Switchboard labels: identify every circuit and print labels at the right size

Why label every circuit in the switchboard?

Labelling is first a safety matter. Before replacing a light fitting or a power point, you need to isolate the right circuit without guesswork and without cutting power to the whole home. A readable label also avoids resetting a breaker blindly after a fault.

AS/NZS 3000 requires the main switch to be clearly and durably marked so it can be operated in an emergency (clause 2.3.3), and each protective device to be identified against the circuit it protects, with a schedule kept at the board. The date of first energisation is also recorded at the switchboard. Consistent labelling helps the electrician during fault finding, additions or the sale of the property.

• Isolate only the circuit you are working on.
• Find the source of a trip quickly.
• See the spare ways available for a new circuit.
• Hand over an installation future occupants can understand.

What should a switchboard label show?

A good label uses few words but is enough to identify the circuit without another document. Ideally it pairs a short reference that stays stable over time with a description occupants understand.

The reference — for example PWR01 for a power circuit, LTG02 for lighting or DED03 for a dedicated circuit — links the label to the diagram and the circuit schedule. The description names the rooms served or the appliance supplied.

• The circuit reference, identical to the diagram and schedule.
• The description: rooms served or appliance (oven, cooktop, water heater, EV charger…).
• The breaker rating and cable size.
• At the start of each row, the 30 mA RCD with its type and rating.
• Blank spaces for spare ways, to fill in when a circuit is added.

Height and width: measure your label holders

Every modular device takes a whole number of modules. The standard module width is 17.5 mm, but many enclosures and busbars use an 18 mm pitch. Across a 13-module row, that half-millimetre adds up to more than 6 mm: a strip printed at the wrong pitch no longer lines up with the breakers.

Label holder height depends on the manufacturer and varies between enclosures. Measure it on the cover, or on the original label supplied with the enclosure, rather than assuming a standard value.

• Measure several breakers side by side, then divide by their number of modules.
• Measure the usable height inside the label holder window.
• Note the number of modules per row.
• Spot devices wider than one module: RCDs, four-pole or three-phase devices.

Generate labels from your floor plan with Planelico

Once circuits and the switchboard have been generated from your plan, Planelico already knows every row, every RCD and the exact position of every breaker. The labels reuse this data, so they stay consistent with the circuit schedule and the diagram.

In the switchboard window, the “Export labels” button opens the settings: label holder height from 10 to 50 mm, module width of 17.5 or 18 mm, and whether to show plan symbols and descriptions. A live preview shows the result before export. This feature is included in the Pro plan.

Each label can show the symbol of the most common item on the circuit: a power point, a light point, a cooktop or an EV charger. If you prefer cleaner labels, hide the symbols or descriptions and the remaining text grows to use the space.

Print, cut and fit the labels

The document is landscape A4, with one strip per row of the switchboard. For the labels to line up with the breakers, print at actual size: 100%, without the printer’s “fit to page” option. A 100 mm ruler at the top of the page lets you check the scale with a tape measure.

Cut each strip along the crop marks and slide it into the holder of the matching row. A row wider than the sheet is split across two strips, never cutting a device in half.

• Check the 100 mm ruler before cutting.
• Use thick or adhesive paper for a longer-lasting result.
• Start with the RCD on the left of each row.
• Keep the PDF to reprint a strip after a change.

The circuit directory for the enclosure door

Labels have little room, so long descriptions are shortened. The document therefore ends with a complete circuit directory, to stick inside the enclosure door or keep with the property documents.

For each circuit it lists the reference, full description, protection, associated RCD and areas served, including the floor. It is the first document an occupant or an electrician will check during any work.

Keep labels faithful to the installation as built

Generated labels reflect the switchboard proposed from the plan. If the electrician groups circuits differently on site, or a circuit is added later, update the project and export the labels again: inaccurate labelling is more misleading than none.

The generated switchboard remains a pre-sizing aid. The final layout, protective devices and their labelling must be approved by a licensed electrician when the work is carried out.

Quick method with Planelico

1. 1

   Generate the switchboard from the plan

   Place equipment in the rooms, then generate circuits and the switchboard.

2. 2

   Measure the enclosure

   Record the module width (17.5 or 18 mm) and the label holder height.

3. 3

   Open “Export labels”

   In the switchboard window, set the height, width and symbol display.

4. 4

   Print at actual size

   Print at 100%, then check the scale with the 100 mm ruler.

5. 5

   Cut and fit

   Cut the strips along the crop marks and slide them into each row.

6. 6

   Stick the directory

   Place the circuit directory inside the enclosure door.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Standards Australia — AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules
• NSW Building Commission — electrical standards, rules and notes