PowerBridge inexpensive alternative solution - found !

[zippo]

Hi there everyone,

I just wanted to update everyone on my quest for the inexpensive solution
to the powerbridge product.

A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend who works works in the electricity industry, and asked him about the Leviton male prong
outlet ( part # 4937 ), and yesterday he got back to me, and told me, indeed he could get his hands on them.

So great news ! I've ordered a few of them, and will be installing them this weekend.

It's great to finally find a local source for these, and a very inexpensive alternative to the powerbrige "kit"

I've done all my wiring, and am just waiting now for those outlets to arrive.

When they do, I'll make sure to snap some images, and post them here.

I am so very happy to find a very inepensive solution ! , and I thank this forum for helping me do so.

P.S. - I was chatting at HomeDepot the other day with one of the salesmen in the electrical section, and he told me that I'd never find that Leviton outlet in their store, as it is listed under "commercial" so they just don't carry it. However, I picked up 2 of their inexpensive $10 recessed wall outlets ( for clocks ) ( a great find )

Thanks again to everyone who has posted their experiences.

[CCD]

Ethereal has a UL approved solution coming soon. The entire contraption needs to have this if you are installing these professionally. The Powerbridge does not. You feel the Powerbrige is overpriced? I feel it is undercertified but I hear they are working on it. For now I would not use them until the finish the full UL.

[TedW]

Ethereal has a UL approved solution coming soon. The entire contraption needs to have this if you are installing these professionally. The Powerbridge does not. You feel the Powerbrige is overpriced? I feel it is undercertified but I hear they are working on it. For now I would not use them until the finish the full UL.

The individual pieces are UL listed. A gray area but not much of one.

[flcusat]

I never had a problem selling the Panamax Power kit.

[zippo]

Yuppers, I feel the Powerbridge is overpriced, for what it is, but I'm talking from a standpoint of an individual buying this and installing it themselves. Sure I guess an installer would believe it is not, he will buy the kit for $50, and install it for $150, a nice profit, however from what I read it is not UL approved as a kit. They are being sneaky by saying the pieces along are UL approved, however, together as a unit they are not ( this is from what I've been reading on several forums ) I don't fully understand though, how pieces can be UL rated, but together they are not.

Does this mean that you must have an electrician come in and do the install, and then leave you some sort of certificate, with details on the install, like the date, and his association #, and his name, and this certifies the job was done well, in case there is a fire, and the insurance company starts asking questions ? ( I think it's a good question, not being in the business myself )

( If anyone can explain this to me and others, I'd appreciate that, perhaps this can help me in future installs, including just doing regular wiring in my home )


If you can go to Home Depot, order the top electrical plug, and then find a Leviton dealer and order the other part for $20 and do it yourself, I think you just saved yourself a bunch of cash. All parts are UL approved, and so is the wiring, so there should never be a problem, so I think it's a great way to go.

However, how do you get it 100% certifed ? when an electrician comes to your home, I've never seen an electrician give anyone a certificate indicating that he did the work, and that he has certified it as 100% accurately done.

I'm just thinking out loud, but it's an interesting thought.

This is a great discussion, and I'm glad I found you great bunch of guys !

Ethereal has a UL approved solution coming soon. The entire contraption needs to have this if you are installing these professionally. The Powerbridge does not. You feel the Powerbrige is overpriced? I feel it is undercertified but I hear they are working on it. For now I would not use them until the finish the full UL.

[Ghost]

As an end user and not an installer/dealer - if you're doing the work yourself, then buying the individual parts can certainly save you money. Still, making sure you're getting good parts and parts that will work together well could take some time and research.
And if you're the home owner, in a lot of states you don't have to have an electrician do it. If you know what you're doing, then wire away. Just DO make sure you know what you're doing and complying with all codes, for your own safety.

As a dealer/installer - we buy kits just for the reasons above.
We don't have time to run around and source parts everywhere - the time wasted is more money than the parts.
Unless the dealer has an electrcian license, they're suppose to have an electrican do this part of the job.
And last: The quality of the parts, matters to the dealer doing a top notch job.

[CCD]

It takes me 2-3 hours to run all over sourcing these parts. I would rather not do any of it. The nice profit you speak of is not so nice. If I use the powerbridge I have about 2 hours into ordering it, writing the PO, checking it in and then paying the bill. Then I will have 1-2 hours into installing it. If I charge $200 dollars for it then I make $37.50 an hour. With overhead Van, fuel, insurance, taxes and wages costing me an average of $60 an hour I lose money on every one that I install. I would rather install AV gear. They are a neccesary evil and for now the powerbridge is one of the least painful ways of dealing with this.
Ghost, we took one of these Powerbridges down to the enforcemnt guy at Fl. DBPR and he said we were within our scope to install them since they were not hardwired into a live circuit permanently. I am personally waiting on the Etheral piece to be totally satisfied with our approach to this.

BTW... anyone willing to pay me $22.50 an hour to deal with this?

[Ghost]

Ghost, we took one of these Powerbridges down to the enforcemnt guy at Fl. DBPR and he said we were within our scope to install them since they were not hardwired into a live circuit permanently.

There is also a clause in all levels of the GA Low voltage licence, that states you are allowed to wire the 110vac: 1) as long as it on the branch side of the panel. 2) it's for the purpose of providing power to a low voltage circuit.
I don't remember the exact phrases used (to lazy to look it up right now) but it is something very close to that wording. Either way, I have never had an inspector frown at any 110vac wiring I've done.

[DDeca]

[QUOTE=CCD]If I use the powerbridge I have about 2 hours into ordering it, writing the PO, checking it in and then paying the bill. Then I will have 1-2 hours into installing it. QUOTE]

Jed, let me start out by saying that you are one of my favorite posters.

Does it really take you this much time?? I just ordered 6 of these (some single outlet, some double, in different colors) and it took about 7 mins. They are already paid for and on the way here. Granted, I already have a Paypal account so that took no additional time at all. I will have another 10 mins cheking it in, writing the customer names on each one with a sharpie and puting them in the parts boxes for each job.

Also, getting set up with them as a dealer was one of the quickest setups I have ever done. It took about 5 mins to fill out theie online form and I was approved by email in under 2 hours.

[CCD]

Well, it did take me that long the first time since I really do not do much Ebay or Paypal.
I have to setup the new item in QB and write a PO. Every time I am on the computer I have a terrible habit of checking IP. That slows me up too. I hate office work.

I hope I am not one of your favorite posters in a Mr. S sort of way.