Trendi Switch 2-Gang Socket Earthing

Bessie · Jun 14, 2021

I recently installed about 10 (user supplied) Trendi Switch 2-gang sockets. When tested with a socket tester, 4 of them reported an earth fault on just one side only. I told the customer to take them back, which he did. However, when he replaced one of them with a new item, he got the same fault. After a bit of playing around he discovered that if you tighten down the unused earth terminal, the problem seems to go away. Haven't measured Zs yet to see if there is any difference, but this is the first time I have come across this requirement in a 2-gang socket.

snowhead · Jun 14, 2021

I'm sure there was a similar post on here recently where the earth terminals had to be linked, may not have been a Trendi.
It sounds like the Trendi may have an internal link which needs the terminal tightened to make contact.

Update,

This is the back of a Trendi from their website, looks like the brass terminal which presumably is the earth pin on the front, is not directly connected to the link across the back and to the screw holes.
I'd guess the bar drops down slightly when the screw is tightened

[ElectriciansForums.net] Trendi Switch 2-Gang Socket Earthing

DPG · Jun 14, 2021

There's some really dodgy stuff around at the minute. Wonder how many sockets are installed in houses up and down the country where one side has no earth?

Pete999 · Jun 14, 2021

DPG said:
There's some really dodgy stuff around at the minute. Wonder how many sockets are installed in houses up and down the country where one side has no earth?

Quite a few if they aint tested properly

littlespark · Jun 14, 2021

Looks like you need to link the lives and neutrals as well?

silly design.

nicebutdim · Jun 14, 2021

littlespark said:
Looks like you need to link the lives and neutrals as well?

silly design.

Indeed you do according to their own "technical" information - no continuity between L, N or E of 2 gang sockets.

Tech - Trendiswitch

Technical information Please thoroughly read Trendiswitch® instructions carefully before starting any electrical work & retain them for future reference. Install Trendiswitch® products in accordance with the latest IEE Wiring Regulations. If in doubt, please consult a qualified electrician. To...

www.trendiswitch.com

Can think of one place these ought to be fitted and it certainly isn't on a wall.

littlespark · Jun 15, 2021

Saving money by only producing a single socket, then different plastic mounting frames to make it a 1 gang or 2 gang....

I suppose it can be scaled up to multi gang using bigger boxes.

hasel5 · Jun 16, 2021

This brand is pure Rubbish had to use it once supplied by customer awful the intermediate was a pure headache

Taylortwocities · Jun 16, 2021

nicebutdim said:
Indeed you do according to their own "technical" information - no continuity between L, N or E of 2 gang sockets.

Thinks… if you use one of these “double” sockets as a spur from a ring final, then if you have to link in the second socket that will be a spur off a spur.
or am I being unduly pendantic??

timhoward · Jun 16, 2021

Taylortwocities said:
Thinks… if you use one of these “double” sockets as a spur from a ring final, then if you have to link in the second socket that will be a spur off a spur.
or am I being unduly pendantic??

? maybe not unduly pedantic....
....but pedantic enough for me to be pedantic back and say "show me a reg which prohibits that anyway" ?

littlespark · Jun 16, 2021

timhoward said:
? maybe not unduly pedantic....
....but pedantic enough for me to be pedantic back and say "show me a reg which prohibits that anyway" ?

don't start all that again!

timhoward · Jun 17, 2021

littlespark said:
don't start all that again!

Don’t worry I have bigger issues on my plate - last night my wife said “would it be complicated to get a hot tub?!”
I did a forum search and left her reading….

snowhead · Jun 17, 2021

timhoward said:
Don’t worry I have bigger issues on my plate - last night my wife said “would it be complicated to get a hot tub?!”
I did a forum search and left her reading….

Getting one is easy, making it safe to use appears to be the issue.

Did you point her to the recent ones of Hot tubs apparently being connected correctly, yet people are still getting shocks?

Lucien Nunes · Jun 17, 2021

Saving money by only producing a single socket, then different plastic mounting frames to make it a 1 gang or 2 gang....

They seem to have done the same with the intermediate - coupled two 2-way switches mechanically but left the job of interconnecting them electrically to the installer.