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  #1  
Old 11-04-2016, 10:40 PM
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Shop Tip Of The Day

I did this today and so thought to post it so you guys can use it if so inclined.

This was pretty standard operating procedure when I built dyno set-ups for the EPA but I hadn't thought to use it in several years. The issue is that once you run wires (no matter how logical the color scheme may be to you) and the system is working, everyone (including you) forgets the wiring schematic. So I took to marking my wires and eventually most of the stuff was labeled and the set-ups got progressively easier and quicker. The trick, of course, is to keep the markings attached to the wire and legible over time.

The solution: clear shrink wrap. Here's a couple of pics for some wires I ran today on the Volvo project.

1) The clear shrink wrap and the label, this from my label maker.

2) A couple of marked wires. As I run the wires I'll label them and from now on a repair person will have a much easier time with a custom installation where nothing follows a pre-made wiring diagram.

I should mention that here in Wilmington I couldn't find clear shrink wrap so I ordered it up on line. I got 4 feet of 1/4", 4 feet of 3/8", and 4 feet of 1/2". As some of the wire connections were already on the wires I had to use bigger shrink wrap that would be ideal but if I kept the heat gun on it long enough it eventually shrank tight. Better to apply the labels before the connectors are in place.

I hope this is useful to you guys. I should have done Mutt this way too but he has so few wires that I decided not to bother though I probably should have.

Dan

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  #2  
Old 11-04-2016, 11:09 PM
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That is an excellent idea.
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Old 11-04-2016, 11:09 PM
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Not bad, learn something every day!
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Old 11-04-2016, 11:56 PM
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good deal.
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Old 11-05-2016, 01:37 AM
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I like how you print the label in negative so the printing doesn't fade away
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Old 11-05-2016, 07:11 AM
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Cool!
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..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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Old 11-05-2016, 07:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ykobayashi View Post
I like how you print the label in negative so the printing doesn't fade away
I'd like to take credit for that but really it's just how they come off my label maker when you use black tape/white letters. It's a P-touch and this is the tape it came with. The tape is a tad wide to wrap nicely around a wire so I've been trimming it a tad narrower before pulling the backing on the sticky stuff - a minor enhancement.

BTW - at EPA we also printed tags off the computer and cut them out. The challenge with this is that they don't stay in place as you slide the shrink wrap in place but once in place and shrunk they work just fine.

Glad you guys are enjoying the tip. NOW USE IT!!!!

Dan

Last edited by Dan Stokes; 11-05-2016 at 09:31 AM.
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Old 11-05-2016, 11:45 AM
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Great idea Dan, That never entered my mind to do something like that.
Then I haven`t ever come across clear Shrink Wrap either.
Google is our friend...right?

I remember those plastic tape label makers, tape came in various colors.
I haven`t seen one of those in years, guess they still make them?
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Old 11-05-2016, 01:45 PM
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Is your label maker a thermal unit? I have had problems using mine because it doesnt take much heat to darken the entire label. I guess that isnt as much of a problem if you can heatshrink over it.
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Old 11-05-2016, 02:07 PM
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Mine's a regular ol' P-touch made by Brother. Santa brought it a couple of years ago. (They were hyping them on American TV that year as a "perfect Christmas present") I don't use it a lot but it sure is handy when needed. All controls in Mutt are required to be labeled in case the safety crew needs to operate them in the event of an accident and I used it for that - looks real professional.

It's been years since I've seen one of those old plastic tape ones that punched letters into the plastic. I'm remembering Dymo? I don't think that plastic tape would wrap around a wire very well.

Charmalu - I got my clear shrink wrap from Del City on line. There was a company that was cheaper (don't remember who) but they had a $50 minimum which would have been enough for several lifetimes for me. Del City was a little more per 4 foot length but shipping was reasonable so it came out cheaper in the end.

Demothen - I agree that a thermal unit wouldn't work very well once you hit it with a heat gun. At one point at EPA we could print out on a page of what was, essentially, an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of sticky labels (like those stick-on name tags you sometimes get) - I think you can buy that stock at Office Max, etc. (When I typed the last entry I had forgotten that we eventually came up with this solution.) That worked really well as you could make up a whole page of labels and print them then stick them on the wire and proceed with the shrink tubing. We learned to print doubles of everything we though we might need 'cause it doesn't cost any more (you're printing a page anyway) and then you have them if you need them. So another way to skin that cat.

Dan

Last edited by Dan Stokes; 11-05-2016 at 02:17 PM.
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  #11  
Old 11-06-2016, 05:14 PM
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Really awesome tip. Hopefully the PP readers will pass this along to the community colleges & tech schools that teach the next gen of mechanics. Truly the mark of a professional!

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