Van stock?.............

[D00DY_T00DY]

Hi all,
My boss has bought me a little panel van(of course it's bright yellow, What else?)

Just wondering what you keep in the van as stock?
I'm thinking a pack of
BC ES lamps, pendants, spurs, couple boxes of sockets, 109.024yards of 1.5, 2.5 And 3core.
Various CBs(bet he'll be glad to get rid of some out the van)

Also how do you lot keep all your lamps intact in a van?

 

[telectrix]

everything i can think of so i don't get to a job and say " shyte, i'll have to go to wholesalers".

 

[westward10]

Where do you start as Tel says as much as you can what type of work do you undertake.

 

[Octopus]

Re lamps ..... Simple answer is really useful box or boxes....

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

Where do you start as Tel says as much as you can what type of work do you undertake.

Well if I'm at a job on my own which I will be now, it'll most likely be house bashing and keeping extra stock in the case of "oh while youre here..."

For bigger jobs it'll be me and my boss with the material ordered for it.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

everything i can think of so i don't get to a job and say " shyte, i'll have to go to wholesalers".

Yeah that's the plan but there comes a point where there's that much carp you can't find the bits you need!

 

[Rpa07]

I'm working out of a hollowed out Astra hatch so my space has to be used wisely - I have stackable boxes and have amassed, on purpose, 1 or 2 of a lot of things. My boxes are dedicated so I have a box dedicated to consumer units and anything to do with fitting, repairing, adjusting - I've even got a fire extinguisher to put them out (plastic ones of course). I try and think of everything that could go right and wrong with a job to prepare for it. Batteries chArged, coffee mug full, Bluetooth speaker charged, clean pants and socks on Tuesday's and Friday's - you can only prepare for so much. Tha is what I like about being self employed, I feel grown up having to think for myself.
Just knowing where the most local wholesaler is situated does help.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

I'm working out of a hollowed out Astra hatch so my space has to be used wisely - I have stackable boxes and have amassed, on purpose, 1 or 2 of a lot of things. My boxes are dedicated so I have a box dedicated to consumer units and anything to do with fitting, repairing, adjusting - I've even got a fire extinguisher to put them out (plastic ones of course). I try and think of everything that could go right and wrong with a job to prepare for it. Batteries chArged, coffee mug full, Bluetooth speaker charged, clean pants and socks on Tuesday's and Friday's - you can only prepare for so much. Tha is what I like about being self employed, I feel grown up having to think for myself.
Just knowing where the most local wholesaler is situated does help.

Before this mines a fiesta with the back seats folded down so with tools I haven't much space left. So was buying materials for the job indivually.

A pack of each BC and ES for sure.
With at least a couple of sockets, spurs etc

 

[telectrix]

racking in a van, even just on 1 side is essential for small items of stock. otherwise when you get on the job, dig out a socket for mrs. fancy knickers, it's scratched, tea stained, and the 3.5's are somewhere under the sliding door runner.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

racking in a van, even just on 1 side is essential for small items of stock. otherwise when you get on the job, dig out a socket for mrs. fancy knickers, it's scratched, tea stained, and the 3.5's are somewhere under the sliding door runner.

And everything else is even more unorganized from throwing everything about in the search for the elusive socket

My boss has gone with stackable storage boxes with lighting, sockets, cable jointing etc. Works rather well as long as it's kept up to

 

[telectrix]

my stackable storage boxes have "property of warbutons" stamped on them.

 

[Rpa07]

I put my accessories in sandwich bags to keep them a little more presentable as I don't have the space for the whole Hager box.
My Astra had it's seats stripped out and I put a platform in - loads more space. Last mot they took the rear seat belts out - shame I was using them to hold my steps in place!

 

[Rpa07]

I can see the side of the hiace advertising your services Tel!

 

[Zdb]

Don't forget PIR's, photocells and grid switches (inc keyswitches).

Edit- and a selection of contactors.

 

[Andy78]

my stackable storage boxes have "property of warbutons" stamped on them.

Mine bear an uncanny resemblance to the ones ASDA deliver my food shops in. Very useful in the van, loft, shed etc.

I keep 4 usually in the van for van stock. First fix, second fix, lighting, and consumer units.
First fix is boxes, flush, surface, plasterboard, conduit boxes and associated bits.
Second fix is a pretty comprehensive range of gear to deal with callouts and shortfalls. I usually order the gear for each job to save dipping into this.
Lighting is lamps of all sorts, lamp holders, drivers, bezels and all sorts of useful bits.
Consumer unit box is full of breakers and devices, tail kits, busbars, blanks, isolators, earth blocks, henleys, etc.

My stackable compartment bit boxes take all the small bits

This system works for me and I'm very rarely left wanting for bits in a scrape. Hope this helps Doody.

 

[Dave OCD]

I only keep a small stock of commonly used accessories,sleeving,JBs,flush,surface and dry-lining boxes plus small weatherproof boxes, a selection of cable and a well stocked organiser box with plenty of clips. Anything else I order in advance on a job by job basis. I've found that with all the tools and equipment needed carrying much more than the aforementioned 'stock' starts to get untidy pretty quick.

 

[LankyWill]

Rack your van its essential, stops everything sliding about when your driving home on a promise. I have one first fix box full of Tapes, Silicone, mastic, compound, oil, bending springs, blow lamp, clips.

One box full of sleeving, boxes(dry, surface and metal), JB's, grommet strip, batteries, heating junction boxes and kopex.

One box full of breakers, rcd's, pendants, battens, switches, sockets and random odds and ends from jobs.

Then 7 fixings trays ranging from first fix, second, containment, fire and intruder, specialist stuff.

Its works well for me, but sometimes a trip to the wholesalers is inventible.

 

[Dave OCD]

Its works well for me, but sometimes a trip to the wholesalers is inventible.
And a trip can also be inevitable sometimes Will.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I have far too much stock, but never enough! Seem to have a surplus of patresses at the moment. Must have 30 each of 1&2 gang. Things get lost and forgotten, then refound weeks/months later. I wouldn't mind but my van is generally tidy and organised.
I tend to keep Hager and BG face plates in stock, as I find they cover most bases for replacements. I keep most surplus breakers/RCDs etc on a four foot din rail for easy access. Always try to have a couple of IP boxes in stock for outside lights if necessary.
Re the lamps, I keep them in a tilt box thing. No packaging as it takes up too much space. Think I have a photo of the tilt box, will post if I can find it.

 

[NDG Elecs]