[Pa & Giggi]

I can't believe what has happened to us! Yesterday a certain well known electrical contractor was scheduled to come out to our home from 9:00 to 12:00 to replace the Eaton breakers that have been tripping for years now. At 10:00 my husband noticed their truck parked out front and when he went to the front door to open it the guy left. At noon time our phone rang, and it was our friendly contractor not wanting to come out to our home. He was saying that there were no ham radios in our area (There is one on Ashville Ave) and saying that if he came out here there would be an $85.00 fee if he didn't find a problem. My husband was on the phone for about 3 mins convincing him to come out to the house. He then agreed to be out in about 5 mins.

My husband walked straight out to the garage and he pulled right up. My husband showed him the breaker box and the breakers that kept on tripping. He removed the cover off the box, looked at it, and said "these are good breakers, there are no problems with these breakers" "We can work this out one of two ways- you can buy me lunch or I will have to charge you a service fee of $85.00". My husband said "What?" "I am just trying to help you out and save you a little money, the service fee would be $85.00"

My husband was furious and then said to him "What, are you trying to shake me down? I have been in law enforcement and I know a shake down when I see one." " Put the box back on and get out of here". The guy by the name of Tracie (sp)? then left. My husb then called his employer and spoke to someone who said that his supervisor was not available but would pass the message along and someone would call us back. No one called us back.

This morning my husband call his employer to complain and actually got a hold of his supervisor and voiced his concerns about how comfortable this guy was about carry out this shakedown. He had surely done this before and my husb was told that this was a long time employee and that he had misunderstood. What????? How do you misunderstand that when he asks you for lunch $$ twice??? He also asked the supervisor had he paid the money how would the breakers be written up on the forged paperwork?

I think this kid has been doing this for a while and has a means to make a few bucks here and there under the table (tax free from the IRS) and his employer wants to sweep it under the table. I called the Villages warranty and notified them and they were very concerned. I plan on calling the online paper next. I am fuming! My husband didn't fall for his tactic because he knew better and it is a form of a scam. (breakers are covered under warranty-not covered under lunch money).

If this has happened to anyone please come forward and notify the Villages warranty. This is not right. If you PM me I will give you the business name.

Who knew a trusted business would scam a homeowner. This employee should be fired.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Pa & Giggi

I can't believe what has happened to us! Yesterday a certain well known electrical contractor was scheduled to come out to our home from 9:00 to 12:00 to replace the Eaton breakers that have been tripping for years now. At 10:00 my husband noticed their truck parked out front and when he went to the front door to open it the guy left. At noon time our phone rang, and it was our friendly contractor not wanting to come out to our home. He was saying that there were no ham radios in our area (There is one on Ashville Ave) and saying that if he came out here there would be an $85.00 fee if he didn't find a problem. My husband was on the phone for about 3 mins convincing him to come out to the house. He then agreed to be out in about 5 mins.

My husband walked straight out to the garage and he pulled right up. My husband showed him the breaker box and the breakers that kept on tripping. He removed the cover off the box, looked at it, and said "these are good breakers, there are no problems with these breakers" "We can work this out one of two ways- you can buy me lunch or I will have to charge you a service fee of $85.00". My husband said "What?" "I am just trying to help you out and save you a little money, the service fee would be $85.00"

My husband was furious and then said to him "What, are you trying to shake me down? I have been in law enforcement and I know a shake down when I see one." " Put the box back on and get out of here". The guy by the name of Tracie (sp)? then left. My husb then called his employer and spoke to someone who said that his supervisor was not available but would pass the message along and someone would call us back. No one called us back.

This morning my husband call his employer to complain and actually got a hold of his supervisor and voiced his concerns about how comfortable this guy was about carry out this shakedown. He had surely down this before and my husb was told that this was a long time employee and that he had misunderstood. What????? How do you misunderstand that when he asks you for lunch $$ twice??? He also asked the supervisor had he paid the money how would the breakers be written up on the forged paperwork?

I think this kid has been doing this for a while and has a means to make a few bucks here and there under the table (tax free from the IRS) and his employer wants to sweep it under the table. I called the Villages warranty and notified them and they were very concerned. I plan on calling the online paper next. I am fuming! My husband didn't fall for his tactic because he knew better and it is a form of a scam. (breakers are covered under warranty-not covered under lunch money).

If this has happened to anyone please come forward and notify the Villages warranty. This is not right. If you PM me I will give you the business name.

Who knew a trusted business would scam a homeowner. This employee should be fired.

I have read this three times and it sounds like this young man really did believe that nothing was wrong with your breakers. Is that possible? It also sounds like he may have been called out on similar calls and was trying to save you the service call when he spoke to you on the phone.


But of course I have been wrong before. Why don't you call several of the other well known electrical companies and ask them if Eaton Breakers are causing problems. Or if they are being called out on service calls where the breakers are o.k. There are new regulations I have heard, new standards and these breakers may be considered fine even if they are "touchy".

[jimbo2012]

The most important thing to here is protect that contractor,

why post without exposing the dirtbag?

As a villages contractor he should be reported to TV, they will read him the riot act.

ps: there is no testing or charge to change the breakers out

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

The most important thing to here is protect that contractor,

why post without exposing the dirtbag?

As a villages contractor he should be reported to TV, they will read him the riot act.

ps: there is no testing or charge to change the breakers out

What am I missing? Don't breakers cost something to replace? Isn't there always a service charge?

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

What am I missing? Don't breakers cost something to replace? Isn't there always a service charge?

Originally Posted by Pa & Giggi

My husband didn't fall for his tactic because he knew better and it is a form of a scam. (breakers are covered under warranty-not covered under lunch money).

I think (not sure) that the OP's point is that breakers and the service charge should be covered by Home Warranty.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

What am I missing? Don't breakers cost something to replace? Isn't there always a service charge?

This is a huge problem mostly south of 466A. Apparently these breakers are either a defective lot, or engineered in such a way as to be sensitive to ham radio signals. I don't know the deal, but the manufacturer, the electrical contractors and home warranty have arranged to have them replaced free of charge. I'm not down there yet, but my homewatch person called yesterday and 9 of my breakers had tripped for the 3rd week in a row.

[Pa & Giggi]

Hi Gracie!
There has been a ham radio operator on our street for a long time now which must be the interference with our breakers. That has been the cause of the breaker issues in the villages that has been ongoing. The Eaton breakers have been an issue and are being replaced by the Villages. My ticket was placed by the Villages warranty dept.
Also, he stated that the breakers were fine UNLESS we paid for his lunch. Then he would replace them.
When you think about it, it is wrong on all levels. He is bilking his employer out of stock and hourly wages, to gain cash under the table. For his employer this is unacceptable, but I think so many employees just don't see this as doing anything wrong. They see it as just making a few extra bucks.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

I think (not sure) that the OP's point is that breakers and the service charge should be covered by Home Warranty.

OH. It was a newer home under warranty.


I had looked this up.
New Circuit Breaker for Planes and Homes Is the Sensitive Type - NYTimes.com

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

What am I missing? Don't breakers cost something to replace? Isn't there always a service charge?

Breakers are defective and basically being recalled or in this case replaced by Eaton the manufacturer.

First it was rumored to be ham operators, but that wasn't proven.

Eaton sent folks here to study the issue and is paying $40 per breaker to the contractor.

There is no service charge at all has nothing to do with the standard one year warranty.

[RickeyD]

There is a "Tracey" that works for Pikes Electric. He does their warranty work in The Villages.

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

There is a "Tracey" that works for Pikes Electric. He does there warranty work in The Villages.

Rick that's only if Pikes did the original install.

It could be several others, just look at your breaker panel that will have the installers sticker on it, call them

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by RickeyD

There is a "Tracey" that works for Pikes Electric. He does their warranty work in The Villages.

Heck, if he fixes my breakers I'll give him lunch. But my dogs might go hungry that day

[jimbo2012]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

OH. It was a newer home under warranty.

No it can be several years old, I know of one being done in St James about 3 years old.

No charge

[RickeyD]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Heck, if he fixes my breakers I'll give him lunch. But my dogs might go hungry that day

[emoji106]

[missypie]

This Tracie guy from Pikes is the nicest guy. He changed my breakers without batting an eye. He was our electrical guy that fixed everything before warranty was up. Always a smile. He's changed hundreds of these things he said. Maybe the lunch comment was part of his dry humor. He probably sees breakers in his sleep. oh well, I hope this ends peacefully.