MK Logic Plus vs Hager Sollysta - which one should I choose?

Alla Musica · Jan 8, 2024

Mike Johnson said:
In a domestic situation it has to be the most annoying noise you can hear half way through the night when getting up to relieve yourself or worse someone else doing the same.

Makes total sense - what a pain in the *ss should this ever be in real life

Alla Musica · Jan 9, 2024

Simon47 said:
And of course, if the relays are AC, they hum when engaged.
At a previous employer we were in a shared office building with all electric heating (storage heaters). The meters were elsewhere in the building, so each unit had a contactor controlled by the switch in the meter. A significant bang when they pulled in, and a hum while they were in - we knew when we'd got off-peak power during the day (it did happen from time to time).

That's really interesting. If I ever travel to North America I would feel incomplete if I don't hear the 60Hz hum (approx. a minor third above the 50Hz hum)!

Simon47 · Jan 10, 2024

Alla Musica said:
Could you name a few that you find "hard"?

I don't recommend Axiom.

On a different tack ...
I got caught out when I was doing the living room last year and bought some Varilight fittings (to match the existing ones). It was only when I came to fit them that I found some of their ranges are a bit larger so two singles won't fit on a dual box.
There was some colourful language when I found that.

Alla Musica · Jan 12, 2024

Simon47 said:
bought some Varilight fittings (to match the existing ones)

Ah, Varilight - did you mean their non-dimming switch range like the below?

[ElectriciansForums.net] MK Logic Plus vs Hager Sollysta - which one should I choose?

Would be helpful to know if you mean the above is really slightly larger than average UK single plates...? I have a backbox hole that is just too large for an MK Logic+ failed to cover fully...

Simon47 · Jan 16, 2024

You need to look at the specs. These are 91x91mm, while these are 86x86mm. That extra 10mm width means that the first of those won't fit side by side on a dual box, or where you've spaced boxes to suit standard accessories. I was "a bit annoyed" when I realised - only when I came to start fitting them. Since I didn't have time to wait for something else, I used what was in stock locally, including replacing what had already been there (I added a lot of sockets), and now it's all Logic+

nicebutdim · Jan 16, 2024

Simon47 said:
You need to look at the specs. These are 91x91mm, while these are 86x86mm. That extra 10mm width means that the first of those won't fit side by side on a dual box, or where you've spaced boxes to suit standard accessories. I was "a bit annoyed" when I realised - only when I came to start fitting them. Since I didn't have time to wait for something else, I used what was in stock locally, including replacing what had already been there (I added a lot of sockets), and now it's all Logic+

Problem here is that practically every accessory is manufactured to the same dimensions. Granted decorative stuff can be slightly larger, but that's a fractional difference which is easily overcome. If a manufacturer wants to go against the grain, it would be nice if they were to make those differences more apparent than hiding them in a spec sheet which pretty much no one should need to read.

Is there a British standard in play here or is it just through convention that manufacturers stick to tried and tested sizes?

Simon47 · Jan 20, 2024

nicebutdim said:
Problem here is that practically every accessory is manufactured to the same dimensions. Granted decorative stuff can be slightly larger, but that's a fractional difference which is easily overcome. If a manufacturer wants to go against the grain, it would be nice if they were to make those differences more apparent than hiding them in a spec sheet which pretty much no one should need to read.

Oh I agree, and I can assure you that when I figured out what was wrong, someone's ears must have been burning at Varilight !

nicebutdim said:
Is there a British standard in play here or is it just through convention that manufacturers stick to tried and tested sizes?

TBH I have no idea.

Alla Musica · Jan 20, 2024

@Simon47 As you say, Varilight switches are 91x91; yet ironically their dimmers (which I have 17 at home) are 85x85. It's ironic here the discrepancy between their sizes should they be installed side by side - we don't have anything within the Varilight brand to match the aesthetics of Varilight dimmers!!!

It seems the Crabtree Capital range might however do the job... I'm returning home around Easter and will try matching them.

Alla Musica · Jan 21, 2024

Alla Musica said:
@Simon47 As you say, Varilight switches are 91x91; yet ironically their dimmers (which I have 17 at home) are 85x85. It's ironic here the discrepancy between their sizes should they be installed side by side - we don't have anything within the Varilight brand to match the aesthetics of Varilight dimmers!!!

It seems the Crabtree Capital range might however do the job... I'm returning home around Easter and will try matching them.

Sorry, my fault here - I didn't check the specs carefully. The Varilight white switches are also 85x85.

But even so, the Varilight white switches won't match their white dimmers in terms of aesthetic design.

Alla Musica · Jan 22, 2024

Ric2013 said:
What about Electrium (Crabtree, Marbo[ourn], Volex, and Wylex brands)? Wikipedia still shows one UK factory, whatever that means...

I looked up on The Crabtree Society website that is dedicated to their brand history, and their newsletter (see Issue 5) says:

The wiring accessories are thus said to be manufactured in the UK, but not sure if this is still the case today. The Wythenshawe factory, on the other hand, houses the production of protection devices etc.