Flea Market and Habitat ReStore Finds

Hit the flea this morning, same old stuff. Just happened to look at something a dealer had that I usually avoid ("how much do you want for these?" "well, they are like $4 at Home Depot..." If I wanted to know how much Home Depot sells something for, I'll go look at HD.... I just want to know how much HE wants for them dangit!!!!)

Bought two boxes of ten ea (he had more) of Hubbell 20 amp backwired receptacles, and ten (more of these too) Hubbell 20 amp backwired snap switches, both in ivory. $30 for the 30 pieces. These are USA made, and while the receptacles don't say so, the face plastic feels like nylon.... Technically they are "finder groove face", now I know what those recesses around the slots are called!

Also picked up four casters. 3" wheels, about 4¼" tall, swivel, very tight, smooth and the wheels were fairly hard material, just right for putting under a cabinet or shelves to make them mobile.

Stopped at the Habitat ReStore and found a Square D Homeline 20 amp GFCI breaker, dirty but appears unused, looks like wires might have been hooked to it, but the neutral wire was never hooked to the bar or uncoiled, $3, and a new un-molested Bell box, ½" threaded fittings top/bottom/back, $2.

Wished I could have found these receptacles a few years back when I was doing the lighting project or even further back when doing the building wiring, I'd bought it all.............

Charles

PS posting this from my laptop, in my shop, via my new Apple AirPort Extreme wireless access point/router/hub which I connected to my existing wired network via my Netgear 8 port router/hub. Worked right out of the box and once I downloaded the windows software I did all of the security setup and renamed the unit, added password, etc.

Wow! Good find!

Forgot to upload the pics.

wow, my habitat store prices things nearly at resale. lucky...

Charles (in GA) said:

Forgot to upload the pics.

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Too bad they cannot be used in your house, "tamper resistant" are now required, good find though.

Norcal said:

Too bad they cannot be used in your house, "tamper resistant" are now required, good find though.

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If I needed to, I would not hesitate to use them. The cat doesn't try to stick things in the outlets

Of course, I have already replaced all of the house outlets with Leviton flat face Pro Grade back wired 15 amp several years ago. I'm at the point where I really don't need these receptacles, but just could not pass up the deal, never know when I might get involved in a project where I could use them.

Charles

Norcal said:

Too bad they cannot be used in your house, "tamper resistant" are now required, good find though.

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I don't think he cares in his own home!

I'll give you $6 for the GFCI breaker. Double your investment.

Charles and Norcal,

Is there any place that you can legally use these now since they aren't tamper proof? I believe there's a couple exceptions in the latest code for outlets that are blocked, like behind a fridge... I thought that even garages, unfinished basements, heck even the outlet mounted on your ceiling for the garage door opener had to be tamper proof.
I'm in the process of finishing my 40X64 building and had the electrical mostly finished and inspector passed with all the tamper proof outlets installed. Now every time I try to plug something in I'm swearing at the tamper proof's cause I have to wiggle and jam the plug into the outlet. I bought a few boxes of 10 of the same Hubbel (different color though) outlets you have, a while back. Now that the inspector is gone I'll be throwing the tamper proof's in the trash. I'm more worried about young kids being hurt on the band saw, table saw, or any number of power tools they might get into rather than the remote possibility that they might shove a metal object into an outlet. What would toddlers be doing unsupervised in a shop anyhow?
rant := off

Brian

There is usually a lag, sometimes a long one before local jurisdictions adopt the new code.

Many people live in unincorporated areas that don't do code enforcement.

And if you aren't pulling permits, you can do the work however you like. (keeping in mind the inspection at selling time.)

zuk

The requirement does not apply to all installations. Residences. hotels. Public accessable. Dont think shop and detached garages are included

Picked up some old brown Hubbell L14-20R receptacles and a
Cooper L14-20P plug at my local habitat store last weekend. I LOVE That Place! I had been pricing these receptacles at Lowes/HD and wasnt willing to let go of nearly $20 for a single outlet. I spent ~30 minutes sifting through every circular 3 and 4 prong outlet they had (plenty of 3-phase variants) to find the two I bought. (left them with one receptacle). Cashier rang up the outlets for $0.50 each, the plug for $0.75 for a grand total of $1.86. I dropped my coin change in the jar on the counter and left smiling.

Other things in this same store can be nearly retail priced...

Wow! Sounds like one can find some pretty good stuff @ the Habitat Restores! I'm gonna have to check out my local store some time!

Mine has mostly junk.