New residential construction electrical wires not labeled at panel

[hillbilly1]

AI isn't able to respond?

We used to just figure the OP found their answer, went on with life, or were too embarrassed to admit it was a brain fart moment.

They usually drop a question, and then digest all the answers into the database.

 

[retirede]

The original post doesn’t look like typical AI to me.

Post 6 in This thread smells like AI.

 

[Joethemechanic]

Seems like it wasn't long ago all AI was doing was making pictures of pretty young ladies who had 12 fingers. I wonder if they fixed that now

 

[infinity]

The original post doesn’t look like typical AI to me.

Post 6 in This thread smells like AI.

I thought the same thing.

 

[hbiss]

When I wire a house, I mark the sheaths, then cut out pieces and slide them onto the hot wires.

Hate that! That's OK until you wire the breakers so you know what goes where but after that totally unnecessary. All you have to do is look at the directory. I like to leave slack in my panel wiring so things can be moved around later if necessary without having to pigtail extra wire onto short direct wiring. So, those marker booties get in the way. I know it looks good to wire a breaker panel like a control panel but messy is better.

-Hal

 

[Little Bill]

When I wire a house, I mark the sheaths, then cut out pieces and slide them onto the hot wires.

View attachment 2580483

I do the same.

 

[hbiss]

Urrrrgh!

-Hal

 

[retirede]

Hate that! That's OK until you wire the breakers so you know what goes where but after that totally unnecessary. All you have to do is look at the directory. I like to leave slack in my panel wiring so things can be moved around later if necessary without having to pigtail extra wire onto short direct wiring. So, those marker booties get in the way. I know it looks good to wire a breaker panel like a control panel but messy is better.

-Hal

The last one I saw done did that initially, but discarded the sleeves as he landed on the breakers and recorded the panel schedule as he went. I think it would be handy since you won’t always know what breakers you’ll be landing on at rough-in.

 

[fastline]

It must be my industrial experience to demand everything is numbered. Breakers, conductors, etc.

As for ID'ing circuits, is it really that hard? The big stuff should be easy enough. Then resistance check all circuits as if something is connected, that should give a clue. Then just use a 9V battery and go figure it out. We have line locators but can't say it ever needed to go to that.

 

[Joethemechanic]

I don't know. Personally for little breaker panels and and most residential and commercial stuff I could care less if the guy before me labeled or not. On one level I'm always thinking what if he screwed it up. And after years and years of working on stuff that never had labels or they all fell off over the decades.

Now on a MCC or a large control cabinet 20 feet long and 8 feet high missing tags and labels suck especially when you have someone asking "How Long" every 5 minutes and you are watching the accumulator fill percentage get into like 80%, well then those little tags and labels mean a lot.

 

[NJTommy]

With a good tone generator and the prints from the job, any good electrician should be able to figure it out. Not sure I would use a generator thou. That could be very dangerous.

 

[Little Bill]

Urrrrgh!

-Hal

If done neatly, the labels don't hurt anything to leave them in. How often are you back in a panel after you finish making it up! Also helps if you have to be back in as you can see what circuit it is without having to look at the schedule, or directory. The directory would be hard to follow with the cover off as there are no numbers to go by.

 

[herding_cats]

If you are working alone, use this:

https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Rotating-110V-120V-Emergency-Adjustment/dp/B0F5HCLR42/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=207XPDFW0HMX0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jOtHSk6M4lu8vtkeBUa1A0qlREiNHPwzJbntbhCcZIZnacK-MrboxS8VgGnOl5QMVIe9CTsKERAACpRVeG_BM4WHDZT-skV7e-TCtX61XeaeHAoQAlUKQunW9AXZUBis8X0H6y-IhUGxw_thtXSjp_zOkEL_X1LsmrrCrN41DzPfe43fOHbinaRdTYwZK5R3R1jcF_sAIScqv6PFuH1dmECa_GvXZtWQpBF7lIxuMxc.YuUy_99AM8hKKVibOYOvxRdiN8MYAxFBJq249mygdb8&dib_tag=se&keywords=120v%2Bbuzzer&qid=1762816711&sprefix=120v%2Bbuzzer%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

plug it in every room. That will tell you!

 

[retirede]

If you are working alone, use this:

https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Rotating-110V-120V-Emergency-Adjustment/dp/B0F5HCLR42/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=207XPDFW0HMX0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jOtHSk6M4lu8vtkeBUa1A0qlREiNHPwzJbntbhCcZIZnacK-MrboxS8VgGnOl5QMVIe9CTsKERAACpRVeG_BM4WHDZT-skV7e-TCtX61XeaeHAoQAlUKQunW9AXZUBis8X0H6y-IhUGxw_thtXSjp_zOkEL_X1LsmrrCrN41DzPfe43fOHbinaRdTYwZK5R3R1jcF_sAIScqv6PFuH1dmECa_GvXZtWQpBF7lIxuMxc.YuUy_99AM8hKKVibOYOvxRdiN8MYAxFBJq249mygdb8&dib_tag=se&keywords=120v%2Bbuzzer&qid=1762816711&sprefix=120v%2Bbuzzer%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

plug it in every room. That will tell you!

Holy URL, Batman!

 

[Joethemechanic]

That could be very dangerous.

How?

 

[NJTommy]

 

[Skullmesaranch]

A simple circuit tracer can be used to figure out what is on each circuit. If you want any actual map of how each cable were run then that's much more complicated. The prior is required by the NEC the latter is optional.

Thanks, I looked at a youtube video of one being used. It looks straight forward.

 

[Skullmesaranch]

Oh my God!! Sue him!! That's 99.99% of what is always done. Only thing the electrician has to do is put a directory inside the panel door when he's finished, that shows what breaker controls what. All one has to do is look at the directory then look at the breaker and the wires on it.

I seen guys slide scrap pieces of NM jacket over each wire and write on it. Hopefully that's only until the panel is finished because it looks like garbage. Not even sure all that extra jacket in a panel is legal.

If you are looking for real wire markers printed up with the destination like a control panel, nobody does that.

As was said, if the panel is unwired and the conductors need to be identified, even a simple bell and battery could be used. For low voltage data and telecom we never label and rely on a tone generator and pickup probe. I've used that countless times to find circuits from a panel also. Any competent electrician who comes in after him should have no problem.

-Hal

That was one of the erratic behaviors. He told me he was fully expecting a lawsuit. I thought it was absurd since as the GC I hardy have time for that nonsense.

 

[Skullmesaranch]

Yeah, it may take a couple of hours to map it all out I have done it myself many times but with two people make it easier

I'm looking forward to trying something new. A couple of hours is nothing.

 

[Skullmesaranch]

I don't know if I would bring generator just for that, but would prefer tracing with line voltage versus continuity tester

Yes, the only generator I have on the job site is the one to run the well pump. I really don't want to run that thing for a couple of hours to do the testing.