Labels for wire bundle that won't fall off

[bighatnohorse]

I need to label some split-wire loom cables.
Some of the cable is in the engine compartment and some cable is beneath the (jeep) front bumper area - somewhat exposed to weather.

At present, I've wrapped the split-loom with black electrical tape.
Then, using a household file label printer, applied the label over the black electrical tape, then wrapped that in clear strapping tape.
It probably won't last more than a few years.
I need something more permanent - any ideas?

[Grit_dog]

jrloucks wrote:
What about covering/protecting the label with clear heat shrink? (This, of course, assumes you can slide the heat shrink over the cable.)

Similar to what I was suggesting with Clear vinyl film. Except the film will stick to the label and never get dirt in between the two. And doesn't have to be slid over the end of the wires.
Good thought though, i didn't know there was clear shrink tube.

[jrloucks]

What about covering/protecting the label with clear heat shrink? (This, of course, assumes you can slide the heat shrink over the cable.)

[wing_zealot]

Aren't they color coded? write it down? make schematic wiring diagram.

[CA_Traveler]

White Scotch 35 tape and permanent sharpie. No better tape that I'm aware of especially the black Super 88.

[enblethen]

Flag cable ties used with a Sharpie

[MEXICOWANDERER]

BP22 by BRADY
Using the NYLON marker cartridge.
Beware of BRADY because the quiescent current draw will thoroughly drain 8 batteries in 2 weeks. I recommend a wall wort and forget the batteries. The memory is not volatile.

GOOGLE for the protocol to minimize unused excess label length. These cartridges are anything but cheap.

[frankwp]

Brady makes an extensive line of industrial wire labels for just about any imaginable environment. If the wire will survive it, chances are the labels will too.

Brother also makes some very good labelers & labels, but Brady has them beat for hard usage labels.

[DrewE]

Some of these might work decently well.

The Dymo Rhino system looks really nice, but is not at all inexpensive for only a single project or two. Maybe you could find someone who has one or rent one somewhere. It's basically a handheld label maker that spits out heat-shrink tubing with the labels, and you can then shrink the tube and label around the wire. Other companies make similar tools, too (e.g. Brother).

[rk911]

how about something like this. use a permanent marker on the plastic tag, wrap that in a a couple of layers of clear packing tape and then attach to the loom with a length of insulated wire.

https://www.nelcoproducts.com/store/cable-tie-identification-tags.html

[Grit_dog]

That’s about as good an idea as I could come up with.
One better may be to get some clear bra type film. Stick the labels to that and then wrap around loom. That will last virtually indefinitely.

I did this on all the “original” under hood labels on the truck we’re restoring. Labels were good but starting to weather.

[WNYBob]

I use a Brother P-Touch Cube Smartphone Label Make. It uses a smartphone app to create labels that are water proof.
and zip ties that have a place for labels. Monoprice Marker Cable Tie 4 inch
Both available on Amazon.