First Place Scoop it all up For loose screws hiding at the bottom of my tool belt, I leave a magnet in the pouch to gather them up. It makes it easier to get them out and prevents them from rolling out if I put the belt down...

First place Know the weight To easily determine how much wire is left on a partial spool, buy a small luggage scale. Weighing a full spool so you can calculate the weight per foot for each wire gauge. We keep one on each...

First Place Tie Open Carefully When opening a bag of cable ties, I use a knife to cut a line in the middle running in the same direction as the cable ties rather than cutting the top off the bag. (Use a piece of duct tape to...

First Place Tie Clamp it on We keep a few of these inexpensive clamps on the truck all of the time. We clamp them on cables that need to be quickly identified. It is a really easy and inexpensive way to temporarily mark a...

First Place Plugging in color Have you ever tried to plug in something at a temporary power distribution center job site and forgot what cord goes to each power tool or other equipment? Depending on the length of the...

First Place Don’t get the point For anyone who has ever been stuck by the sharp tips of the needle tip probes when using a multimeter, this one’s for you. The protective rubber tips that come with the probes are usually lost...

First Place A clean heat When wiring control boxes, cabinets, electrical panels, etc., and using adhesive cable-tie mounts (sticky feet), it helps to clean the surface with alcohol wipes and heat the area. The wipes remove...

First Place A little dab’ll do When using plastic anchors in cinderblock, concrete or tile walls, I apply an instant-grab glue to ensure the anchor does not pull out. An electrician knows that the plastic anchors pull out...