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I've had such terrible advice that I've quit going to Home Depot altogether; I spend the extra 3 minutes to drive to Lowe's. And it's from the exact opposite of

I've had such terrible advice that I've quit going to Home Depot altogether; I spend the extra 3 minutes to drive to Lowe's. And it's from the exact opposite of what you describe. I needed to run a bit of low-voltage wiring from the house to a sprinkler controller. I knew to use the dark grey PVC-like conduit (is it actually PVC? I have no idea). I had everything I needed except the glue. I've seen electricians run the same stuff and I knew the glue they use was clear, not blue like it is for water pipes, but I couldn't find that glue near the conduit. I asked the guy in the electrical department with a thing on his apron with "ask me about electrical stuff" written on it. He spent the next 5 minutes trying to talk me out of using the correct glue, and instead he told me to go get some 2-part epoxy and use that. The kind of epoxy that expands, and would crack the rigid pipe, and has zero guarantee of standing up to water. In the rare cases I do have to go to Home Depot I either ignore anything anyone there tells me, or I tell them I rent (because that way they won't try to sell me solar).

sokoloff 8y ago
> dark grey PVC-like conduit (is it actually PVC? I have no idea) It is. > I've seen electricians run the same stuff and I knew the glue they use was clear The solvent ("glue") is more typically grey than clear IME for PVC electrical conduit. For PVC electrical conduit, it's a one-step process (no primer needed). For PVC water or DWV pipe, it's a two-step (primer and solvent-glue) process; it's the primer that is typically colored and the solvent typically clear. The color in the primer is to facilitate inspection afterwards and the pipes are typically hidden. Electrical conduit is often visible where installed, and there's less tolerance to have the staining from the primer step used in water piping.
- bluGill 8y ago
  You can get clear primer for water PVC. If the inspector trusts you he will let you use it. However if the inspector has any doubts about your abilities he will demand you use the purple stuff (including rip out all your work that is probably perfectly good just so e can see you used the primer). The purple is just a dye, it serves no purpose other than to inform the inspector that you used it. The reason you don't need primer on electrical is the connection is only required to be mechanically strong - water leaks are just fine. If there is any possibility of water getting into pipe you are required to use wires that have a waterproof insulation.
- hajile 8y ago
  That's somewhat incorrect. 90% of PVC pipe is buried in the ground because it can't be in an exposed area "subject to physical damage" which basically limits you to underground or in the ceiling (usually interpreted as over 8 feet above the finished grade). In addition, the NEC requires PVC to be supported every 3 feet whereas EMT only requires support every 10 feet. You'll also see a lot of bending PVC with heat boxes (which often leaves dark patches). As an added bonus, PVC sun rots. PVC pipe and boxes (esp schedule 40) become extremely fragile after a few years in the sun (you can break it by accidentally bumping it). Running PVC looks unprofessional. It's generally true that if an electrical installation looks good, it is good. If you're running PVC everywhere above ground rather than EMT, you'll be in for a very difficult time when the inspectors arrive. The glue is not for water-proofing (it's to keep the pipe from breaking apart -- esp during wire pulls). If it's underground, you'll be using THWN (waterproof), so the water doesn't matter. For that reason, no primer is needed. The reason for "electrical glue" is that it's much lower quality and much cheaper (you'll see contractors use whichever glue is cheapest regardless of color).
  - sokoloff 8y ago
    > [PVC rigid conduit] can't be in an exposed area "subject to physical damage" which basically limits you to underground or in the ceiling (usually interpreted as over 8 feet above the finished grade). NEC citation for that, please? I see it used outside all the time, including in utility service entrance usage (which I cite because I suspect is overwhelmingly likely to be inspected) and many landscaping applications where it doesn't corrode like EMT. I believe it is suitable for use in such locations where the conduit is identified for that use. Completely agree that buried PVC is a wet location; that's clear from code and I never argued otherwise nor argued that PVC solvent was for water-tightness in electrical application.
    - danielvf 8y ago
      Section 352.12(C) prohibits PVC for installations where “subject to physical damage” unless identified for such use. However, the meaning of "subject to physical damage" is supposedly a little loose, and most documents/training I've seen calls a typical vertical outdoor electrical service entry allowed.
massysett 8y ago
The solar! Obviously Home Depot gets a cut of this. It's amazing to me that they think it's a good idea to have people prowling their stores to harass their customers. Every time I have to tell these people to leave me alone.
- lscotte 8y ago
  I have the same experience. I've had these annoying people chase me around the store until I've had enough and have to rudely tell them to stop harrassing me. I've complained to store management several times, but I guess Home Depot doesn't care about customers all that much.
  - planteen 8y ago
    I tell them, "Sorry, but I rent." Gets them off my back immediately.
- SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
  > It's amazing to me that they think it's a good idea to have people prowling their stores to harass their customers. Every time I have to tell these people to leave me alone. I think the trick is to convince yourself you want to see one of them - I find with the regular staff the minute I break down and go "ok, I'll ask where to find it" is the minute the orange aprons all disappear, like a gang of fluorescent batmen.
  - cglace 8y ago
    Never go to one late on a weeknight. The places are ghost towns. Unless of course you want to not be bothered. Then it's a great time to go.
fma 8y ago
Im from Atlanta..head quarter of Home Depot and have a few colleagues who were long time Home Depot employees. From what I was told, after the founder retired one of the new CEO (I think they've had a few and I forget who made the decision) decided that they didn't need to pay for knowledgeable employees and instead hired regular stock person, employees, rather than those who have experience in construction world. This is why your experience there sucks now. Go to ACE if you want someone that knows something. Edit:It was former CEO Nardelli. From Wikipedia "Nardelli was notably criticized for cutting back on knowledgeable full-time employees with experience in the trades and replacing them with part-time help with little relevant experience"
- shaftway 8y ago
  Honestly I'd be fine with that if they admitted it. I have way more respect for someone who says "I don't know" than someone who doesn't know but tries to pretend they do. I've had good experience at ACE, but they are typically smaller so I get less selection if they even have what I want, and in my area they tend to be more expensive. I trend towards Lowe's because the staff will give me the "I don't know" answer.

sokoloff 8y ago

> dark grey PVC-like conduit (is it actually PVC? I have no idea) It is. > I've seen electricians run the same stuff and I knew the glue they use was clear The solvent ("glue") is more typically grey than clear IME for PVC electrical conduit. For PVC electrical conduit, it's a one-step process (no primer needed). For PVC water or DWV pipe, it's a two-step (primer and solvent-glue) process; it's the primer that is typically colored and the solvent typically clear. The color in the primer is to facilitate inspection afterwards and the pipes are typically hidden. Electrical conduit is often visible where installed, and there's less tolerance to have the staining from the primer step used in water piping.

bluGill 8y ago
You can get clear primer for water PVC. If the inspector trusts you he will let you use it. However if the inspector has any doubts about your abilities he will demand you use the purple stuff (including rip out all your work that is probably perfectly good just so e can see you used the primer). The purple is just a dye, it serves no purpose other than to inform the inspector that you used it. The reason you don't need primer on electrical is the connection is only required to be mechanically strong - water leaks are just fine. If there is any possibility of water getting into pipe you are required to use wires that have a waterproof insulation.
hajile 8y ago
That's somewhat incorrect. 90% of PVC pipe is buried in the ground because it can't be in an exposed area "subject to physical damage" which basically limits you to underground or in the ceiling (usually interpreted as over 8 feet above the finished grade). In addition, the NEC requires PVC to be supported every 3 feet whereas EMT only requires support every 10 feet. You'll also see a lot of bending PVC with heat boxes (which often leaves dark patches). As an added bonus, PVC sun rots. PVC pipe and boxes (esp schedule 40) become extremely fragile after a few years in the sun (you can break it by accidentally bumping it). Running PVC looks unprofessional. It's generally true that if an electrical installation looks good, it is good. If you're running PVC everywhere above ground rather than EMT, you'll be in for a very difficult time when the inspectors arrive. The glue is not for water-proofing (it's to keep the pipe from breaking apart -- esp during wire pulls). If it's underground, you'll be using THWN (waterproof), so the water doesn't matter. For that reason, no primer is needed. The reason for "electrical glue" is that it's much lower quality and much cheaper (you'll see contractors use whichever glue is cheapest regardless of color).
- sokoloff 8y ago
  > [PVC rigid conduit] can't be in an exposed area "subject to physical damage" which basically limits you to underground or in the ceiling (usually interpreted as over 8 feet above the finished grade). NEC citation for that, please? I see it used outside all the time, including in utility service entrance usage (which I cite because I suspect is overwhelmingly likely to be inspected) and many landscaping applications where it doesn't corrode like EMT. I believe it is suitable for use in such locations where the conduit is identified for that use. Completely agree that buried PVC is a wet location; that's clear from code and I never argued otherwise nor argued that PVC solvent was for water-tightness in electrical application.
  - danielvf 8y ago
    Section 352.12(C) prohibits PVC for installations where “subject to physical damage” unless identified for such use. However, the meaning of "subject to physical damage" is supposedly a little loose, and most documents/training I've seen calls a typical vertical outdoor electrical service entry allowed.

massysett 8y ago

The solar! Obviously Home Depot gets a cut of this. It's amazing to me that they think it's a good idea to have people prowling their stores to harass their customers. Every time I have to tell these people to leave me alone.

lscotte 8y ago
I have the same experience. I've had these annoying people chase me around the store until I've had enough and have to rudely tell them to stop harrassing me. I've complained to store management several times, but I guess Home Depot doesn't care about customers all that much.
- planteen 8y ago
  I tell them, "Sorry, but I rent." Gets them off my back immediately.
SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
> It's amazing to me that they think it's a good idea to have people prowling their stores to harass their customers. Every time I have to tell these people to leave me alone. I think the trick is to convince yourself you want to see one of them - I find with the regular staff the minute I break down and go "ok, I'll ask where to find it" is the minute the orange aprons all disappear, like a gang of fluorescent batmen.
- cglace 8y ago
  Never go to one late on a weeknight. The places are ghost towns. Unless of course you want to not be bothered. Then it's a great time to go.

fma 8y ago

Im from Atlanta..head quarter of Home Depot and have a few colleagues who were long time Home Depot employees. From what I was told, after the founder retired one of the new CEO (I think they've had a few and I forget who made the decision) decided that they didn't need to pay for knowledgeable employees and instead hired regular stock person, employees, rather than those who have experience in construction world. This is why your experience there sucks now. Go to ACE if you want someone that knows something. Edit:It was former CEO Nardelli. From Wikipedia "Nardelli was notably criticized for cutting back on knowledgeable full-time employees with experience in the trades and replacing them with part-time help with little relevant experience"

shaftway 8y ago
Honestly I'd be fine with that if they admitted it. I have way more respect for someone who says "I don't know" than someone who doesn't know but tries to pretend they do. I've had good experience at ACE, but they are typically smaller so I get less selection if they even have what I want, and in my area they tend to be more expensive. I trend towards Lowe's because the staff will give me the "I don't know" answer.