As an electrician, your van is more than just a vehicle. It’s your mobile workshop, filled with tools, parts, and equipment you need to get the job done right. However, staying organized and securing everything can be challenging without the right work van accessories. From tangled wires to losing gear on the job site, the wrong setup can slow you down. That’s why it’s crucial to equip your vehicle with the right work van accessories to help you work efficiently, stay organized, and protect your valuable gear.
Here are five must-have work van accessories for electricians that should be in their next cargo van upfit.
1. Wire Spool Racks: Keep Cables Organized
Without a sound van storage system, your cables can get tangled, damaged, or take up too much space. Wire spool racks are essential for keeping your wires neat and easily accessible. These racks hold your spools securely and allow you to pull and cut wire directly on-site.
Vertical wire spool racks save valuable van floor space. Horizontal racks are great for larger spools and can be integrated with shelving. These racks can help reduce material waste, improve overall job site efficiency, and keep wires and cables tangle-free in your work van.
Why it’s important: A clean, organized van means less time spent looking for parts and more time focused on working.
2. Shelving Units with Bins: Organize Small Parts
Electricians deal with hundreds of small components like connectors, switches, fuses, and fasteners. Storing these items loosely can create a mess, making the need for work van accessories crucial for organization. Shelving systems with bins, like Adrian’s Next Generation Shelving, solve this problem by keeping everything sorted and easy to find.
Tailored shelving units let you customize bin size and height based on the parts you use most and the cargo storage space in your work van. Labeling the bins with the types of parts or gear they hold helps you quickly identify and access the parts you need, reducing time spent digging through your van.
Why it’s important: Keeping small parts organized helps you avoid wasting time looking for the right piece and keeps your van tidy.
3. Ladder Racks: Safely Transport Extension Ladders
Ladders are vital for any electrician, but storing them inside your van can take up precious space and become a hazard if oversized. A ladder rack mounted on the van’s exterior is a simple solution for transporting your extension ladders securely when on the go.
Adrian Steel’s ladder racks come in varying sizes and solutions, including ergonomic drop-down racks that make loading and unloading easier and adjustable ladder racks with Grip-Lock technology to avoid struggling with bungee cords. These racks keep your ladders secure while driving, so you don’t have to worry about them shifting or getting damaged during transit.
Why it’s important: Keeping ladders on the van’s exterior saves interior space and makes it safer and easier to transport.
4. Power Inverters: Bring the Power with You
Powering tools, charging batteries, or even using your laptop on-site can be challenging when you’re away from an outlet. Power inverters convert your van’s DC battery power into AC power so you can run tools, charge devices, and keep your workflow moving without finding an electrical outlet at the client’s site or dealing with a bothersome extension cord.
Choosing the right size inverter is necessary. Small inverters are suitable for charging phones and laptops. Larger, heavy-duty inverters can handle power tools, lights, and other equipment. You can mount your inverter under the seat or in the cargo area for easy access.
Why it’s important: Having power-on-demand means you don’t have to worry about running out of battery or searching for an outlet during a job.
5. Storage Drawers: Keep Your Tools Safe
You might make multiple turns when driving to the next job, causing drawers and gear to shift in the cargo area. Storage drawer units offer a way to securely store your most valuable tools, from testers and meters to expensive power tools, preventing them from rattling about in your van’s storage area.
Adrian’s van drawers can be installed inside your vehicle, with drawer dividers to give your most-used and valuable tools and parts a dedicated place. Drawers shield your gear from theft and prevent it from shifting or getting damaged while driving.
Why it’s important: Optimizing your storage space makes it easier to keep track of your most-used parts and tools when on the go.
Build the Right Cargo Area Setup for Your Business
Every electrician’s van setup is unique, and the right accessories depend on your work and the tools you use most often. But these five work van accessories cover the essentials: staying organized, protecting your tools, transporting large equipment safely, and keeping power on hand for your tools.
If you’re ready to optimize your work van, Adrian offers trade-specific upfit packages that highlight the benefits of a custom van for an electrical contractor. We tailor these packages to help you stay organized, improve your workflow, and secure your tools—all while making the most of your van’s space.
Ready to upgrade your van setup? Contact your local Adrian distributor to see how you can upfit your van with our Next Generation Shelving and Accessories.