What stuff is recommended

[Steve D]

Hi All,

I'm just starting out, and I was wondering what you guys tend to recommend with regards to brands of consumer units, accessories, etc.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ian.settle1]

Hi All,

I'm just starting out, and I was wondering what you guys tend to recommend with regards to brands of consumer units, accessories, etc.

Cheers
Steve

It is all down to the individual some like MK, some like Crabtree when it comes to accessories. Consumer units are the same.

 

[Amp David]

Is it possible to buy anything that is no good this day in age, unless its the suppliers own brand.

It will also depend on what you will be charging for the jobs you do, as certain makes of products will cost more than others.

 

[Steve D]

Yes, I appreciate certain brands will be more expensive. I'm just querying really which brands seem to be best value for money, most reliable, available etc.
Obviously cheap and nasty stuff is going to result in more chance of recalls which is a false economy.

So essentially, the question is what you prefer and why ?

 

[Spudnik]

Hager CU's with either click or crabtree accessories.

Sometimes eve the budget stuff.

 

[Scott F]

Square D quickline 11

Look good - easy to install

If the customer is willing to pay Sq D all the time.

 

[patricklondon]

Smoke Alarms, Fire and CO detection and fire protection specialists Aico Ltd for heat and smoke alarms

Pat Testers & Electrical Test Equipment - Instrument Sales & Services for fluke and megger test kit

Welcome to NICEIC, the home of electrical contracting excellence — NICEIC Group for part p registration (c'mon i'm ready for ya)

 

[cbw]

Hmmmm, I really like MK stuff and usually get away with quoting/using it.

What a shock I had recently, did a day rate job with all materials supplied.....ARGH it was a £50 complete rewire kit.(and really horrid 3c+e)

Cooker isolator looks like the one on my daughters little tykes play kitchen,
2 sockets failed to work,
1 light switch provided a good disco,
the test results from one side of a double socket to the other were miles apart until you had flicked the switch many many times.......
Oh and wires wouldnt stay in one of the light switches.

Needless to say, thats one to avoid!!!!

 

[slocm3105]

I gotta second the call for Hager Consumer Units. Top notch equipment in my eyes. Never had any problems with them, EVER!! Crabtree accessories for me also, as you said yourself quality redices those damn recalls .

Cheers

 

[Eggster71]

Just fitted a protek CU supplied by the builder. Don't bother with them, the cover retaining screws had threaded before I even took the cover off it, flimsy, the dinrail was warped and distorted the cover, the blanks fall out. Rubbish.

 

[Des 56]

It is all down to the individual some like Crabtree when it comes to accessories. .

The crabtree socket (that historically as been regarded as up there with the best) is the biggest load of trash that I have had the misfortune to have "had" to fit
I underlined the word had because under no circumstances would I use those sockets on any job of mine that I supply the materials for or advised on what to buy
They are so useless that it beggars belief that they are permitted for use
In all my years of fitting electrical equipment,these have got to be the number 1 for the most useless piece of junk on the market,buy and fit them at your peril

 

[Spudnik]

Why is that then Des?

Ive never had a problem with them and i have fitted a fair few.

Just fitted a protek CU supplied by the builder. Don't bother with them, the cover retaining screws had threaded before I even took the cover off it, flimsy, the dinrail was warped and distorted the cover, the blanks fall out. Rubbish.

I agree.

In fact another one to avoid is the new style GE CU's

As if the casing wasnt thin and bad enough, its also fitted with plastic din rails!!!!!

 

[Des 56]

Jason
Having at the moment to fit lots of replacement sockets for a client who has supplied these crabtrree sockets
The terminal entries are shallow but two staged,in that where 3 cores are involved one or two may seat ok and the 3rd will probably be loose or pop out
The terminal fixing screw is more akin to a switch size screw and the terminals for live and neutral are set so central and low down at the socket that dressing and keeping the connections intact and reliable is far from what I am happy with
I have yet to fit one of these sockets and been totally contended with the effort
When I make a connection to anything electrical I would never doubt its reliability
These sockets make that feeling of reliability dis apear and thats a first for me
I will repeat what I stated before
Under no circumstances would I fit them on a job that I supplied or advised on
Fitting one of them and then fitting even a volex is a different experience
I used to have high regard for crabtree fittings but they have made me doubt their commitment to anything aproaching quality with those contraptions

Thats a negative for crabtree from me then

 

[Amp David]

The Square D Dormae units have a plastic DIN rail and no space at all for your cables. Load of tosh