Can anyone comment on the life expectancy of Crabtree grid switches?
I fitted two intermediate switches in a grid mount about 2 1/2 years ago. I am just about to replace both switches and grid with a Contactum twin-gang intermediate switch as the one of the Crabtree grid switches has failed for the fourth time, i.e. both grid switches have failed twice.
IMHO at nearly £10 a time this is unacceptable.
Does anyone have a link for Crabtree?
Rgds Richard
Did a quick search on Google and found it ....
Rick
No experience of Crabtree, but I was about to ask something similar re MK equipment.
I've had a dimmer switch and pull cord switch fail in less than a year each. MK replaced the electronic dimmer without question, but it was still a pain.
I've bought a no-name replacement for the pull switch for £2 rather than mess around getting the MK one replaced.
Is it worth buying allegedly decent kit? The mechanical action is often nicer, but if it packs in after a few months its heaps of hassle!
IanC
The action of the Crabtree switches and the actual 'feel' - no sharp corners etc
- was much nicer than the 'no name' alternatives but if my Contactum switch last the same length of time I reckon that it will be at least twice as good as the Crabtree switch. This is because the Contactum switch cost £10 whereas each Crabtree switch cost £10.
Richard
It must have gone downhill, then, along with the poorer looks when they changed design a few years back. I've got the previous 'Classic' stuff throughout the house including grid switches with not one failure, and I used to use it near exclusively when I did wiring semi-pro, again with
100% reliability. Not the same with MK, though, although the number of failures were so small as to be insignificant.
""I don't like Crabtree stuff at all. It even feels cheap and nasty""
I maybe should have added the word "Now" at the end of that sentence, as Crabtree used to be good quality, but that was back in the seventies and we used it a lot. Now they seem to be trying to live on past reputation, as a lot of once good manufacturers are. I seem to be finding a lot more of that now'a'days.
(grumpy old fart rant over)
It's not actually the switch which fails, but one of the little lugs which hold the rocker onto the switch. If you can be bothered, it's cheaper to buy 1gang1way switches and carefully swap the rockers. Done this to upwards of 50 of the little buggers in a hotel! Crap design on Crabtree's part I'm afraid.
I have had lots of problems with MK dimmers - most fail very soon after warranty - work as a switch but don't dim.
2 fitted in my place now don't dim.Rick
This is usually caused by a bulb shorting when blowing and taking the triac with it. So the dimmer no longer dims, but just passes volts at full level.
Yup. been there, done thgat.
Problem is blown TRIAC. Easily replaceable, but do it with a bigger one.
In my case manufacture kindly sent ugraded new guts 'we found that candle bulbs blow them all teh time when they go sir'
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