Service truck/trailer organization of parts...

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sw_ross

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I work out of an enclosed trailer for my material. 90% of my tools are in the truck.

I use the trailer as my mobile hardware store, trying to carry as much variety of receps, switches, breakers, faceplates, conduit, conduit fittings, wire, etc as I can conveniently carry. I keep the material organized on shelves in plastic divider bins that are sold at box stores for hardware like nails, screws, etc.

I drive on gravel roads fairly regularly. The dust tends to get in everything.
I try to keep my devices in plastic bags for protection. Regularly I pull out a receptacle or switch and it’s marred up from rubbing against the side of the bin or against another device that is in the bag. I pretty much consider this occasional issue as a loss, or a cost of doing business and usually try to save the device for use in a situation where a little rub mark isn’t an issue.

How do you commonly carry material for your everyday carry for service work.
I’m not talking about material that is for a specific job, I usually gather that material up and only transport it to the jobsite on the day that I start the job.
 
I buy receptacles & switches that come 10 per box. I've found leaving them in the box keeps them from marring most of the time. Same with cover plates. I usually keep breakers in the sleeve they come in. I keep all these in plastic pull-out drawers. These are stackable drawers but I keep them stacked just two high on my shelves. They just fit the space between shelves. I keep the colors separate and labeled on the front of the drawers.

I keep screws and other small hardware in stackable divided containers. I've found it better to not carry light bulbs or LED/Fluor tubes, they are too easily broken. I may carry a few LED flood bulbs or a couple of incandescent bulbs. Seems someone is always needing a replacement for a flood light bulb. I use the incandescents mostly to test fixtures in case the customer didn't buy bulbs with their fixtures.
 
Little Bill said:
I buy receptacles & switches that come 10 per box. I've found leaving them in the box keeps them from marring most of the time. Same with cover plates. I usually keep breakers in the sleeve they come in. I keep all these in plastic pull-out drawers. These are stackable drawers but I keep them stacked just two high on my shelves. They just fit the space between shelves. I keep the colors separate and labeled on the front of the drawers.

I keep screws and other small hardware in stackable divided containers. I've found it better to not carry light bulbs or LED/Fluor tubes, they are too easily broken. I may carry a few LED flood bulbs or a couple of incandescent bulbs. Seems someone is always needing a replacement for a flood light bulb. I use the incandescents mostly to test fixtures in case the customer didn't buy bulbs with their fixtures.
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I've tried the box of 10 method. My problem is keeping it stocked. The box gets down to 3 and I don't realize it or remember to restock it.

I'm going to try this method,
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It just took a couple of minutes to do a box of 10. I'll see how it goes.
 
When I drove a van with service shelves, I had a big problem with dust, grime and marring also.

Like @Little Bill I found leaving them in the original box helped a bunch.

Depending on your space, you might find that a larger quantity will help alleviate the issue of running out. I carried 4 boxes of receps, 2 boxes of single pole switches, 2 boxes of 3-way switches, 10 gfci receps.....more than I would use in an average week. That way I had at least a week to remember to stock up
 
I bought these https://4truck-accessories.com/i-30...l-boxes-with-drawer-48-inch-tbs200-48-bd.html without drawers and side mounted on my truck made a frame out of unistrut.
For the bed a made this https://tonneaucoversworld.com/p/de...erm=4577060748752140&utm_content=All Products
then totally enclosed truck bed for more room
i keep all small parts in original boxes locked up in side tool box
And all wiring in pull out truck bed works nice and everyone surprise I can back so much in my truck.
I hold more items than a normal work van.
 
Never a perfect solution, I just spent better part of 3 days redoing my truck,
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