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rich000

Senior Member
I see a lot of people busting different manufactures (Lightolier) and suppliers (Home Depot).

My question is: What is wrong with this equipment or suppliers?

Home Depot carries the same parts (Carlon boxes, etc.) as the local supply house and it is more convenient. Also, if the equipment is UL listed, isn't it safe?
 
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gregoryelectricinc

Senior Member
Re: Material

Busting their chops I assume?. I, for one, am guilty of being biased against home depot for business purchases. I use them as a last resort to find a tough item on occasion. Please keep in mind that I have no problem purchasing my household supplies for projecta around my OWN home from them. The reason I feel this way is I have seen them in their warehouses on sat. and sun. afternoon teaching homeowners how to do my job. I will not support a supplier who will hold a seminar (free of charge) to teach my customers how to avoid hiring me. :mad:
 
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russellroberts

Senior Member
Location
Georgia
Re: Material

As far as convience goes, I can call my supplier at 4 o'clock in the pm,be 30 miles away and tell him I need another 200' of conduit or whatever I might need,(within reason of course) and he'll bring it to me.

If I can't pay my bill in full or at all by the 10th,no problem,no interest.

If I need some off the wall part,he'll try his best to get it for me.

Service and accomadation go a long way with me.

Russell
 
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charlie k.

Senior Member
Location
Baltimore, Md.
Re: Material

Rich, the biggest problem I have with home depot is the so called professionals. Most know nothing. I went there once and asked if they had any 250 foot rolls of 12-2 mc only to be told it could not be manufactored in lenghts greater than 100'. Another time I went in for a roll of #12 yellow and was told I did not need yellow but any color would work. I know that but I won't change my standards. Two area suppliers close to my home have a second shift to load and unload trucks and do wire cuts. I have been able to go in there as late as 10 pm to get what I need.
 
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-marty

Senior Member
Location
Alaska
Re: Material

I did't take a picture or I would try to post it of a service a homeowner did per instruction from home depot. It was a mess. The indoor service wire came out the bottom of the metermain, no connector, made a large arc, no supports, and than went into the attic, no protection. Of course, the homeowner thought my price to fix it was too high. Oh well.
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
Re: Material

One issue I have with home depot is they sell the bread and butter of supply houses, 2x4's, NM, BX and boxes, this limits the supply house income, hurts local businesses and limits the supply houses from carrying a larger stock due to the loss of income from their main money makers. Home depot has a larger buying power for these items, due to athe larger purchases they can make. This is the walmarting of America. Is this wrong? I don’t like it!
 
peter d

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
Re: Material

Thank you Scott! I like competition. It forces the suppliers to lower their prices and improve their service. There is always a supplier out there willing to take your money.
 
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maverick the electrician

Member
Re: Material

Dealing with supply houses and being a loyal customer can bring your prices down drastically. I never go to Home Depot anymore unless I have an emergency. I started out buying almost everything from them when I started 8 years ago. Now my supply house prices are alot lower than the Depot.
 
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tvgaconsultants

Member
Re: Material

I understand the need to say that HD does not always have skilled people within the confines fo their stores, but the choice is yours as to who you purchase your product from. I personally think that HD does OKAY job. If you think that homeowners are taking your job away I say grow up. This country is based on the principals of freedom. If they burn their house down becuase they are stupid and do not learn enough to install electrical properly then I say oh well. Personally I teach anyone who has a willingness to learn the proper way to preform an electrical install. If I am wrong or taking your job I say make a change.
 
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jfw11

Member
Re: Material

I wnet to Lowes (the other "Home Depot") to get some #4 bare copper and pipe clamps to do the bonding of the ground in the main circuit breaker cabinet to various pipes that the dofus who "wired" my kid's newly purchased "fixer-upper" neglected to do (or more precisely, ripped out).

The guy in front of me was arguing with the store employee. He wanted to get some of that white conduit to hold the 100A underground feeder he was going to put in. The employee explained that the gray pvc was conduit and the white stuff was sewer line. This went on for minutes. When he left, I asked the employee to cut a 10' peice of #4.

I them mentioned that the previous customer appeared to me to be an idiot, that that the cost of the conduit was swamped by the cost of the wire. He agreed with me and told me that he was a licensed electrician and always did things by the code.

After he cut the wire I asked him to help me fild a 20A AFCI breaker for a square-D HOME ... box. He said they were out of stock but that the Siemens breaker would fit it the box, so it should do just fine.

I restrained myself from asking him what the code said about mixing manufacturers boxes and breakers.
 
don_resqcapt19

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Re: Material

jfw,
I think that if you check, you will find that the Siemens breakers are "classifed" by UL for use in a Square D panel. There is no code violation when classifed breakers are used per the UL classification.
Don
 
brian john

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
Re: Material

There is nothing wrong with capitalism, Hell I'm an entrepreneur (not Manure). The mega stores have a practice (and have been sued for this) of under pricing driving small locals out of business. Then prices rise.

Also the home depot does not sell most of the products my firm utilizes. As mentioned above they’re selling the bread and butter products under cut locals that end up limiting their stocks.

BUT>>>>>>>>>> In some case small independents are starting to recognize this and only sell the non-stock products. This requires the sales persons to know their products.
 
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