Problems with MK light switch quality

[Gavin John Hyde]

Has anybody noticed a decline in the quality of Mk accessories of late?

Where possible i stick with Hager but have used up my stock, sometimes its customer insist on Mk or Wylex as thats brands they know or already have and want it to match.

In the last month i have had several sockets with screws that would not move for love or money, so couldnt be used. these were replaced by the supplier no questions asked.

Also had light switches with various issues, some had screws in the terminals again not moving, they were off centre and jammed or too tightly fitted in the factory. had i applied any more tension to try to get it working the thing would have split.

Had 2 that just plain did not work, current wouldn't go through when switched on! Had another where there must have been a loose connection inside as it made the light flicker and created a buzzing sound when up close.... swapped switch out no flicker or buzz..

When in the suppliers they said they have had quite a few Mk bits returned recently... Makes you wonder if Mk have farmed out production to a third party and quality has gone out of window for profit...

Thankfully my stock of MK is now depleted

 

[Midwest]

With MK I find you need a new perfect screwdriver for the terminal screws, if the tips even slightly worn it'll trash the slot.

I can lend you mine, £2 from BQ.

 

[Risteard]

CE stands for Chinese Excrement

MK stands for Making Krap.

These once decent companies need to understand that they can no longer rely on people buying their products for quality reasons

CE isn't a company.

 

[Sparky Pat]

MK are living on the reputation they had in the sixties and seventies. Used to use nothing else but not now.

 

[Royal Docks Electrical]

Yes I'm done with mk. A whole box of double sockets ruined my day when none of the screws would tighten. complete crap.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I took out a old MK socket today with lovely brass terminals on the bag, you could have put a AAA battery in them, with nice easy to turn screws. Compared to the modern stuff it was built to last, the plastic on it is like kryptonite, a modern one would crack if dropped on the floor, this old one took a blow from a hammer to loosen the paint and plaster around edges and still didnt break.

 

[Strima]

I had to take a hammer to an old MK socket a few years ago as the tiler had tiled it in, that took a fair few whacks to get it to even split.

 

[westward10]

Charles Arnold must be turning in his grave.

 

[westward10]

The old sockets from the 70s and before were made from ivory Bakelite and were as tough as nails, the moulded plastic used now and not just by MK has no strength.

 

[JOURNEYMAN]

Yes, Mk accessories definitely not the quality that they used to be. I found the terminal screws break or stick and try and avoid the MK products as much as possible. Shame as they used to be ok.

 

[UNG]

MK stuff has been going downhill for many years never really used their accessories since they produced the sockets with the twist shutter. I'm sure in the late 80's there was an NHS HTM issued on them stopping there use on health premises.
In the 1960's some of their output was assembled by home workers one of my relatives lived near the factory in Edmonton and when visiting them we quite often went to the factory to collect a box of plug top parts for assembly at home, I vaguely remember they paid 2d or 3d per plug top assembled and each box had parts for 1000 plug tops

 

[freddo]

This topic was recently being discussed at the local wholesalers, the main question was how long before MKs drop in quality causes them to go bust. They have certainly lost out on thousands of pounds per year from us in the past 5-6 years.

 

[westward10]

We only ever use it to match any existing for aesthetics and their CUs we do not touch.

 

[UNG]

This topic was recently being discussed at the local wholesalers, the main question was how long before MKs drop in quality causes them to go bust. They have certainly lost out on thousands of pounds per year from us in the past 5-6 years.

The problem MK has is that it was always seen as a premium product and while it's current pricing level gives the impression it still is a premium product unfortunately the product quality doesn't always reflect this. I doubt MK will go bust as long as people still believe it is a quality product which may only be because of it's price

25 - 30 years ago the big players in the accessories market were MK and Crabtree and most wholesalers stocked at least one brand both were regularly specified by architects
Now how many wholesalers have either brand on the shelf, architects and consultants who specify MK tend to be the close to / semi retired types whose practices have just carried through their old traits of MK is best and have never looked at the current products

When you look at price when I first started in the industry a double socket and a back box cost around £4.50 ok there is a lot more automated production now but the same can be had for as little as £2 now, MK and Crabtree are priced to be a more premium product but chances are they are coming down the same production lines as the cheaper alternatives

 

[Bobster]

I got an mk light switch the other day as a replacement for a friend. (He'd broken an existing one)

Turned up at his, got it out of the packet and one of the terminal screws was already chewed up right out of the packet.

 

[Scott 137]

When I started my apprenticeship in 2000, we fitted at a lot of MK logic accessories and it stated "made in uk" now it states "made in Malaysia"!

I believe the vast majority are made in the UK with some specifics made in Malaysia.