cheap cans

[goldstar]

In addition to the warnings others have given for buying from these on-line distributors there are several other things you should be concerned with.

1) Will the company back up their product ? Ask the question before you buy the product and get it in writing. I made the mistake of buying $5.00 GFI's from RT Eledtrical Distributors in FL. They will not stand behind the product. Their position is if you have a defective product you can send it back to them at your own expense and once they determine that it is defective they will credit your charge account. They'll ask if you've discovered any more but will not take back the entire shipment. Little do they know the Consumer Product Safety Commission will be knocking at their door soon and I have payment protrection through my credit card company. Anyway, that's another thread.

2) If you use the trims they supply they will, in all probability, turn yellow in one year due to UV exposure. American manufacturers have made changes to the recepie of the plastic they use and have not had any yellowing in years that I've seen.

If you're doing small jobs with 8 or 10 recessed fixtures saving $50.00 - $100.00 doesn't seem like it's worth the trouble of ordering through one of these companies. However, if you're doing say a large condo complex or nursing home where you have 1000 fixtures, then the thoughts of saving $5K - $10K starts to look mighty attractive.

BTW, Atlite makes 6" trims that will fit Halo and Juno cans. The cost is about $2-$3.00@. However, I believe both Halo and Juno post warnings on their products stating that the use of non-Halo or Juno trims will void their warranties. I think that's a crock. They're just trying to suck you in to buying their expensive trims at $10-$20.00@.

Same thing goes for wire nuts. Ideal wants to get $50-$60.00/bag for a 500 count bag of yellow wire nuts. The ones that Sunstar sells are just as good and cost $14.00/bag. I'm all for buying American but when you start whacking me for 4 times the amount the price should be I'm going to look elsewhere.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[peter d]

BTW, Atlite makes 6" trims that will fit Halo and Juno cans. The cost is about $2-$3.00@.

I'd rather pay the $9 for a Halo trim then a $3 knockoff. You get what you pay for - a $3 trim is going to be a piece of junk.

Same thing goes for wire nuts. Ideal wants to get $50-$60.00/bag for a 500 count bag of yellow wire nuts. The ones that Sunstar sells are just as good and cost $14.00/bag. I'm all for buying American but when you start whacking me for 4 times the amount the price should be I'm going to look elsewhere.

If you're paying $50 for a bag of 500 yellow wirenuts, you're getting ripped off. I've never seen a bag of yellows or even tan Twisters (my personal preference) go for more than $35.

 

[bradleyelectric]

I'd rather pay the $9 for a Halo trim then a $3 knockoff. You get what you pay for - a $3 trim is going to be a piece of junk.





If you're paying $50 for a bag of 500 yellow wirenuts, you're getting ripped off. I've never seen a bag of yellows or even tan Twisters (my personal preference) go for more than $35.

I had 1 of the phone call guys wanting to sell me tan twisters for $58 yesterday. I think I pay $32 @ Rexel, and can get the chinese for $14.

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

In addition to the warnings others have given for buying from these on-line distributors there are several other things you should be concerned with.

1) Will the company back up their product ? Ask the question before you buy the product and get it in writing. I made the mistake of buying $5.00 GFI's from RT Eledtrical Distributors in FL. They will not stand behind the product. Their position is if you have a defective product you can send it back to them at your own expense and once they determine that it is defective they will credit your charge account. They'll ask if you've discovered any more but will not take back the entire shipment. Little do they know the Consumer Product Safety Commission will be knocking at their door soon and I have payment protrection through my credit card company. Anyway, that's another thread.

There is nothing in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and he who considers price only is that man's lawful prey.
John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

2) If you use the trims they supply they will, in all probability, turn yellow in one year due to UV exposure. American manufacturers have made changes to the recepie of the plastic they use and have not had any yellowing in years that I've seen.

Sinc can lights have been manufactured for years, did it occur to you that American Manufacturers knew damn well their plastic was going to turn yellow and brittle?

If you're doing small jobs with 8 or 10 recessed fixtures saving $50.00 - $100.00 doesn't seem like it's worth the trouble of ordering through one of these companies. However, if you're doing say a large condo complex or nursing home where you have 1000 fixtures, then the thoughts of saving $5K - $10K starts to look mighty attractive.

If saving a buck large scale makes sense, why not small scale? If you're wiring 100 tract houses, you wire to minimum code, right? (plus extras) If you're wiring one spec house, do you go all out?

BTW, Atlite makes 6" trims that will fit Halo and Juno cans. The cost is about $2-$3.00@. However, I believe both Halo and Juno post warnings on their products stating that the use of non-Halo or Juno trims will void their warranties. I think that's a crock. They're just trying to suck you in to buying their expensive trims at $10-$20.00@.

As an added bonus, I'd say yes, but their primary reason for the warning is to cover their bums from a legal standpoint. Their product would have to be UL listed for use with the other company's trim - and each UL test & listing costs money.

Same thing goes for wire nuts. Ideal wants to get $50-$60.00/bag for a 500 count bag of yellow wire nuts. The ones that Sunstar sells are just as good and cost $14.00/bag. I'm all for buying American but when you start whacking me for 4 times the amount the price should be I'm going to look elsewhere.

Just my 2 cents worth.

You keep looking for the cheapest price elsewhere. LEt me know what kinds of jobs your grandchildren end up with. And in what country.

 

[goldstar]

I'd rather pay the $9 for a Halo trim then a $3 knockoff. You get what you pay for - a $3 trim is going to be a piece of junk.

You can continue to buy the $9.00 if you wish but you're getting ripped off. The $3.00 Atlite knock-off trims are decent and sold at my local supply house. If there was a problem with them or if they turned yellow I wouldn't use them. I know this is kind of a bizzare way of looking at things but I think that when these manufacturer's place a label on their product stating that use of any trim other than their own will void warranties is a scam and a restraint of trade. Kind of like Ford saying "Any part you use in this car we manufactured must be a genuine Ford product or your 3 year - 36000 mile warranty is null and void".

If you're paying $50 for a bag of 500 yellow wirenuts, you're getting ripped off. I've never seen a bag of yellows or even tan Twisters (my personal preference) go for more than $35.

Not sure where you are in the country but one of the reasons I started using the Sunstar wire nuts was because one day while I was at one of the main supply houses in my area I picked up a 500 count bag of little orange wire nuts and added them to the rest of my order and never asked about the price. I figured "How much could they possibly be?" When I got home and began entering my supply house bills into my computer I noticed they charged me $32.00 for the bag. That was the last time I purchased from them.

I'm not an advocate of buying "cheap and dirty". I choose to use quality products wherever and whenever I can. If there is a disparity in price that amounts to pennies or a few bucks I'll choose the better product every time. However, when the disparity is so far out of whack that I would end up spending hundreds of dollars for equivalent products I'll choose the lesser price.

 

[goldstar]

Sinc can lights have been manufactured for years, did it occur to you that American Manufacturers knew damn well their plastic was going to turn yellow and brittle?

??? Not sure where you're going with this.

If saving a buck large scale makes sense, why not small scale? If you're wiring 100 tract houses, you wire to minimum code, right? (plus extras)

I guess you're right but I don't work for track builders so I wouldn't know.

If you're wiring one spec house, do you go all out?

If I'm getting paid for it - yes.

You keep looking for the cheapest price elsewhere. LEt me know what kinds of jobs your grandchildren end up with. And in what country.

??? Not sure where you're going with this either.

 

[lat1]

I hang out with the guys from the supply house and watch their kids at sporting events..so my money is well spent...dont know anyone from Internet shop..never seen there face no idea where our local money went too..wow no help to our community..support America shop local..by the way I like halo as well and we even get deals on them..

one of the reasons i was looking for other suppliers is the fact that my local supply house is the worst company i have ever delt with. i live in the boonies and they are the only game in town. my boss is also buddies with the manager/owner but that doe not help. EVERY order(mon. wed. fri.) gets screwed up, if your lucky and they actually put it thru.. i've called up after 2 weeks looking for an order, and they have no clue that i ever ordered anything! we have tried other nearby suppliers but they don't carry the same quality product lines. i'll admit that these cans are crap and wont go there again, but i will keep trying to figure out a way to cut our main supply house out of the loop. it drives me crazy that this one (corporate) supply house has the monopoly on quality products, but their service is beyond bad. the other regional suppliers go out of their way to accomadate our needs but just don't have the quality product lines. rant over!
i called the co., usa lighting(in business for 49 years, 12 online), they said it could be either a loose connection, or a voltage spike. i made sure the connections were good, but i have no idea about a voltage spike. is this a real condition? there are 3 other cans on this circuit that are fine.