5 Helpful Items to Stock Your Electrical Service Van
With a surge of new construction and the need for maintenance on older buildings, the demand for electricians is growing at a rapid pace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 8% growth in the employment of electricians from 2019 to 2029, which is faster than average when compared to other blue collar occupations. With so much work coming in, it’s more important than ever to keep necessary and useful items in stock so you don’t get caught without them. Here are five items every electrician should have on hand for jobs.
Field Adjustable Fixtures
Reduce the amount of inventory you keep on hand with field adjustable fixtures. Designed for setting the color temperature or Lumen output during installation, these fixtures allow you to use the same fixture throughout the entire installation. We carry a wide range of adjustable fixture options including:
LED panels and troffers with selectable Lumen output or color temperature
Ultra thin LED downlights with switchable color temperature
LED downlights with adjustable Lumen output
LED flood lights with selectable Lumen output or color temperature
LED wall packs with selectable Lumen output or color temperature
Many of these fixtures are adjusted using a toggle switch located on the back of the fixture during installation This allows you to easily and quickly set the fixtures to the needed output.
Ballast Bypass LED T8 Tubes
As more and more businesses convert their linear fluorescent fixtures over to LED, you can never go wrong with keeping a supply of single-ended or double-ended LED T8 ballast bypass tubes on hand. Since both hybrid and plug-and-play LED tubes are dependent on ballasts, at some point you will need to return and either replace the ballast (plug-and-plays) or remove it completely (hybrids). Ballast bypass LED T8 tubes allow you to take care of everything the first time out, making them the more convenient choice for everyone involved. These tubes operate directly off of line voltage, meaning that the ballast is removed and the fixture rewired during installation. Single-ended tubes are powered on only one side of the fixture and require non-shunted sockets, while double-ended tubes are powered on both ends and can use the existing sockets. This eliminates ballast compatibility issues and greatly reduces your client’s maintenance costs.
Tip: Retrofitting fixtures with multiple lamps? Use these non-shunted socket kits to save some time on wiring.
LED Emergency Backup Kits for Troffers
Emergency lighting is a necessary part of any commercial lighting project. It is very common to see wall mounted fixtures used in conjunction with ceiling fixtures that have an emergency battery backup. Adding battery backups to fixtures can be a tricky business as available options and wiring vary by fixture and the type of lamps being used. You can alleviate the guess work from adding backups to troffers in offices, schools, and other locations with LED emergency backup kits. Suitable for both LED and fluorescent T12, T8, and T5 troffers, these kits install in only a few minutes. Each kit includes an LED module, LED emergency driver with test button, a rechargeable battery pack, and self-tapping screws along with a classification label. Modules can stay lit for up to 235 minutes, depending on the kit used, and fully recharges within 24 hours.
Programmable LED Drivers
If you have a lot of jobs requiring the use of LED drivers, then you likely keep a wide assortment in stock. But even with stock on hand you may still end up having to special order one and delay completion of a job. In cases such as these that constant current programmable LED drivers come in handy. One of these LED drivers can be programed to replace any number of drivers in a matter of seconds. All you need is a compatible wand and the corresponding program on your laptop or tablet to adjust the input currents, dimming controllers, and other features. Later on, the driver can be reprogrammed as needed.
Smart Lighting
For customers looking for a way to control their lights by voice or with a smart device, we offer a variety of smart lighting options ranging from lights to controls. Smart dimmers let customers turn lights on or off and adjust the brightness easily without needing to get up from your desk to access a wall switch. Heading into the office early? Use a smart plug to remotely start the coffee pot or turn a desk lamp on. With tunable white smart fixtures, you can adjust the color temperature as needed depending on how the room is being used at any given time. Set the lights to 5000K while doing detailed work that requires good visibility, or dim them down while presenting a presentation in a conference room. Just note that some smart lights require a hub, like Amazon Echo Plus or Wink, in order to operate.
Ready to stock up? Our team of product experts can help you select the fixtures and tools you need for your next job. Call 1-800-624-4488 Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
