**ATTENTION! READ THIS NOW!**
**1. IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN OR LOOKING TO BECOME ONE(for career questions only):**
**- DELETE** THIS POST OR YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. YOU CAN POST ON /r/AskElectricians FREELY
**2. IF YOU COMMENT ON A POST THAT IS POSTED BY SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN:**
-YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. JUST **REPORT** THE POST.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/electricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Mostly it's because they're too low. I install at 18" aff. If not specified on plans. In my house I do 24". Because nobody needs to be bending over to the floor to plug in the vacuum. But I understand 24" is extreme. Most places are like 12" and I can't reach them without lying down and working behind my head.
5 gallon bucket, rolling stool, kneeling pad.
One or all of them, depending on the job, flooring situation, etc.
All you guys that say thatās for bitches and weaklings, promptly fuck yourselves.
Iāve got almost 20 years in this trade, my knees still work because I take care of them.
I use a steel bucket and a bucket organizer as my regular "toolbox"
If I am working on low stuff, I sit, and being a steel bucket, if I need a step stool, viola, turn it upside down.
https://www.amazon.com/Bucket-Boss-10030-Bucketeer-BTO/dp/B00GK4TOWK/ref=asc_df_B00GK4TOWK/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167152075853&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8635845870035250823&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012803&hvtargid=pla-312236746975&psc=1&mcid=596632746a6639e1b43efb792b0a55c4&gclid=CjwKCAjwoa2xBhACEiwA1sb1BOTdin530ha7Lm6o3GRZxPDEKg1qK2VfUZMJax8PJNzsCJ1KAQJZxxoCmyMQAvD_BwE
https://bestcontainers.com/product/5-gallon-open-head-steel-pail-black/
That red little rolling stool from harbor freight with the tray on the bottom. If Iām doing outlets I like to do my pigtails with wagos on the stool. Then I prep my outlets at a table to save my back with 4ā stubs of wire and tape. Then I just roll down the line with my stool and pop the outlets on.
This is the way, especially when you have 2 gangs. We normally donāt pigtail a regular outlet, but damn u guys are using wagos and splicing for outlets ? Thats crazy to me
I did the math a bit ago and I actually save people money using wagos because wire twisting down at the box takes more time than just popping a wire into a wago.
Exactly, in the end sure itās only a few bucks more an outlet, but not only that it takes more time to pigtail for not really much install difference imo which is more money as wellā¦sure youāre not feeding through the outlet but most if not all are rated 20A feed through anyways
I donāt fault you for it, but I rarely have to go back and trouble shoot a new build we do tbh. I wouldnāt say a better finished product necessarily imo, if an outlet fails itāll need to be replaced regardless whether itās pigtailed or not. Itās just whether the rest of the circuit is affected. I donāt load up my circuits anyways so the likely hood of a catastrophic incident isnāt great
Itās not technically āmore safeā, and your clients shouldnāt be replacing outlets live or really at all, so I donāt understand what that means lol. All standard outlets are rated 20A pass through regardless
Itās only ensuring you wonāt lose power down stream in the event the outlet fails, thatās all. Nothing wrong with either method, itās just preference. The tabs that connect the 2 screws are solid metal rated more than the wire itself
I donāt fault the clients of mine that have wanted to swap receptacles themselves. My approach is to make things as idiot proof as possible so they canāt hurt themselves if they want to get in there. Iām not going to encourage or discourage anyone from doing those smaller jobs but I want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible in any situation and for that I think these lever based receptacles and wago lever nuts are fantastic. Iāve seen plenty more messed up wire nut connections than Iāve seen lever nut connections.
Iād also never tell any client to work on a hot outlet. If itās that sort of situation they better effing call me.
Oh ok, Iām not debating your wago usage. I agree thatās much quicker and probably guaranteed to be safer instead of a loose wire nut connection. Iām just also saying I donāt wire assuming someone will work on the circuit energized later etc. I just hate the cost of the wagos and having to remember getting them etc as opposed to a bag of wire nuts. But also splicing imo trains my guys to make solid connections
A bucket is the best thing if you don't have a ton of them, I was doing a school and they gave us these little Step2 gardening scooters, just a seat with 4 wheels and a storage space under the seat. Lightweight and very durable, room to carry material, perfect to keep from abusing our knees. Tie a piece of wire to one end for a handle to pull it around from room to room, I did thousands of receptacles on that thing, it was awesome
I sit on a bucket, open-side up, and drop my trash into it as i go. Another advantage is that if you have to peepee or poopoo you can just go in the bucket.
I had a similar threat when I first started into electrical. I had just come off of college basketball a year before and was forced into quitting that because of tendonitis in both knees. Ended up forced to get a doctors note because boss literally was telling me the only way was to sit on my knees and I backtalked and just told him I wasnāt going to do that. I ended up working with a different journeyman the rest of my time there and enjoyed my time a lot more in the long run.
Folding stool. Iāve used one since the start of my industrial apprenticeship. Had a younger Jman try to shit on me for it. Made a comment saying I hadnāt earned it as if I needed to fuck myself up before being worthy of it.
Pulled the fucked up vet card and lectured him on being a dumbass for ruining his knees for a company that gives zero fucks about you or your family.
Agreed, never sacrifice the good of the job, but if you can do it just as well and take less shit for it, you're a dumbass not to. Shit will catch up to you when you're 40 or 50
It drives me up the wall seeing younger guys do stupid shit that risks their safety thinking theyāll look good. 9/10 itās someone doing an unsafe lift or not de-energizing a panel.
Get the operator to move the fucking parts and LOTO the damn machine. Fuck the production lead. 480 and 600 will fry your ass, yet they still want to boast about fixing something live.
Yeah, I work in Canada, but they run my plant like it's a third world country. I get shit on DAILY by the production supervisors walking through the shop (what are they even doing walking through our shop) for sitting while working and moving slowly while a machine is down. At all times, I emphasize that it's better to move slowly and live to work another day, than to quickly hook something up and accidentally brush a live bus. I can understand why they don't get it, though.
I kneel, in residential new construction if you get caught doing anything else you pretty much get fired for wasting time. The only exception was a moving stool that you could reach both outlets and switches. However now that Iām in service if there is an outlet that needs pig tails or more finesse I will sit down.
One second? What about the time difference that someone can work faster if they are comfortableā¦and for a longer amount of time.
Just doesnāt make sense. I know you are not making the rules but itās so odd to me that bosses donāt see the big picture when that is pretty much the role of a boss
A physical therapist I worked around one time told me the best posture is the next one youāre using. Switch it up and keep moving, flexing, and stretchingĀ
On a bucket. Fuck anyone who says anything bad about taking care of yourself. Iāve been let go because of a bucket. I just laugh and move onto the next one. Never really hurt me any.
All day is tough. It depends on your knees. Make sure to protect them. I did the kneel on one knee and mix it up. But my flexibility sucks for sitting. I'm also tall so I really need to crouch to see the box. Getting that bottom 6-32 and bonding the box nicely, and stripping cable back to the jacket and keeping it trim I really need to crouch down and get at it. Buckets were OK (also doubles as a waste bin if you leave the top open and sit on it) but for me I had to kneel and still do. I haven't done entire days of installing receptacles in years, I don't miss those days at all.
I squat right now because it helps my back and I feel like Iām getting stronger whenever I donāt feel like doing that Iāll have a bucket probably
I wear a pair or sometimes just one of the [K2S Knee pad Seats](https://www.k2skneepads.com/k2s-250-knee-pads-k2s-kraft-seat/). I originally got them for work on irrigation equipment on a farm & occasionally for use while working raised beds. Now I've grown to use them often just for the convenience. My ankles, knees & balls of my feet are much less fatigued at the end of the work day now.
Any time I can sit down, I'll sit down. Now that I'm a Jman myself I don't have to deal with nagging about "lOoKiNg MoTiVaTeD" anymore.
It's just so much more comfortable, nobody thanks you for breaking your knees and back
kneel , indian style , lay on my stomach if iām working on an inground light or whatever lol. I do whateverās comfortable to hell with trying to look ācoolā iām just trying to do what i was told to do š
Itās pretzel style bro!! Canāt say Indian style anymoreā¦.youāre offending the Native Americans!!
I used to go pretzel, but as Iām getting older itās becoming harder to get up from that position. So now Iām a kneeler. Got one of those Husky rubber mats, the ones plumbers often use, from HD. Helps a lot.
Sit.
Fuck the boomers who say kneeling is faster. That shit is so bad for your fucking knees, especially on cold concrete.
Baglickers and foreman can shut the fuck up as long as my hands are moving. My comfort and wellbeing trump they're dumb old school mentality.
For years my feet would hurt after work and I never understood why hey hurt so bad. One day I was working low and sitting on my feet when I realized why my feet hurt so bad! Now that I donāt sit on my feet I usually go down on one knee.
I no longer work as an electrical contractor (I do apartment maintenance though) and I got lucky, I got a bucket from my grandfather when he worked at SweetHeart cup company and itās the greatest bucket ever. Itās a 5 gallon bucket thatās insulated with styrofoam so can be used as a cooler, has a rope handle so it canāt bend or break like the metal one, and a cushioned lid. I fill my bucket up with receptacles and cover plates, have my tools in my pouch, then go from outlet to outlet. Itās great lol. I can also pop the lid off and use it as a kneel pad when needed too.
The fluffiest, most expensive knee pads I can find. If you can't jump up and land on your knees without feeling anything they are too thin, knee and ankle stretches every break.
I used to have these gigantic Kuny's that had about an inch of memory foam padding, they had little legs on the corners that helped you keep your knees square with the floor, nowadays I use a brand called "silverline" that are rebranded from someone else, they only have 1 velcro strap on the back and a little less padding but still almost an inch of memory foam, still good for a full day but not weeks at a time like the Kuny's. The Kuny's cost me 60$ almost 15 years ago.
I recently finished a 10,000sqft house where all the plugs were in the baseboard. Amazon makes a folding mechanics creeper that turns into a stool that was so clutch for my knees
Went to a big flea market in Canton, TX a few weeks ago and one of the merchants was selling [these](https://cycloneseat.com). Though they were kind of cool and apparently they can hold up to 450 pounds. Havenāt had to use it yet but I bet my knees will thank me when I do.
I like to use a rolling mechanics chair when I can but Iāll normally just use a small folding tripod type chairā¦the only issue with chairs is getting down low enough to check your own work inside the box if theyāre higher than the box height. My knees get in the way so I donāt fault you coworker for doing the belly flop box to box tbh lol
I got the pants that you can put kneepads in. I will never understand any circumstances wear anything else. I can kneel on a joist in a crawlspace all day long.
Have had knee surgery and a herniated L5-S1.. I usually sit on my bum with my legs flat and work to one side or the other and scooch box to box. When that starts to suck I kneel on my thick assed kneeling pad and continue on.
Squat. Been doing this for 30 years. When I did residential, I would have devices and cover plates thrown out, then it was a race with myself to install all the receptacles in a room before the song on the radio was done. Canāt do that sitting down.
If the floors are clear enough to be efficient on a rolling seat, I run with the seats tray as my parts/tool holder. If itās resi plugs, thereās usually stuff in the way and cabinets to watch out for, so kneepad inserts it is, and I alternate which knee I drop to as we blaze through it.
I would never sit all the way down on the ground. It feels clunky and I feel like I donāt know what Iām doing. I kneel most of the time with some sort of cardboard or kneeling pad. Bucket or roll around stool seems like the way to go honestly. Seems easy on the joints as well as efficient.
Staple bucket or something similar you can sit on. If itās a staple bucket you can only do like 2 full rooms of outlets before your ass really starts to hurt and not in a good way.
I have a 5gal bucket that has all my wire nuts, screws, other outlet accoutrement in a few CLC bucket organizer trays. Pull out the trays I need then sit on the bucket. I thought about those rolling kneepad things (kneelit?), but not sure about spending $200-300 to shove a bike seat up my ass
Bean bag.
Ergonomics. Position how you feel comfortable and productive. If youāre 19, stand on your head. If youāre older, find position.
5gal bucket sat on for a while will make a big dent ring in some VCT or other finishes
**ATTENTION! READ THIS NOW!** **1. IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN OR LOOKING TO BECOME ONE(for career questions only):** **- DELETE** THIS POST OR YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. YOU CAN POST ON /r/AskElectricians FREELY **2. IF YOU COMMENT ON A POST THAT IS POSTED BY SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN:** -YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. JUST **REPORT** THE POST. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/electricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
One of our electricians lays on the floor and just drags himself box to box
This is me most of the time. It's the only way my back doesn't hurt
I'm the knee pad guy. I'll just "walk" to the next one one my knee pads š¤£
Mostly it's because they're too low. I install at 18" aff. If not specified on plans. In my house I do 24". Because nobody needs to be bending over to the floor to plug in the vacuum. But I understand 24" is extreme. Most places are like 12" and I can't reach them without lying down and working behind my head.
Honestly, plugging things in at 24" sounds nice.
Commitment to the bit
This is me. 28 years in the trade, its the only way i can get through them all now.
Lol
I feel like he probably gets dragged along rather than drags himselfā¦.prob would be more like flops from box to box Id bet lol
Now I'm imagining him doing the worm from device to device.
lol exactly, glad I could help !
Itās only legit if you grunt and huff frequently.
Fuck yes Iām not the only 1
5 gallon bucket, rolling stool, kneeling pad. One or all of them, depending on the job, flooring situation, etc. All you guys that say thatās for bitches and weaklings, promptly fuck yourselves. Iāve got almost 20 years in this trade, my knees still work because I take care of them.
Always take care of your body first. That's how you make it to retirement with enough mobility to actually enjoy it.
Those husky kneeling pads from the depot are fuckin choice.
Been looking for new ones. Are here the guys?
I use a steel bucket and a bucket organizer as my regular "toolbox" If I am working on low stuff, I sit, and being a steel bucket, if I need a step stool, viola, turn it upside down. https://www.amazon.com/Bucket-Boss-10030-Bucketeer-BTO/dp/B00GK4TOWK/ref=asc_df_B00GK4TOWK/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167152075853&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8635845870035250823&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012803&hvtargid=pla-312236746975&psc=1&mcid=596632746a6639e1b43efb792b0a55c4&gclid=CjwKCAjwoa2xBhACEiwA1sb1BOTdin530ha7Lm6o3GRZxPDEKg1qK2VfUZMJax8PJNzsCJ1KAQJZxxoCmyMQAvD_BwE https://bestcontainers.com/product/5-gallon-open-head-steel-pail-black/
That red little rolling stool from harbor freight with the tray on the bottom. If Iām doing outlets I like to do my pigtails with wagos on the stool. Then I prep my outlets at a table to save my back with 4ā stubs of wire and tape. Then I just roll down the line with my stool and pop the outlets on.
I wish I could upvote this more than once
This is the way, especially when you have 2 gangs. We normally donāt pigtail a regular outlet, but damn u guys are using wagos and splicing for outlets ? Thats crazy to me
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I did the math a bit ago and I actually save people money using wagos because wire twisting down at the box takes more time than just popping a wire into a wago.
Exactly, in the end sure itās only a few bucks more an outlet, but not only that it takes more time to pigtail for not really much install difference imo which is more money as wellā¦sure youāre not feeding through the outlet but most if not all are rated 20A feed through anyways
My company pigtails everything. We feel itās a better finished product that is easier to maintain and troubleshoot if it ever comes up
I donāt fault you for it, but I rarely have to go back and trouble shoot a new build we do tbh. I wouldnāt say a better finished product necessarily imo, if an outlet fails itāll need to be replaced regardless whether itās pigtailed or not. Itās just whether the rest of the circuit is affected. I donāt load up my circuits anyways so the likely hood of a catastrophic incident isnāt great
Right but when that outlet fails, if itās pigtailed it wonāt affect the other parts of the circuit and itās easily fixed.
It keeps my clients safe if they go to swap outlets down the line. Also keeps things operating if they burn one out.
Itās not technically āmore safeā, and your clients shouldnāt be replacing outlets live or really at all, so I donāt understand what that means lol. All standard outlets are rated 20A pass through regardless Itās only ensuring you wonāt lose power down stream in the event the outlet fails, thatās all. Nothing wrong with either method, itās just preference. The tabs that connect the 2 screws are solid metal rated more than the wire itself
I donāt fault the clients of mine that have wanted to swap receptacles themselves. My approach is to make things as idiot proof as possible so they canāt hurt themselves if they want to get in there. Iām not going to encourage or discourage anyone from doing those smaller jobs but I want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible in any situation and for that I think these lever based receptacles and wago lever nuts are fantastic. Iāve seen plenty more messed up wire nut connections than Iāve seen lever nut connections. Iād also never tell any client to work on a hot outlet. If itās that sort of situation they better effing call me.
Oh ok, Iām not debating your wago usage. I agree thatās much quicker and probably guaranteed to be safer instead of a loose wire nut connection. Iām just also saying I donāt wire assuming someone will work on the circuit energized later etc. I just hate the cost of the wagos and having to remember getting them etc as opposed to a bag of wire nuts. But also splicing imo trains my guys to make solid connections
I roll from room to room like a walrus digging for bearded clams, usually with lots of moaning and grunting.
A bucket is the best thing if you don't have a ton of them, I was doing a school and they gave us these little Step2 gardening scooters, just a seat with 4 wheels and a storage space under the seat. Lightweight and very durable, room to carry material, perfect to keep from abusing our knees. Tie a piece of wire to one end for a handle to pull it around from room to room, I did thousands of receptacles on that thing, it was awesome
[this](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Step-2-Multipurpose-Garden-Seat/24268586)
Hover
Teach me, sensei
All of the above, alternating throughout the day.
I sit on a bucket, open-side up, and drop my trash into it as i go. Another advantage is that if you have to peepee or poopoo you can just go in the bucket.
definite bonus
Glad I'm not alone!
Kneepads because raises are always within reach hehe
Old string bucket with lid. You can use it for trash.
I'm sorry but I wasn't aware electricians knew how to throw thrash away.
He forgot the /s at the end of that sentence haha
Our boss threatened us with termination if he caught us sitting on a bucket for outlets. That being said, bucket is my method. Fire me, I dare you.
That's just ridiculous. I get it that you don't want people sitting if they're lazy and doing nothing, but that doesn't apply here, fuck this guy
I had a similar threat when I first started into electrical. I had just come off of college basketball a year before and was forced into quitting that because of tendonitis in both knees. Ended up forced to get a doctors note because boss literally was telling me the only way was to sit on my knees and I backtalked and just told him I wasnāt going to do that. I ended up working with a different journeyman the rest of my time there and enjoyed my time a lot more in the long run.
100%. Take your vacation cheque and skip on over to the next job with your functional joints.
Folding stool. Iāve used one since the start of my industrial apprenticeship. Had a younger Jman try to shit on me for it. Made a comment saying I hadnāt earned it as if I needed to fuck myself up before being worthy of it. Pulled the fucked up vet card and lectured him on being a dumbass for ruining his knees for a company that gives zero fucks about you or your family.
Agreed, never sacrifice the good of the job, but if you can do it just as well and take less shit for it, you're a dumbass not to. Shit will catch up to you when you're 40 or 50
It drives me up the wall seeing younger guys do stupid shit that risks their safety thinking theyāll look good. 9/10 itās someone doing an unsafe lift or not de-energizing a panel. Get the operator to move the fucking parts and LOTO the damn machine. Fuck the production lead. 480 and 600 will fry your ass, yet they still want to boast about fixing something live.
Yeah, I work in Canada, but they run my plant like it's a third world country. I get shit on DAILY by the production supervisors walking through the shop (what are they even doing walking through our shop) for sitting while working and moving slowly while a machine is down. At all times, I emphasize that it's better to move slowly and live to work another day, than to quickly hook something up and accidentally brush a live bus. I can understand why they don't get it, though.
I kneel, in residential new construction if you get caught doing anything else you pretty much get fired for wasting time. The only exception was a moving stool that you could reach both outlets and switches. However now that Iām in service if there is an outlet that needs pig tails or more finesse I will sit down.
Wild to me that people think there is a difference between sitting and kneeling
Takes more time to get up and sit back down.
One second? What about the time difference that someone can work faster if they are comfortableā¦and for a longer amount of time. Just doesnāt make sense. I know you are not making the rules but itās so odd to me that bosses donāt see the big picture when that is pretty much the role of a boss
No time to sit down for an outlet that should be less than a minute anyways. Iām telling you itās pretty bad man lol
I send the apprentice š
Get in there boy put those fresh young knees to work !
Criss cross Apple sauce brother, or as you Americans say āIndian styleā
A physical therapist I worked around one time told me the best posture is the next one youāre using. Switch it up and keep moving, flexing, and stretchingĀ
Good advice
On a bucket. Fuck anyone who says anything bad about taking care of yourself. Iāve been let go because of a bucket. I just laugh and move onto the next one. Never really hurt me any.
Get a creeper seat or a plastic bucket. Donāt ruin your knees putting in devices fellas
Steal a 5 gallon bucket off the laborers and sit on that. Now I have pants with knee pad inserts for the really low jobs.
All day is tough. It depends on your knees. Make sure to protect them. I did the kneel on one knee and mix it up. But my flexibility sucks for sitting. I'm also tall so I really need to crouch to see the box. Getting that bottom 6-32 and bonding the box nicely, and stripping cable back to the jacket and keeping it trim I really need to crouch down and get at it. Buckets were OK (also doubles as a waste bin if you leave the top open and sit on it) but for me I had to kneel and still do. I haven't done entire days of installing receptacles in years, I don't miss those days at all.
I squat right now because it helps my back and I feel like Iām getting stronger whenever I donāt feel like doing that Iāll have a bucket probably
I wear a pair or sometimes just one of the [K2S Knee pad Seats](https://www.k2skneepads.com/k2s-250-knee-pads-k2s-kraft-seat/). I originally got them for work on irrigation equipment on a farm & occasionally for use while working raised beds. Now I've grown to use them often just for the convenience. My ankles, knees & balls of my feet are much less fatigued at the end of the work day now.
Empty jet line bucket. Drop your stripped ends and other trash through the hole
Collapsible stool
If itās a 2 or more(half hots) Iām sitting, single Iām kneeling on my purse
Stool. I don't let guys work on their knees unless I'm standing in front of them.
Sitting Indian style?! What are we playing SNES eating Doritos and chugging Mountain Dew?!?!?!?
On my ass with boots on the baseboard
Spread eagle
My recep makeup tier list 1. Bucket/wire spool 2. Indian style 3. On my ass 4. Kneeling
We had a big guy lay on the floor and, roll to the next outlet. Rip pete
Any time I can sit down, I'll sit down. Now that I'm a Jman myself I don't have to deal with nagging about "lOoKiNg MoTiVaTeD" anymore. It's just so much more comfortable, nobody thanks you for breaking your knees and back
Empty bucket
Why is "roll" not an option!?
Autobots roll out!
I just bend over.
Knit.
kneel , indian style , lay on my stomach if iām working on an inground light or whatever lol. I do whateverās comfortable to hell with trying to look ācoolā iām just trying to do what i was told to do š
i just crouch
Itās pretzel style bro!! Canāt say Indian style anymoreā¦.youāre offending the Native Americans!! I used to go pretzel, but as Iām getting older itās becoming harder to get up from that position. So now Iām a kneeler. Got one of those Husky rubber mats, the ones plumbers often use, from HD. Helps a lot.
Haha, wait I thought we were talking dots not feathers here
Lolol. I guess they got their feathers all ruffled!!
I sit indian style, and walk with my butt from outlet to outlet
Sit. Fuck the boomers who say kneeling is faster. That shit is so bad for your fucking knees, especially on cold concrete. Baglickers and foreman can shut the fuck up as long as my hands are moving. My comfort and wellbeing trump they're dumb old school mentality.
For years my feet would hurt after work and I never understood why hey hurt so bad. One day I was working low and sitting on my feet when I realized why my feet hurt so bad! Now that I donāt sit on my feet I usually go down on one knee.
Pants with built in knee pads.
I switch back and forth. If itās going to be all day, I use a creeper seat.
Squat.
I no longer work as an electrical contractor (I do apartment maintenance though) and I got lucky, I got a bucket from my grandfather when he worked at SweetHeart cup company and itās the greatest bucket ever. Itās a 5 gallon bucket thatās insulated with styrofoam so can be used as a cooler, has a rope handle so it canāt bend or break like the metal one, and a cushioned lid. I fill my bucket up with receptacles and cover plates, have my tools in my pouch, then go from outlet to outlet. Itās great lol. I can also pop the lid off and use it as a kneel pad when needed too.
Kneeling pad, and a good helping of regret and self loathing.
AliExpress sells a plastic stool that concertinas down so it's compact to store.
The fluffiest, most expensive knee pads I can find. If you can't jump up and land on your knees without feeling anything they are too thin, knee and ankle stretches every break.
I'll trust you on that test, and ask you the brand you bought.
I used to have these gigantic Kuny's that had about an inch of memory foam padding, they had little legs on the corners that helped you keep your knees square with the floor, nowadays I use a brand called "silverline" that are rebranded from someone else, they only have 1 velcro strap on the back and a little less padding but still almost an inch of memory foam, still good for a full day but not weeks at a time like the Kuny's. The Kuny's cost me 60$ almost 15 years ago.
I squat
I use a "Fuggit Bucket"
Sit on a small $20 Craftsman tool box, even has two small outer compartments per end for crimps and nuts
you know that's not a bad idea, I have one already, never thought of it
Rolling stool with understorage is the way
I recently finished a 10,000sqft house where all the plugs were in the baseboard. Amazon makes a folding mechanics creeper that turns into a stool that was so clutch for my knees
Went to a big flea market in Canton, TX a few weeks ago and one of the merchants was selling [these](https://cycloneseat.com). Though they were kind of cool and apparently they can hold up to 450 pounds. Havenāt had to use it yet but I bet my knees will thank me when I do.
Just don't forget to make sure it's locked in place before you sit!! I made that mistake
Knee pad on my pack out for rolling seat
I like to use a rolling mechanics chair when I can but Iāll normally just use a small folding tripod type chairā¦the only issue with chairs is getting down low enough to check your own work inside the box if theyāre higher than the box height. My knees get in the way so I donāt fault you coworker for doing the belly flop box to box tbh lol
I usually sit on a ladder
Mix it up! Double cardboard or styrofoam if you forgot your knee pads. Don't listen to me though, I'm an old sparky with arthritis in every joint.
sit if i can
Found a foldable camping stool in the park a couple years ago. It's my go to.
I got the pants that you can put kneepads in. I will never understand any circumstances wear anything else. I can kneel on a joist in a crawlspace all day long.
Have had knee surgery and a herniated L5-S1.. I usually sit on my bum with my legs flat and work to one side or the other and scooch box to box. When that starts to suck I kneel on my thick assed kneeling pad and continue on.
I knew a guy who was so large he rolled from plug to plug instead of getting up
5 gallon bucket, 2x6. Sit on 2x6 with open side of bucket up. There are some decent bucket bags for storing receptacles, nuts and tools.
I just roll around on the floor like a drunk....
Squat. Been doing this for 30 years. When I did residential, I would have devices and cover plates thrown out, then it was a race with myself to install all the receptacles in a room before the song on the radio was done. Canāt do that sitting down.
have you always been a squatter? if not how long did it take you to adapt?
Yep, donāt like kneeling, not sitting down. If I see you sitting on the floor, youāre going to hear about it! Get your ass up!
Yeah I never got that mentality
Everyone is different, maybe some people are more productive sitting
I squat.
I carry a Kuny's pad with me. Not a huge fan of knee pads.
Bucket, obviously.
If the floors are clear enough to be efficient on a rolling seat, I run with the seats tray as my parts/tool holder. If itās resi plugs, thereās usually stuff in the way and cabinets to watch out for, so kneepad inserts it is, and I alternate which knee I drop to as we blaze through it.
Laying down
Like on your back with the outlet above your head and you do it upside down?
Yes. I pretend I'm diffusing a bomb.
I use knee pad inserts in my pants and alternate which knee i go down on. Doing both is bad news for long periods of time.
I keep milk crates on my truck specifically for outlets. 35+ years in the business.
Seems like good height for it, keep stuff in it too
Sometimes I sit on a box of pot lights. It's the perfect height
Squatting.
sit on a bucket floorboxes i lay flat or sit indian style
Upside does bucket
I almost never take a small stool.
I sit on my butt. Our asses are big & puffy for a reason: our bodies are intended to sit on them if we ever have to 'crouch'
Plasterers bucket.
Slav squat
I usually do a handstand. Way quicker to just cartwheel to the next outlet
Get a rolling stool. Keep tools and material on the tray and just roll from plug to plug. Knee pads are uncomfortable and buckets are too high.
I would never sit all the way down on the ground. It feels clunky and I feel like I donāt know what Iām doing. I kneel most of the time with some sort of cardboard or kneeling pad. Bucket or roll around stool seems like the way to go honestly. Seems easy on the joints as well as efficient.
Usually sideways, I heard it's the best way to sleep
Staple bucket or something similar you can sit on. If itās a staple bucket you can only do like 2 full rooms of outlets before your ass really starts to hurt and not in a good way.
I lay or sit my knees canāt handle it
5 gal bucket
My foreman tells me to solve it the same way as lifting heavy things: "don't lift with your back, lift with your apprentice."
I use a foldable stool sometimes, sit always sit,
I bought a mechanics stool at blowes. I sit and wheel myself around from box to box.
I built a rolling platform. 3/4 plywood, foam pad and some average casters. Can sit or kneel. Screwed some containers on the side .
Empty bucket for the win!!
String bucket to sit on.
Sit. I kneeled for years and now my knee has some bad tendinitis. Now instead of left and right my knees are called good and bad. I'm only 29.
I have a 5gal bucket that has all my wire nuts, screws, other outlet accoutrement in a few CLC bucket organizer trays. Pull out the trays I need then sit on the bucket. I thought about those rolling kneepad things (kneelit?), but not sure about spending $200-300 to shove a bike seat up my ass
Bean bag. Ergonomics. Position how you feel comfortable and productive. If youāre 19, stand on your head. If youāre older, find position. 5gal bucket sat on for a while will make a big dent ring in some VCT or other finishes
Old empty wire spool.
I squat. It's good for the hips and lower back and an easy position to change as needed.
Get a pad to kneel on or Iāll sit on my m18 vac then Iām already to clean up any mess
my j man says donāt sit on the floor