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Electrical Cart Idea

durallymax

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Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
918
In an ongoing effort to make the shop more tidy and nice to work in ive been wanting to set up a mobile electrical center. it has to be mobile but im havin a hard time finding what i want and may have to build my own.

I want it as compact as can be.

I plan to stock it with 100' spools of wire, probably around 20-30 different rolls for multiple gauges and multiple colors within those gauges, also would like to stock it with 2 wire, 3 wire, 4 wire, 6 wire and 7 wire s well a a few different gauges of battery cable. however these could be left off if space becomes an issue as they do take up a lot of space.

Im thinking of just buying or building a rolling cart and stacking a bunch of these tip out trays along the long sides of the cart on both sides, im thinking this would provide enough bins to store all of the electrical crimp connectors, fuses and such. I think I would like some bigger bins in there too though for the large objects such as fuse holders and Tap-a-circuit's as well as bigger bins for the common red, blue, and yellow **** splices. But everything else i would be able to fit plenty into each cubby, especially since it would be restocked weekly.

http://www.instawares.com/clear-tip-out-bins.qua-qtb309.0.7.htm

Depending on the width of the cart, maybe I would store the battery cable and trailer wire and such in the middle in between the tip out drawers.

Then i think I would either try to mount all of the wire on the remaining two ends which would require me to make something swing out of the way to get at the larger wires underneath, or I would just make a rack on the top of the cart on one of the long sides, and then leave the rest of the top as a nice work surface.

The more i think about it the more I think i will just end up buying the tip out bins I will want for everything, getting all of the electrical supplies around and then building a cart from scratch to fit it all the way I want. Wouldnt mine wiring the cart itself to provide 12v power via an inverter. Could add a retractable 7 wire cord with different adapting ends for testing different kinds of trailer plugs with a switch module in it.

I guess im looking for improvements to idea, I have a good visual in my head that I created as I typed this. I think it will be a good fun winter project. Okay , now ive gotta get back out getting things fixed for harvest.
 
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thdewey

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Feb 26, 2008
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532
Location
Gastonia, NC
Aw COOL. I want one!

My experience with kind of thing is to buy your biggest supplies BEFORE you build the stand. I guess that'd be the spools and storage cases. Leave a little extra room in case the replacement spools you buy in the future are bigger.
 

KenB

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Dec 8, 2008
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335
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Mine looks a lot like this. Sounds like yours will be fancier!

502007.jpg
 

72Anthony

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May 22, 2010
Messages
296
Location
Houston, TX
Milwaukee tool introduced a Trade Titan tool cart system. It is a plastic cart similar to KenB. They had a wire rack for multiple spools of wire. It was also able to hold a 6foot ladder upright and still fit through a standard door opening. The only thing I could find on their website was a press release, not sure if they still sell them, but I have seen one on display in my local Milwaukee service center.
 

Zeke

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Aug 13, 2009
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17,176
Location
Long Beach CA, the sewer by the sea.
.

I plan to stock it with 100' spools of wire, probably around 20-30 different rolls for multiple gauges and multiple colors within those gauges, also would like to stock it with 2 wire, 3 wire, 4 wire, 6 wire and 7 wire s well a a few different gauges of battery cable. however these could be left off if space becomes an issue as they do take up a lot of space.
................................................ especially since it would be restocked weekly.
You have to be a wire nut. :D
 
OP
D

durallymax

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Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
918
Ive decided im going to be building my own so it turns out the way I want it.

Im thinking by the time its done it will be similar in size to a double bay toolbox.

I want to make it bigger so I can fit the wire on the one side, I dont want it on top. Instead of tip out bins on both sides, they will be on one side but the cart will be bigger, the other side will have the wire and wire loom and such.

The top will have 2 cig lighter plugs mounted in it, one 3 prong 12v plug, and a 110v plug as of now

im getting some better ideas for it as I go. And realizing the more and more things i forgot need to go on it like wire loom, zip ties, possibly replacement bulbs but probably not.
 

TWX

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Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
817
Location
Phoenix
You might want to look at the utility of milk crates, pipe, and spools. I've got a bunch speaker wire in different sizes on such a system at home. If the spools are small diameter you might be able to get two rows per milk crate, and the hand openings make a good wire guide so they don't pull sideways.
 
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Falcon67

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Jun 11, 2009
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18,371
Location
Merkel, TX
When I was in manufacturing, we used a triangle shaped rack with bars to hold the 30 os so 500' wire spools for the harness department. Each was about 5 1/2' tall, about 3' wide on the base and on casters.
Similar to this, except shop made and double sided:
http://www.rackandshelf.com/ReelRack.aspx
 

NZMacca

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Sep 17, 2010
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28
Location
New Zealand
Will be watching this thread...have had similar thoughts myself and will be cool to see what you guys come up with :)
 

rkevins

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Aug 6, 2011
Messages
951
Location
Central Arkansas
I work in electrical in a HVAC plant we use wire racks to hold our plentum cables, we were looking at the wire rack from Harbor freight but they stopped carrying them, northern tool has the same rack you may want to look at it for some ideas it will hold lots of wire one thing to remember is lots of rolls also adds lots of weight if you plan to move it a lot like we have to do everyday.

For the supplies we use everyday, wire nuts mc conectors, clamps ect. we use a husky tote that came from home depot it has lots of bins and closes up with a clear lid it sits on a cart with our tools that we roll to where needed.
 
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ishiboo

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Oct 27, 2010
Messages
9,481
Location
Oshkosh, WI
I used to have open bins, pain in the *** to take anywhere.

All my connectors are now in a Plano tackle box. I have one "electrical" center - one drawer contains both yellow and red quick connect/crimp connectors, one contains the blue connectors (which are the most common for what I do), one has household electrical connectors that I don't use frequently like luminaire connectors, and the third has some wire ties/cable tie mounts/etc. The top has the tools, mainly for the quick connect crimps.

I have a Masterforce tool bag for all my household wiring tools, and a small Plano box for my data (coax, RJ45, RJ11, etc.) connectors and tools.

I have clear containers which contain "overstock" on electrical terminals, and a full 20 gallon tub of "cable management" stuff, as well as various other storage organizers; one just for RJ45 cable boots, one for AMP/Molex multi-pin crimp connectors, etc.

I do a lot of my stuff in one place, but it's great to be able to grab a whole tote or just a couple tools and the organizer I need and go install something on one of the boats, a trailer, car somewhere else, etc.
 

W-Cummins

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Jan 9, 2006
Messages
1,641
Location
Iowa
Here is the cart I put together for my wire needs. it folds up some, for storage.

William....
 

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