Finally! No blue boxes...

[Buck Parrish]

Our local Lowes electrical blue boxes have turned black. Most all of them from pop-ins to bracket light boxes.
They look more proffesional to me. They look better quality, though I am not sure of that.
Has any body else noticed the change ?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Our local Lowes electrical blue boxes have turned black. Most all of them from pop-ins to bracket light boxes.
They look more proffesional to me. They look better quality, though I am not sure of that.
Has any body else noticed the change ?

Haven't noticed but Hunt ain't going to like you shopping at Lowes.:grin:

 

[Buck Parrish]

Haven't noticed but Hunt ain't going to like you shopping at Lowes.:grin:

Yep... I have got to price shop, though mostly for panels.

 

[jmellc]

Don't think I've see that yet. See my new thread post about blue boxes.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Don't think I've see that yet. See my new thread post about blue boxes.

Yeah , what's the chances of that? Two threads about blue boxes started almost the same moment.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

I roughed in a basement/bathroom with them and won't be buying them anymore. There are even poorer quality than the carlon blue

 

[220/221]

Blue boxes rock!! Centex makes a light blue box out of the same plastic as the Carlons.

I have old eyes and I HATE black boxes. Can't see shirt inside them.

The clamps (on the cut in boxes) are backwards too.

More stupidity.

 

[peter d]

Blue boxes rock!! Centex makes a light blue box out of the same plastic as the Carlons.

Centex builds cheap tract homes.

Cantex makes the boxes that go in the cheap tract homes.

 

[Riograndeelectric]

the black boxes are made by South wire. carlon is out at Lowe's and South wire boxes are in.
I just stared working at Lowe's last month . we have also dropped Ideal tools and now carry Greenlee.
"the old saying the squeaky wheel gets the oil"
I believe it is that Lowe's is getting better pricing on South wire and Greenlee.we are also changing from Phillips lighting to Sylvania lighting.
I am not sure how Lowes and Home depot due but there prices on res panels are beating out my suppliers. square D Home Line seems to be the cheapest price.
Please note that these are all my personal opionins and in no way am I trying to push Lowe's because I work there. this just what I have observed in working at Lowe's .
I have heard that both big box stores are trying to push for more contractor sales when it come to Electrical.

 

[PetrosA]

I have heard that both big box stores are trying to push for more contractor sales when it come to Electrical.

#10 AWG stranded White THHN 500' :

Supply house - $72.50
Lowes - $95.00

They're gonna have to try harder

 

[mcclary's electrical]

#10 AWG stranded White THHN 500' :

Supply house - $72.50
Lowes - $95.00

They're gonna have to try harder

12/2 NM suppy house 79.00
Lowes 69

14/2 NM Supply house 55
Lowes 45

Homeline 30/40 panel supply shop 130
Lowes, 105 + free breakers

#12 THWN supply shop 65
Lowes 55

 

[growler]

Please note that these are all my personal opionins and in no way am I trying to push Lowe's because I work there. this just what I have observed in working at Lowe's .

What I have observed is that no one likes to admit they shop at Lowe's but I have seen the service trucks from many different companies there.

I guess they were there just visiting.

I buy quite a bit at Lowe's but some things are not a good deal and I buy those elsewhere.

Folks if I only need one breaker that I don't have stocked I'll buy it at Ace Hardware rather than drive 20 miles. If you think of the cost of time and fuel the price on many small items doesn't really matter.

 

[480sparky]

I really wish someone would quantify the hatred towards Carlon Blue.

Other than "They're hack", I mean.

 

[laketime]

You need to include labor in your "shopping" decisions. I have not seen a big enough price difference locally to make up for my order being ready and loaded in my truck at the wholesale house. In and out in about 5 minutes. If I am doing a bigger job I get it delivered to the project for free. Tough to beat that when I have somebody (me) wandering around HD looking for something.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I really wish someone would quantify the hatred towards Carlon Blue.

Other than "They're hack", I mean.

I don't get it either. In my garage I have blue boxes, black boxes, yellow boxes, gray boxes, even brown boxes, (I will say the brown ones suck. Bakelite). The wire I put in it, doesn't really seem to care what color the box is.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

I think it relates to the tabs on the side of the boxes that are supposedly set for 1/2" drywall, they are on the short side thus leaving the box set too far into the wall. I personally like and use the grey Slaters or better yet, Allied Molded.

 

[growler]

(I will say the brown ones suck. Bakelite).

There is only one good thing about those old brown bakekite boxes. When they get old they are real easy to remove, just take needle nose or almost any tool and they will break into little pieces.

 

[jaylectricity]

I think it relates to the tabs on the side of the boxes that are supposedly set for 1/2" drywall, they are on the short side thus leaving the box set too far into the wall. I personally like and use the grey Slaters or better yet, Allied Molded.

Those tabs are set for 3/8". If you look on the side, you will see 3 vertical lines near the center of the box. The first one is just past the tabs, that is 1/2", the next one is 3/4" and the last one is 1".

So if you're setting the boxes to those tabs, and the drywallers put 1/2" on the wall, then plaster it, the box will be recessed by at least a 1/4".

 

[peter d]

I really wish someone would quantify the hatred towards Carlon Blue.

Other than "They're hack", I mean.

There is no reason. I've been using Carlons over the other brands for years now, and it's not like I lack availability. I have a half dozen suppliers within a 20 minute drive of me that all sell every box under the sun.

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

Those tabs are set for 3/8". If you look on the side, you will see 3 vertical lines near the center of the box. The first one is just past the tabs, that is 1/2", the next one is 3/4" and the last one is 1".

So if you're setting the boxes to those tabs, and the drywallers put 1/2" on the wall, then plaster it, the box will be recessed by at least a 1/4".

A 3/8" tab on a box makes no sense. Good luck lining up a box with a barely visible vertical line. Poor design.