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#72423 11/29/06 09:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 201
A
ayrton Offline OP
Member
I know all of you who are self employed have probably been dealing with this issue for years. I recently purchased two main breaker square d panels for reasonable price from a large distributor in my area. The General panel had all the breakers I needed. The HVAC panel, when I ordered it I only new the one size circuit I needed.
Now the panels are installed and I have the rest of the circuits, and I need to buy the breakers. THE BREAKERS COST MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL PANEL WITH A MAIN!!!
They are telling me it would be cheaper to buy a new panel with the breakers in it.
I am tired of this crap. This is what happens with lack of competition.

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,213
S
Member
They do that on purpose, they know full well they can charge you whatever the hell they want to once you've bolted that panel to the wall and make money hand over fist. So, whatever they can do to get you to buy THEIR panel is what goes... Competition is what created this situation. Otherwise, the bundled panel with breakers would be just outragous.

Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 348
I
ITO Offline
Member
This has been a common gear manufacturer model for many years.

1) Next time buy extra breakers with the panel, if you think you will need them.
2) Always save loose breakers you come across.
3) If you build a shell building, order your panels full of breakers then keep the breakers and leave the panels empty. When the finish-out contracts go out, you will have an advantage in bidding because you already have the breakers everyone else will have buy and add to their bids.
4) On big contracts set up a purchase agreement in the PO for loose spare breakers for that contact only.

This is just how this business works. If you want to talk about who the real con artists are, try to get unit prices on light fixtures.


[This message has been edited by ITO (edited 11-29-2006).]


101° Rx = + /_\
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 717
M
Member
I used to find that, that particular manufacturer was keener on doing that than the competition. That was three thats in one sentence.

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,044
Tom Offline
Member
For sure, anyone who has been buying factory assembled panels knows to fill them up with spares. I usually pull a breaker or two out of each panelboard if possible so that I have a nice collection on the shelf in my shop.


Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
Recently we needed quite few bus duct switches.

It was cheaper for us to buy bus duct with the switches and throw the bus duct away.

It killed me to see bus duct still in the crates thrown in the dumpster.

[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 11-29-2006).]


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,064
D
Member
Quote
It killed me to see bus duct still in the crates thrown in the dumpster.

It kills me to hear of this, since I just spent $600/20' section to buy it.

Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,374
R
Moderator
I just bought a new laser printer because it was cheaper than buying toner for it. [Linked Image]


Ryan Jackson,
Salt Lake City
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 812
Member
I've been known to toss many inkjet printers for the same reason. $40 a cartridge (and I need two! B&W and color.) or a $30 printer?

Decisions, decisions...

Ian A.


Is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 111
E
Member
Needed a 100amp DP Cutler Hammer Push-on style breaker....$85
125amp panel -24 spaces with the exact same breaker included....$25 ???

Huh?

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