13 on Amazon. I could check the model number when I?m at the hangar next, but it?s around $20. Google ?kitplanes magazine wire labels? or something like that. All of that said, I haven?t tried it, wiring is going to start next week.

One Other thing...
 

The Dymo 4200 is set up for "electrical" type work, so the symbol library has electrical symbols in it, and you can print "flag" labels if you need to using the vinyl or nylon tapes Rhino cartridges.

Same here when I built my Rv-10. On the 9-A I bought the Dymo 4200 along with three (3) 3-packs for assorted shrink tube cartridges, 1/2", 3/8", & 1/4". That investment was just under $100 total from Amazon and was one of the best tools I bought for wiring.

Does that 1/4" tubing shrink down onto a #22 wire?

I have an old K-Sun tube printer, but the materials are three times the cost.

Yes..

More words added...

I am using clear shrink tube and printing labels on computer printer, works well and is easy to read.

Brother P-touch PT-D400 for labels (9 mm/0.35") then clear heat shrink.

I don?t know the cost, but ACS and others will laser mark and cut to length wire. Send them an excel spreadsheet with the wire numbers(I?d), wire type and length. Get back wires marked every 6? and cut to length. This is the way the pros do it.

I used 5 colours of heat shrink corresponding to the number system used in resistor color code. I then cut the heat shrink into pieces trying to keep the pieces the same size except for the first digit. For example I might have used the wire # 2431. I would cut a wider piece of heat shrink for the 2 (red) then same width of heat shrink for the 4(yellow) 3(orange) 1(brown). The wire then doesn?t need to be turned to try and read the lettering. All my wiring diagrams then have the legend for each wire. You can click on this link for a picture is worth a thousand words. https://photos.app.goo.gl/6M9VUQA96VLYt3zK7
Ed

K-Sun BEE3. Been loaned out now to 3 other builders after me, works like a charm, although yeah, the cartridges are a bit pricey.

+1
That is exactly what I did when I built my panel back in 2012. They still look like I just installed them.



:cool:

So they both work for labeling wires but how about for the avionics panel? I have to rename a few switches. Brother P-Touch PT-D400 is half the price of the Dymo Rhino 4200. Is there that much difference or is it just more modern?

Yes, the DYMO 160 works great with the ⅜" or ?" heat shrink tubing. I think it also works for the ?" tubing but I haven't tried it.

Wow, that one is even cheaper and available down the street. What about for the avionics panel? It's not completely smooth, does it stick well enough for switch labeling?

Well I'm using the heat shrink feature...not sure what your asking??

You mentioned it works for labeling wires with heat shrink tubing but how about for making labels for the avionics panel? I have to rename a few switches.

Dymo
 

The dymo works well but use industryel labels that stick better. Or you can get white or black on clear. Then spray on clear paint looks good and will last long. It?s the way I?m going. Just my 2cents.

Personally I plan on using clear decals and spraying a clear coat on top for my panel labeling. I wouldn't use the label maker labels for my panel.

If you're talking about behind the panel, I would use bbsdad's advice and use an industrial adhesive label and I'm sure you could find some that work in the Demo 160.

The 1/4" A18051 heat shrink tubing works OK up to 22 or 24 AWG. For 26 and higher the tubing doesn't shrink enough to really grip the wire.

The Dymo LabelManager 160 likes to waste label tubing (and other label material). Type in as many as you can (a space or two between labels) before printing, print and then cut them with scissors. Of course you can hand-write on the wasted blank pieces of tubing. The 5' was not enough for all my wiring -- had to buy a second cartridge. Tempting to not have the tube sticking out (clear the opening) before printing but often will wrap around the roller and waste even more.

The Dymo LabelManager 160 I bought did not work out of the box. I had to take it apart and figure out how to get the drive mechanism working.

Finn

+1 Dymo and the aftermarket cartridges.
works great!!!

Saw a Kitplanes video about the Dynon 160 so I ordered one and it should be here Monday, we?ll see.