We have so many electric cords on the property going to the run-in shed fans, the ring lights, etc. We’ve tried permanent marker pens and labels wrapped in clear tape… and they don’t last over the winter. Then again in spring its mass confusion about which electric cord runs to the shed fan, the ring, etc… Any ideas? Thanks.
So you take the cords other places and want them labelled so when you need the cord for that job you get the right cord?
Are there too many to simply color code them with colored tape? (That means you have to remember where you put the color coding legend.)
You can laminate a label and attach it with a wire tie. (punching the whole in a place that that is not allowing water to get to the paper inside)
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While the above Amazon labels look good, Sharpie markers do not stay clear in sunlight. You have to plan to go out and rewrite the labels that fade over summer.
My suggestion is to color code the lengths, blue for 25ft, green for 50ft, etc. Make sure the labels are big enough for heavy, THICK, outdoor extension cords. The pictured cords are indoor cords, much thinner wire.
My suggestion for markers is the paint pens in craft stores to write locations on the labels. Paint pens come in various color, have a push point to get the paint flowing after a good shaking to stir it up. They need to be kept tightly capped or they dry out. BUT in my experience the paint does not fade much, easy to read for long times. I have had good success with silver, gold, blue, white on many surfaces. They come in fine, med, wide for different uses. Fine is probably best for the Amazon label sizes shown. But the wide white pen was great for marking my black muck tubs in easy-to-read, obvious LARGE writing. 2 years now of daily use, still very visible.
Jo-Annes has the 50% off coupons, as does Michaels and Hobby Lobby in their weekly sales fliers to show at checkout. You can print them off the computer or use the newspaper ads. That will save you substantially on the pens.
Have you considered putting in buried wire to GFI outlet boxes? Using heavy gauge buried wire may be a savings with “stronger” electric power at far out locations. Every plug end the power goes thru diminishes the amount of electricity available to run the fan, tank heater, etc, shortening their working life. Long lengths of wire reduce electricity available at the far end.
My friend complained how her tank heaters died easily, even new, when working they did not keep tank open. My husband looked at her set up, using 14ga wire, almost 1/4 mile from outlet to tank, 3 or 4 long home made extension cords laying in snow. He told her she was lucky the heater even worked!! Tank heaters draw a LOT of power, so running on low levels burned them out quickly.
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you could do colored zip ties or if you want text labels, you could zip tie a dog tag (from those little engraving kiosks at petsmart type places) on them.
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Get 2 sets of these numbered tags. One tag goes on the cord and the one with the matching number gets tacked up at the outlet.
Agree though that maybe you should bite the bullet on running electric. Aside from the hassle and aesthetics of cords lying all around, you’re wasting 3-5% of whatever electricity you send through the cords.
Just rent a ditchwitch trencher for the weekend, and you’ll knock it out quickly. Electric doesn’t have to be buried very deep at all – it’s not like plumbing.
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Was thinking the same thing.
