Supply House and DIY

[ivsenroute]

I was at a local supply house and a gentleman was at the counter. He had apparently asked what he needed to hook up his hot tub so the salesman gave him a 50A GFCI Spa Disco and some 10/2 UF.

Another counter person saw the transaction and told the customer to wait becuase he was given the wrong size wire. He went into the back and came out with 8/2 UF and said "here you go, now you are good for 50Amps".

I just kept quiet since it was none of my business.

How often do you see this?

I questioned the salesman the next day and said for UF he should have been given 6awg copper, not 8. He told me that they always give out 8 copper for NM and UF wire when the OCPD is 50A.

Does your supply house have an NEC handy?

 

[ultramegabob]

I dont care what the salespeople tell the DIYers, those people have no intension of ever callin a professional, they can do whatever they want, no skin off my nose, and no free advice from me either....

 

[chris kennedy]

I have stated before that I carry an extra shirt in the truck so I don't have "Chris, Live Wire Electric" plastered across my chest in a big box. I don't want to get involved.

 

[480sparky]

D?j? vu.

 

[ivsenroute]

It is one thing that we all know this is happening in big box stores such as Home Destruction and Lowballs but at the supply houses that we all use is another thing. Kind of lets me down.

I recently failed a 400A OH service because they supply house told them to use 500aluminum. The local supply houses around here are usually much better than that.

 

[growler]

I recently failed a 400A OH service because they supply house told them to use 500aluminum.

Why is an electrical contractor asking the supply house what size cable to use? If he doesn't know enough to figure out cable size then he shouldn't be doing the job in the first place. Where did he get his license out of a cracker jack box?

 

[ivsenroute]

Why is an electrical contractor asking the supply house what size cable to use? If he doesn't know enough to figure out cable size then he shouldn't be doing the job in the first place. Where did he get his license out of a cracker jack box?

This is the great part about this. The owner of the building bought the supplies then hired an electrician to install the service. Nice!

 

[growler]

This is the great part about this. The owner of the building bought the supplies then hired an electrician to install the service. Nice!

Once you put it like that it's just down right funny. I guess it's cheaper to by it twice than to pay a mark up. :grin:

Guy gets to pay twice and still no warranty. That's the way to save money.

 

[Cavie]

Does your supply house have an NEC handy?

My supply house (which is nation wide) does not even sell code books. Giving advice is not allowed. They just give you what you ask for. They will sell to DIY's but they must waite for the pro's to get their stuff.

 

[ivsenroute]

Once you put it like that it's just down right funny. I guess it's cheaper to by it twice than to pay a mark up. :grin:

Guy gets to pay twice and still no warranty. That's the way to save money.

What is even funnier is that they used a Landis 2 gang meter base that was only rated for 200A total which was stated right on the label. That had to be swapped out for a Milbank 400A 2 gang unit.

Lets just say they were not happy.

 

[celtic]

....maybe the supply houses are doing the legit guys a favor.

 

[ivsenroute]

There is one way to look at it.

I inspected a lot of DIY electrical services this year and except for one guy, I failed every single one of them at least once.

More people are doing their own services for some reason.

 

[chris kennedy]

They will sell to DIY's but they must waite for the pro's to get their stuff.

Rexel?....

 

[mcclary's electrical]

It's not Rexel, they sell code books.

 

[electricmanscott]

More people are doing their own services for some reason.

Probably the same reason I painted my own house, fixed my own toilet, and did my own landscaping. $$$$

 

[kbsparky]

Once that supply house gets stung with a couple of high $$$ lawsuits, they might back off of the advice-giving.

I noticed that at lease one of my suppliers had a sign up in their counter area that read along the lines of:

"If you need advice on electrical installation, contact your licensed electrical contractor. Counter-men are not qualified to give electrical advice"

 

[hardworkingstiff]

What is even funnier is that they used a Landis 2 gang meter base that was only rated for 200A total which was stated right on the label. That had to be swapped out for a Milbank 400A 2 gang unit.

Lets just say they were not happy.

I bet they wanted to blame you for being too strict?

 

[ivsenroute]

I bet they wanted to blame you for being too strict?

Of course. I am a real you know what according to them

 

[Cavie]

Rexel?....

CED/Raybro

 

[jimmyglen]

I worked at a supply house for about 18 years - trained as an electrician and having worked as an electrician

I now work for a contractor (for the last 5-6 years)

you would be surprised at the number of electricians that get their info from the supply house

I cant tell you the number of jobs and services I laid out for guys - let alone the number of ground wires I sized etc etc

I would keep up with code and take journeyman classes at IBEW and others

I am not saying I was an expert -i am just saying that TONS of electricians rely on the supply house for info