Wire IDENT markers are short Raychem heat shrink sleeves applied to individual wires before connector termination. Where a harness contains multiple wires of the same insulation colour, IDENT markers encode a unique identifier onto each wire using the MIL-STD-681 colour code — each colour corresponds to a digit (0–9). Two or three sleeves placed in sequence from the connector end encode a two- or three-digit circuit number, cavity position, or destination reference.
Each kit contains sleeves of a single colour. To number a wire, select one sleeve per digit and slide them onto the wire before crimping. Shrink in position with a heat gun after assembly.
Example: Circuit 235 = Red (2) + Orange (3) + Green (5), applied left to right from the connector.
MIL-STD-681 Colour Reference
Code
Colour
1000pc kit
2500pc kit
0
Black
✓
—
1
Brown
✓
—
2
Red
✓
—
3
Orange
✓
—
4
Yellow
✓
—
5
Green
✓
✓
6
Blue
✓
✓
7
Violet
✓
✓
8
Grey
✓
✓
9
White
—
—
The 1000pc kit covers a full harness build at standard circuit density. The 2500pc kit is suited to high-density looms or teams building multiple harnesses to the same specification.
Technical Specifications
Property
Value
Manufacturer
Raychem
Material
Heat shrink sleeve
Shrink ratio
3:1
ID as supplied
1.5 mm
ID after recovery
0.5 mm
Fits wire OD
0.5–1.5 mm
Colour standard
MIL-STD-681
Kit sizes
1000 pc / 2500 pc
FAQ
How do I calculate how many IDENT sleeves I need per harness?
Count the total number of wire ends that require identification, multiplied by the number of sleeves per wire (typically two or three digits). A 100-circuit harness with three-digit numbering needs 300 sleeves — spread across three colour kits depending on which digits appear most frequently. A 1000pc kit of each required colour covers most full race harness builds.
Can I use IDENT markers on any wire insulation type?
Yes. The 0.5–1.5 mm OD range covers M22759 Tefzel wire (all gauges from 24 AWG to 18 AWG), Spec55 wire, and standard PTFE-insulated wire. Fit the sleeve before terminating the wire — it cannot be added after the connector is assembled.
What is the difference between the 1000pc and 2500pc kits?
The sleeves are identical — same colour, same dimensions, same Raychem material. The 2500pc kits (available in Green, Blue, Violet, Grey) contain 2.5× the quantity. Common high-frequency digits in the MIL-STD system — such as 0 (Black), 5 (Green), and 6 (Blue) — tend to run out faster on large or complex looms, making the larger kit better value when one digit appears more than 400–500 times across a build.
