Please Share With Us Your Spare Parts "Inventorying Secrets"

[Carl]

Ever had an equipment breakdown and you know you have the spare part somewhere but just can't find it amidst all the clutter? Please describe the method of inventorying which has been most effective for you in keeping track of the many parts which you must keep. For example...maybe you've implemented an Excel spreadsheet to this process or added labels to each foot of your shelving to help "map" where everything's being stored? Thanks in advance for anything you might be willing to share here regarding "Spare Parts Inventorying Tips". - Carl

 

[Earl Weiss]

I am not that sophisticated. Put up shelves. For pipe fittings I use plastic shoebox type boxes labeled 1/4" fittings, 1/4" nipples , 1/2" fittings etc. Also use this for coin mechs, timers, flashers. Really small parts are in the plastic divided type boxes found at home centers. Seperate ones for "Electrical", Nuts and Bolts, Poly tube, etc.. Items like solenoid valves, Flo Jets, Hydrominders, Vac Motors, simply sit on shelves. Like to keep at least 2 spares of each. (More Vac Motors) I can see if the shelf only has one or Zero. Also if my guy uses the second to last one or last one hopefuly they tell me and I reorder.

 

[Randy]

I do it about the same way as Earle does. The first thing you need to do is get rid of the CLUTTER!! why save all the junk and old worn out parts. I've in equipment rooms that have 20 years of worn out parts laying around.

 

[MEP001]

I use a shelf rack and clear food storage containers, both from Sam's. I try to keep parts sorted by function (Timers and acceptors, valves, valve parts and valve kits, etc). For smaller parts such as swivels, fittings and tips or pump repair parts I use Zag boxes from Home Depot.

Whenever I use a part I check quantity and order more right away if needed. I always keep a spare of important things like timers and acceptors and order another right away if I use one.

If something is used but still good or needs to be repaired, label it as such and take care of it right away. If it's bad, throw it out. Don't "pack-rat" anything - don't save every little bit you feel you can salvage. Weigh what your time is worth between spending all day digging for a part while a bay is down or just replacing something and ordering another.

 

[Buzzie8]

I use similar shelves from Sam's. One thing that has helped tremendously are small tags I bought with wires attached to them (I think I got them from Uline). When I replace a part I pull the new back up part and it gets a tag. I will put information on when it was replaced, on what wash. I use this on replacement hoses as well. It really works well when a part is still working but is starting to look like it is going to go bad. I will replace it and tag the old part to use in an emergency so I do not have to run out and buy a back up right away.

 

[MEP001]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who replaces things when they "look like it is going to go bad." I haven't had a hose break on a customer in at least four years.

 

[mac]

I can't agree more with Randy's suggestion to first throw out the old and/or questionable parts. For the life of me, I can not understand why people keep junk. In most cases the places that store bad parts are poorly ran. I have gone into customers equipment rooms and told the owner that beforw we would fix anything there, I needed to trash the old parts. In some places I filled up a dumpster twice. Then you can put up wire shelves and storage boxes. Don't use solid shelves like wood. They collect dirt and you can't see what's up there.

 

[Carl]

Thank You!

To All: Thanks for sharing your input! Appreciate it much and will implement some great ideas to help us better know our parts inventory. May your washes do well this spring/summer season! - Carl