Consumer units

[F]

Anyone got any views on MK v Wylex v Crabtree v Marbo as sold by Screwfix?

TIA

[Andy Hall]

On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 22:20:07 +0100, F wrote (in article ):

MK are the best, regardless of who sells them.

[ARWadsworth]

I would buy Crabtree out of those options. My personal preference is to find a supplier with CLICK CUs. All the space you need for the cables and a free hand as to how you set up the RCD if it is a split load.

Adam

Adam

[Andy Hall]

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 00:53:12 +0100, ARWadsworth wrote (in article ):

All of the manufacturers sell preconfigured split units.

Some come just with the incomer and an RCD and bus bars precut which forces the user into a certain configuration - rather stupid really. Almost a stupid as the bundle deals which also include a selection of MCBs and which are almost certainly not going to be the right ones.

The quality manufacturers also sell empty units with just the DIN rail and a full length bus bar plus internal tails. The user is then free to install the configuration of his choice..

[Roger]

The message from F contains these words:

I started a thread on much the same subject earlier this year. (I can't now recall the subject line but I think there was a pun in there somewhere).

After much deliberation I opted for MK and so far at least I have had no reason to doubt my choice.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I bought a Crabtree off Ebay and am very pleased with it - easy to wire, etc, and looks good. But not much experience of other makes. There was a package of MCBs with it, but the vendor allowed those to be swapped for whatever you required or added to at a fixed price per MCB.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Hmm. To me they're merely the MS of electrical accessories.

[Andy Hall]

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 08:30:23 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote (in article ):

Can't be. The guarantee's 20 years, not 20 minutes....

For MS, even that's a challenge.....

[meow2222]

a more important choice is whether you go for one switch one rcd on your split CU or 2 switches and RCBOs.

NT

[meow2222]

a more important choice is whether you go for one switch one rcd on your split CU or 2 switches and RCBOs.

and whether your installation is TT or not, which changes the picture.

NT

[Owain]

If you're using RCBOs why would you need two switches, or a split load unit in the first place?

Owain

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Does that mean they hold stocks of all their 20 year old products so it may be replaced with an identical one? If they simply replace it with their latest version it won't match the rest...

FWIW, don't think I've ever had a reputable make accessory fail - ever. Unless abused in some way, of course.

[Andy Hall]

On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 12:36:34 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote (in article ):

One wonders. I've never had to invoke the MK guarantee.

I have had failures with Crabtree and Wylex products, which is why I won't use them.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

When I was active in the installation game I used Crabtree near exclusively and never had a failure. Of course that was many years ago and things may have changed. But a 20 year warranty from them wouldn't have cost them anything. ;-)

I wonder just how many would take up (or even know about) a warranty that long? And would the contractor still be in business? And would you still have the receipt? ;-)

[Andrew Gabriel]

I recently replaced an MK lightswitch which failed. However, at 51 years old, I don't think it owed anyone anything, and it was the first and so far the only one of some ~15 of the same age which has failed.

Wylex CU died at about 40 years old, and was the first wiring accessory in the installation to fail. (Bad contact on one of the fuse carrier prongs overheated and damaged all the nearby bakalite and wiring insulation, although I spotted it before it failed catastrophically.)

[John Rumm]

Or even two RCDs! ;-) (TT installs)