The other day i worked on a pool the timer that controls the filter. First i went to my local elec supplier i show him the timer he brings me back a box and says this is it i say ok . (I should have looked at it BUT I DIDNT DUUU ). When i get back to the homeowners and open the box well guess what wrong timer . It was the kind a rocket scientest had to set. Well to make a long story short I lost time and money . Wanted to make the supplier pay but cant do that the homeowner knew it was the wrong one so i couldnt make him pay. My question is Y do we have to eat it all the time?

Yep, Life's tough then you die.

It was just as much your fault as the supplier since you didn't check it. On the other hand if they gave you the right model, but it was defective, then you would have a claim for the manufacturer for your time. These things happen, you just have to suck it up and keep going. I bet you check the part next time.

If it's any consolation stan, we all tend to hone our phone assessment over time to lessen the stock that will sit on our shelves

Initself an art,soliciting specifics from those who would'nt know an outlet from an omlet, or care to....

Stan, forgive me for sticking my schnozz in here but if it was the wrong timer couldn't you just have gone to the seller and ask if he could chage it for the correct one and refund you the difference if there was one?

Mistakes happen...yes it's worse when you do it in business...but we all learn from it.

I got docked 18$ today because I didn't look at a packing slip carefully....

And how many times have we been working on something at home and the thing-a-ma-bob we bought at the hardware store won't fit/work; the store is 10 blocks away, it's raining sheets and it's getting dark on a Sunday and the water in the sink is rising fast...

Sven ,I think what Stan is referring to is the lost time that he can't bill for.

It's a killer on service work.

Yes it is sparky56 seem like im always loosing somewere.

My regular supplier (BDC Norwich for our UK contingent) is always very obliging about changing incorrect items and I've never had any problems in that respect.

But.... They're 20 miles from here and with the traffic on the city ring road you can guarantee that a trip to change something will mean about 90 minutes, plus nearly $10 in gas.

It's annoying, but not much that can be done about it.

I hate it when that happens

I have to be blunt here. YOU went to the supply house. YOU bought the wrong timer. YOU Did not check to see what you were buying. YOU loose the time. Sorry Stan

If I ran the supply house and you brought this to my attention I would knock a little off the bill. Maybe sell you the second timer at cost. Kind of a "OK we will both take a little bit of a hit". But it also depends if there are other supply houses in your area. If they are the only one, they call the shots.

I think that would be the fair thing to do.
Scott