Update: The hardware store that banned me for 'unauthorized wiring advice'
I popped into the Ace Hardware on Elm Street last Saturday to grab some 12/2 Romex, figuring I'd just be in and out. But then I saw they had a whole display of those cheap push-in wire connectors, the ones I've been telling people to avoid for years because they fail on high-load circuits. A guy was standing there comparing them to the older screw-type connectors, and he looked pretty confused. So I just walked over and told him, 'Hey man, for a ceiling fan or a microwave circuit, you really want the screw kind, those push-ins can loosen up over time and cause a fire hazard.' Didn't think anything of it, friendly advice, right? Well, the store manager overheard me, came over and said I was giving out 'unauthorized electrical advice' on their floor and asked me to leave. They actually banned me for 90 days. I get that they don't want liability, but it's just honest talk between two guys in an aisle. Has anyone else been kicked out of a store for just helping someone out?