my service van looks like a mobile sparkfest after wiring a 200A subpanel
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DoorJamJam2
·7mo·73 replies·70 participants
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DoorJamJam2⚒️ JourneymanOP7mo
115
had a job last week installing a 200A subpanel with 2/0 aluminum feeders and the whole back of my van is littered with romex scraps, sharkbite connectors i didnt end up using, and about 50 zip ties that somehow multiplied. me and my helper spent more time cleaning up than actually wiring because the customer wanted everything perfect, even though its going in the garage. NGL, i love the milwaukee m18 fish tape but it always leaves grease on everything. saw a post on r/electricians about organizing service vans and figured id ask, anyone got hacks for keeping conduit and mc cable from turning your rig into a tangled mess? watched that Electrician U video on van setups but still feel like mine's a disaster. anyone else deal with this crap?
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PaintSplat2⚒️ Journeyman7mo
25
those damn service companies pushing pe rollups are ruining vans for all of us with their cookie cutter wraps that hide the tool scratches.
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HammerTimeHero5⚒️ Journeyman7mo
18
yeah the wraps are fine but when they fade its a nightmare.
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LiftAndShift2⚒️ Journeyman7mo
45
same here man, my back aches from digging through the mess every morning.
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CleanFreakMike⚒️ Journeyman7mo
23
get some pegboard panels, changed my life.
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DoorJamDud⚒️ Journeyman7mo
15
pegboard works but magnets are better for smaller stuff like wire nuts.
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WattTheHeck4⚒️ Journeyman7mo
14
tried magnets, they stick to everything including my coffee mug.
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TenYearVet6⭐ Expert7mo
23
pe guys with their fleets are why insurance is through the roof now.
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GarageGuru2⭐ Expert6mo
22
frustrated as hell, spent a whole saturday reorganizing after a big panel upgrade job went sideways.
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RollerRascal🔧 Apprentice6mo
19
use label makers on all your bins, saves time hunting for that one ferrule you need.
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WrenchWiz2⚒️ Journeyman6mo
21
labels fade quick, go with colored bins instead.
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TileTerrorist⚒️ Journeyman6mo
28
colored bins yes, but get the heavy duty plastic ones.
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CircuitSmasher4⚒️ Journeyman6mo
25
helper knocked over my whole romex stack last week, took hours to sort.
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ChillMaster6⭐ Expert6mo
22
happens to everyone, just build in extra time for cleanup.
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ArcFlashAl⭐ Expert6mo
15
damn apprentices always leaving tools out, van turns into a hazard real quick.
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DustDevil⚒️ Journeyman6mo
21
yeah, had to fire one for that crap.
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MopMaster⚒️ Journeyman6mo
22
organized mine with roof racks for longer conduit, no more interior clutter.
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DeadboltDude⭐ Expert6mo
23
roof racks are gold, but watch for low branches.
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DuctTapeDave4🔧 Apprentice6mo
14
pe firms are buying up all the good van deals, leaving us scraps.
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RootRider⚒️ Journeyman6mo
21
my knees are shot from climbing over junk in the back.
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AirFlowAce2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
17
get a cargo net system, keeps everything from sliding around on jobs.
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ChillChampion⚒️ Journeyman5mo
22
cargo nets yes, but they snag on sharp edges like mc cable ends.
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FlushMaster🏆 Master5mo
16
hate when the van smells like burnt wire after a long day.
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LockPickLarry3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
20
frustrated with the constant restocking, feels like half my time.
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SawdustSavant28⚒️ Journeyman5mo
27
those big fleets from rollups make traffic worse for all of us sparkies.
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GarageGuru9⚒️ Journeyman5mo
23
traffic and parking, nightmare in tight spots.
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AmpedUp4⚒️ Journeyman5mo
38
saw the same in Electricians Network fb group, everyone complaining.
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ShingleShuffler⭐ Expert5mo
14
dont do open shelving, dust gets everywhere and ruins connectors.
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ShingleShaman2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
my van's a rolling toolbox now after adding pull out drawers.
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KeyMaster3⚒️ Journeyman5mo
22
pull out drawers are the best upgrade i made.
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NotAnElectrician22⚒️ Journeyman5mo
12
same struggle, romex everywhere after subpanel installs.
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BushWhacker2⚒️ Journeyman5mo
25
asking, what do you guys use for securing heavy feeders?
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SpringSpecialist⚒️ Journeyman4mo
24
use milwaukee packout system, stacks nice and modular.
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SpotlessSteve4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
1
sharkbites in a van? bold, but they save time on jobs.
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WattTheHeck10⚒️ Journeyman4mo
14
controversial take, but skip the fancy organizers, just use milk crates.
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WireWizard8⚒️ Journeyman4mo
25
controversial, but i prefer cargo vans over trucks for tool access.
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WeedWhackerWiz⚒️ Journeyman4mo
28
cargo vans trap heat, tools rust faster.
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LumberLad⚒️ Journeyman4mo
20
trucks better for hauling but harder to organize.
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LaminateLegend2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
5
asking, anyone wrap their van for branding? worth it?
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VoltageVagabond2⭐ Expert4mo
22
pe rollups with their fleets are killing small guys like us.
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DrainDemon2⚒️ Journeyman4mo
21
yeah, competition from those giants sucks.
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RollerRandy⭐ Expert4mo
25
hate reloading after every panel job, its endless.
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TarpTitan4⚒️ Journeyman4mo
17
warning, dont overload your van roof, i lost a load once.
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WireWizard10⚒️ Journeyman4mo
16
lost conduit everywhere, nightmare cleanup.
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PipeDreamer3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
28
my back is killing me from the disorganization.
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WattTheHeck29⭐ Expert3mo
26
use adjustable shelving, fits whatever wire gauge youre running.
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HammerTimeHero4⚒️ Journeyman3mo
38
funny how a simple fish tape can turn your van into a warzone.
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PestPatrol6⚒️ Journeyman3mo
20
had a rat nest in my old van, tools chewed up.
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BugHunterPro⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
frustrated, customer complained about my dirty boots tracking in van grime.
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HandyHank⚒️ Journeyman3mo
19
pe companies with 50 vans make us look small time.
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AmpedUp4⚒️ Journeyman3mo
18
and they undercut on price too.
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GarageGuru9⚒️ Journeyman3mo
2
asking, best locks for van doors to keep tools safe?
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CleanFreakJoe⚒️ Journeyman3mo
15
my setup with bins finally lets me find stuff quick.
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JoltJester3⚒️ Journeyman3mo
13
humor, my van's so packed it drives like a drunk elephant.
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VoltageVagabond2⭐ Expert3mo
28
warning, check tire pressure weekly, heavy loads wear em fast.
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ChiselChamp⚒️ Journeyman3mo
25
blew a tire on site once, delayed the whole job.
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FrameFreak2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
22
pe rollups buying everyone out, soon no solo vans left.
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LockoutLila⭐ Expert2mo
49
same, always tripping over extension cords in the back.
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BrushStrokePro7⚒️ Journeyman2mo
24
controversial, but i think trucks beat vans for electrical hauls.
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ColorCrazeCarl⚒️ Journeyman2mo
16
humor, labeled my bins but still cant find the damn multimeter.
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RidgeRunner⚒️ Journeyman2mo
17
warning, secure batteries properly, one shorted out in my van once.
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BloomBoss⚒️ Journeyman2mo
26
fire risk, yeah dont mess around.
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SodSquad⚒️ Journeyman2mo
36
felt that, reorganizing is my weekend hell.
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LiftMaster2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
22
proud of my custom racks, holds 500ft of wire easy.
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GarageGuru11⚒️ Journeyman2mo
26
warning, dont cheap out on van liners, tools scratch the floor bad.
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SawdustSavant22⚒️ Journeyman2mo
15
those fleet managers in rollups dont know real work.
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HammerTimePro2⚒️ Journeyman2mo
15
proud, just got a new ford transit, organizing it now.
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PipeDreamer16🔧 Apprentice1mo
13
same mess after every 240v install.
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ScrubLord⚒️ Journeyman1mo
28
my helper and i laugh about the van chaos daily.
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BrushStrokePro10⚒️ Journeyman1mo
12
commiseration, its the little things that pile up.
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DrainDevil2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
21
always the zip ties that get everywhere.
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TarheelTiler4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
27
commiseration, vans are our second home, gotta make em livable.
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GarageGuru9⚒️ Journeyman1mo
18
finally got mine sorted, feels good.
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OpenerOperator5⚒️ Journeyman1mo
15
commiseration, yeah the struggle is real for all of us.