Label printers for cables in engine compartment

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05-26-2018, 04:52 AM
NadegeS

Label printers for cables in engine compartment

Hi all,

Looking at buying at label printer I've gathered there are a few models available, some which can print on heat shrink tubes.
Do you have any experience with these Epson LW-K400 (or LW-PW300), Brother PT-E100VP or Dymo Rhino 4200? I know a lot of you have used the Ksun Bee3EZ+ but they are discontinued and the website send to the Epson models...

Any specific drawbacks of any of these (like wasted label before/after printing, limited choice of "cartridges", not standing well the engine bay heat/oil conditions, limited choice type of font or size of the characters, failure/robustness of the printer!...)?

Which height of labels do you use most? Did you do all your labelling (front/aft firewall) with a couple of sizes of labels?
If you use labels + clear heat shrink tubing, any brand/type you'd recommend for the tubing?

Thanks for any advice!

Nad
05-26-2018, 07:56 AM
Tralika

1 Attachment(s)

I used the Rhino 4200 and it worked well. I used the white heat shrink with black print on all my wires marking each end of the wires with a number. The number is on a list that identifies each circuit, polarity, wire gauge and color. You will have to buy different size heat shrink cartridges for your various wire gauges but the cartridges go a long way. I was able to find a retailer that stocked the cartridges locally which was handy. I used the Black labels with white text to for placards on my panel. I've attached a photo of the ground bus on my panel with the numbered shrink wrap in stalled. I think the Rhino 4200 is a good value.
05-31-2018, 08:49 PM
ahramin

I use my Rhino 4200 for labeling wires, but then you need to buy another label machine for labeling switches as Rhino doesn't sell clear labels :mad:.
06-01-2018, 12:49 PM
dclaxon

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahramin

I use my Rhino 4200 for labeling wires, but then you need to buy another label machine for labeling switches as Rhino doesn't sell clear labels :mad:.

read a magazine article recently (I think it was Jim Wier in his column in Kitplanes) that he just made the labels with a "normal" label maker, then put clear heat shrink tubing around them.
Dave
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