🏷️ Low-voltage labelling
Low-voltage cable runs should be clearly labelled at both ends so that they can be easily traced. Give both ends the same label – our labelling scheme is designed to be unambiguous no matter which end you read it from.
General labelling rules
Labels identify a cable run, not a specific end of a cable.
Numbering is usually done by combining a destination prefix, a /, and two-digit zero-padded port number. Where the cable runs from an unexpected location, or is not a twisted pair, additional prefixes (separated with a -) are used to add clarity.
Where multiple prefixes are required, labels are constructed in the order:
- Cable type
- Source location
- Destination location
- Port number
Historically, some runs may have been labelled without a / between destination and port. These labels will be corrected when runs are next re-labelled.
Structured network cables
These cables do not need any additional prefix.
Other cables
Other cable types should be prefixed with their type, for example:
- DMX
- HDMI
- SDI
- XLR
Buildings
Church
| Area | Prefix | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main church | N/A | Refer to pillar-based numbering guide below |
| Tower | T | Tower floors are numbered:0: Ground floor1: Organ2: Ringing room3: Clock room4: Belfry5: Roof |
| Front vestry | FV | |
| Back vestry | BV | |
| Altar/sanctuary | ALT |
It is assumed cable runs terminate at the tech desk. Where this is not the case, they should additionally be prefixed with their source location:
| Source | Prefix |
|---|---|
| Tech desk | N/A |
| Audio cabinet (back vestry) | AC |
Pillar-based numbering
To simplify locating cables in the main body of the church, we assign them a number based on their nearest pillar and their position north/south.
- Pillars are numbered beginning from
0, where0is at the westernmost wall of the church (by the organ),1is the pair of pillars immediately to the east of (in front of) the choir stalls, and so on. - The south wall is
SW, then pillars areSP(south pillars),NP(north pillars), and finally the north wall isNW.
Examples
- A network cable running from the tech desk to the organ loft would be
T1/01. - An SDI cable running from the tech desk to pillar SP2 would be
SDI-SP2/01. - An XLR cable running from the audio cabinet to the altar would be
XLR-AC-ALT/01.
Church audio multicore
Since the church audio multicore is a single coherent bundle of cables, and only carries XLR, it has its own numbering. Multicore channels are given the prefix MC. They do not need an XLR prefix.
Community Centre
| Area | Prefix | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main Hall | MH | Sockets are numbered clockwise (looking down) from the stage right stairs. |
| Smeaton Room | SR | |
| Kitchen | KT | |
| Parish Office | PO | |
| Bar (Front) | BF | |
| Bar (Back) | BB | |
| Stage left | STL | |
| Stage right | STR | |
| Grounds store | GS | |
| Under-stage store | US |
It is assumed cable runs terminate at the comms cabinet in the office. Where this is not the case, they should additionally be prefixed with their source location:
| Source | Prefix |
|---|---|
| Comms cabinet | N/A |
| ‘Tech desk’ ethernet ports (adjacent kitchen hatch) | TD |
| Bar stock cupboard | BS |
Examples
- A network cable running from the comms cabinet to a socket located in the stage right stairwell of the Main Hall would be
MH/01. - A network cable running from the sockets in the Main Hall by the kitchen hatch to a socket located stage left would be
TD-STL/01. - A network cable running from the bar stock cupboard to an access point in the bar back would be
BS-BB/01. - A DMX cable running from stage right to an overhead socket stage left would be
DMX-STR-STL/01.