Lowe's guy wouldn't sell a FPE to a customer

[Minuteman]

I needed a piece of 18/2 for a doorbell today, so I dropped in to Big Blue. As I was waiting for the sales guy to cut my wire, a manager came up to sales guy and asked him about some customer earlier that wanted a breaker but the sales guy would not sell it to him.

Sales guy says the customer asked him to get a 2P30 FPE out of the locked glass case. Somehow the conversation came up about the customer's house. Customer had found 2 separate #12 circuits in his attic and had combined them to make a new drop for a clothes dryer.

Everytime someone turns on a light in the living room or bedroom while the dryer is running, one the two single 20 amp FPE's would trip. So he wanted to install the 2 pole 30 amp. Sales guy would not get one from the glass case. Manager told the sales guy that he did the right thing, and that he should have told him to call an EC.

"Here's my card", I said. :smile:

 

[quogueelectric]

I needed a piece of 18/2 for a doorbell today, so I dropped in to Big Blue. As I was waiting for the sales guy to cut my wire, a manager came up to sales guy and asked him about some customer earlier that wanted a breaker but the sales guy would not sell it to him.

Sales guy says the customer asked him to get a 2P30 FPE out of the locked glass case. Somehow the conversation came up about the customer's house. Customer had found 2 separate #12 circuits in his attic and had combined them to make a new drop for a clothes dryer.

Everytime someone turns on a light in the living room or bedroom while the dryer is running, one the two single 20 amp FPE's would trip. So he wanted to install the 2 pole 30 amp. Sales guy would not get one from the glass case. Manager told the sales guy that he did the right thing, and that he should have told him to call an EC.

"Here's my card", I said. :smile:

They should have open game permits on people like that.

 

[480sparky]

So the guy just went down the street to Big Orange, kept his mouth shut, and bought his 30a breaker there.

 

[roger]

So the guy just went down the street to Big Orange, kept his mouth shut, and bought his 30a breaker.

Probably, but the guy at Lowes can sleep in good conscience.

Roger

 

[480sparky]

Probably, but the guy at Lowes can sleep in good conscience.

Roger

Unless the guy's wife comes in an hour later.

 

[Minuteman]

Had it been a Cutler BR, GE, Simmons, or a Homeline the guy would have just helped himself.

 

[growler]

He could have sold the breaker to the customer and explained to him how "The Darwin Awards" work and that now he's in the running to receive one.
The Gene pool needs a little chlorine from time to time.

 

[wireguru]

the 20a FPE was tripping? must be defective....

 

[mdshunk]

the 20a FPE was tripping? must be defective....

I can't speak about Lowe's, but I know the Home Depot stores have been shelling out a pretty good penny to get qualified guys in their electrical aisle. I pity those guys, for liability's sake, but they're offering right around 25 bucks an hour for licensed electricians to work at HD. Not bad scratch, really, for all the more you have to do.

 

[480sparky]

I can't speak about Lowe's, but I know the Home Depot stores have been shelling out a pretty good penny to get qualified guys in their electrical aisle. I pity those guys, for liability's sake, but they're offering right around 25 bucks an hour for licensed electricians to work at HD. Not bad scratch, really, for all the more you have to do.

At Lowe's, they're called Lowe's Pros.

 

[Minuteman]

the 20a FPE was tripping? must be defective....

I figure 30 amps for the dryer and over 30 from the other rooms. That's about 60 amps tripping a 20 amp FPE. Your right, it's defective.

 

[480sparky]

I figure 30 amps for the dryer and over 30 from the other rooms. That's about 50 amps tripping a 20 amp FPE. Your right, it's defective.

Absolutely. Who ever heard of an FPE tripping?

 

[ishium 80439]

I know the big boxes get handled roughly here and I have certainly learned to not ask anything more than "Where can I find X?" regardless of the department that you are in. I have heard employees give advice to the point where I felt obligated to step in and try to bring some sanity to the conversation. This case however seems to be a case of everything working according to plan. It's good to read that there are some decent one's out there.

 

[220/221]

they're offering right around 25 bucks an hour for licensed electricians to work at HD

About 6 months ago, one of my guys left to work at the Depot. He got his licence but hasn't yet seen the pay they "promised" him. I couldn't do it but that's damn good money to work retail.

 

[ramsy]

Home Depot stores have been shelling out a pretty good penny to get qualified guys in their electrical aisle. I pity those guys, for liability's sake, ..

I've seen licensed builders behind Big Box pro desks too, peddling 5-10% discounts for volume, & free deliveries. The strategy could be setting up the dart board; shift litigation from corporate scum to licensed professionals on the floor.

 

[mdshunk]

... shift litigation from corporate scum to licensed professionals on the floor.

That's what I'm thinking too.

 

[peter d]

That's what I'm thinking too.

Great. Now you need to consult a lawyer just to work at HD. :roll:

 

[mdshunk]

Great. Now you need to consult a lawyer just to work at HD. :roll:

no, but you may need to purchase E&O insurance, or maybe GL. My wife is only a nurse, covered by her employer's insurance, but she still has to buy her own malpractice insurance to keep her employers insurance from coming after her if anything bad happens.

 

[peter d]

no, but you may need to purchase E&O insurance, or maybe GL. My wife is only a nurse, covered by her employer's insurance, but she still has to buy her own malpractice insurance to keep her employers insurance from coming after her if anything bad happens.

But the box stores already give out advice, and not just electrical. What happens when the guy in lumber gives a clinic on how to build a deck and the fool goes home, builds the deck and it collapses? Does he need insurance too? No doubt the box stores have an airtight way to seal them from liability already.

 

[mdshunk]

But the box stores already give out advice, and not just electrical. What happens when the guy in lumber gives a clinic on how to build a deck and the fool goes home, builds the deck and it collapses? Does he need insurance too? No doubt the bog box stores have an airtight way to seal them from liability already.

If you're asking my opinion, I'd say yes. Seems like anytime you present yourself as an expert, you open yourself up for professional liability.