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identfying circuit breakers.

ThumbBanger's picture

identfying circuit breakers. (post #203856)

ThumbBanger on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 14:08
in

200 amp breaker box.  After years of re-wiring, the paste-on label listing each circuit and identifying its use has so many cross-outs, inserts, wandering arrows and revisions that it requires a NSA code breaker identfy what is on any given circuit.  Where can I get a new paste-on label that I can use to replace confusion with an accurate description of what is where?  Thanks to all. . .  

-A +A

maybe (post #203856, reply #1 of 5)

by oldhand in reply to ThumbBanger [original] on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 16:12

Would a peel and stick address label cut to size work?

.

Brother Labeler (post #203856, reply #2 of 5)

by Jigs-n-fixtures in reply to ThumbBanger [original] on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 16:23

We had the same problem at work. 

We use a Brother brand label maker.  They have a special heavy duty tape with a different adhesive, we place a lable on the door that includes the breaker number, and just make and apply one for each breaker. 

I also have the guys make lables with the breaker number and put them on the inside of the cover plates. 

Makes life much easier.   You take off the plate and the label tells you which breaker the device is on.  Open the breaker, double check to be sure the device is really dead, and your ready to work. 

There are other brands out there, and I want to buy a different one by Dymo,in the Rhino series that has the ability to print shrink wrap tape. 

I used Windows Publisher to (post #203856, reply #3 of 5)

by gfretwell in reply to ThumbBanger [original] on Sat, 08/06/2011 - 18:06

I used Windows Publisher to create a template and each breaker is a separate text block. That makes it easy to change things when circuits change. Print that out, laminate it and stick it to the door.

I had the same problem. My main panel was modified so many times and the wiring was moved around in a 25 year serial remodeling. If you have one of those breaker finders it makes it easy to get started but the real process still involves turning off each breaker and seeing what went off. I did find one circuit that just controls a ceiling light in the master closet.

real process still involves (post #203856, reply #4 of 5)

by junkhound in reply to ThumbBanger [original] on Sun, 08/07/2011 - 02:44

real process still involves turning off each breaker and seeing what went off

Nah, that is the hard way.  For outlets,  I have a 50 A breaker on a 2 ft 14 AWG cord with a good Hubbell plug.  Plug it in, throw the 50A breaker, see what trips on the panel.  Screw in plug adapter for screw based lights.

Fluorescent fixtures are harder, usually easier to resort to the turn off method once the odds have been reduced.

 

 

I'd figured you'd just dig (post #203856, reply #5 of 5)

by DanH in reply to junkhound [original] on Sun, 08/07/2011 - 07:02

I'd figured you'd just dig out that surplus backscatter x-ray machine you have in one of your sheds and image the entire house.


We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison