Cable labels are a fundamental part of cable installation and management. Properly labeling cables during installation will give your job a clean, professional look along with a competitive edge. Signing your work with professionally labeled cables separates you from non-professional competition. You will also save yourself a lot of time and prevent future frustrations during troubleshooting or rewiring jobs when you can quickly identify your cables. The type of cable labels to choose depends on three important factors: the type of printer you have, the size of the installation job, and the environment your labels will be in. Take the short quiz below to determine which cable labels are best for you.
1. What type of printer do you have? (Or do you have one?)
A. I don’t have a printer.
B. I own a laser printer.
C. I own a thermal transfer printer.
D. I own a dot matrix, or impact printer.
If you answered:
A. If you don’t own a printer, you have two options for cable labels. Since you will be hand-writing your labels, your cables need to have a nice, matte surface to prevent smudging and smearing. Both dot matrix cable labels and Rite & Wrap cable label dispensers provide a matte surface to write on. Some added benefits to the cable label dispenser are that it is small enough to fit in your pocket, the labels have self-laminating tails, and it is disposable.
B. If you own a laser printer, laser cable labels are your best bet. Laser printable cable labels can be used with most laser printers and are extremely easy to use. They also provide a long wrap-around self-laminating strip to protect your labels.
C. If you own a thermal transfer printer, your best choice is going to be thermal transfer cable labels. Thermal printable cable labels provide a wrap-around self-laminating strip and the option to print out as many or as few labels as you’d like. It is also a more portable option since thermal transfer printers tend to be on the smaller side.
D. If you own a dot matrix or impact printer, go with dot matrix cable labels. These labels are still widely popular due to their extremely low printing costs per page.
2. How big is your installation job going to be?
A. I will be labeling A LOT of cables.
B. The job isn’t going to be that big.
If you answered:
A. If you have a big job on your hands, you may want to consider labels that can be printed out a sheet at a time. Laser cable labels, thermal cable labels, and dot matrix cable labels all come in sheets that can print up to hundreds of labels at a time. Remember: you need to have the right printer to use these labels.
B. If your job is on the smaller side, thermal cable labels or a Rite & Wrap cable label dispenser may be a good fit for you. One of the many benefits of thermal cable labels is that you have the option of printing a single label at a time, unlike laser cable labels. Remember: you need a thermal transfer printer in order to use thermal cable labels.
What type of environment will your cable labels be exposed to?
A. The cable labels will remain indoors.
B. The cable labels will be outdoors, or may be exposed to water or oil.
If you answered:
A. If your cable labels are going to remain indoors only, good news! You can use any type of cable labels.
B. If your cable labels will be exposed to weather, water, or oil, you still have plenty of options! Consider laser cable labels, thermal cable labels, or a Rite & Wrap cable label dispenser.
If you’re still questioning which cable labels to get, check out the easy-to-follow “Which Cable Labels Should I Choose?” flowchart below. As always, if you have any questions or would like more information, feel free to contact our friendly customer service team at (480) 966-2999.
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