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

[Alla Musica]

Shouldn't all the terminal screws be tightened to the correct torque in accordance with the manufacturers instructions using the correct bladed terminal screwdriver?

Sadly the instructions just haven't make it clear!

 

[Alla Musica]

I've recently been interested in Crabtree Capital -

Has anyone been using Crabtree please - and how do they fare?

 

[nicebutdim]

I've recently been interested in Crabtree Capital -

Has anyone been using Crabtree please - and how do they fare?

Quality is good, but Capital has been on the market for years and isn't exactly modern in appearance.

Crabtree have a newer range named instinct which looks much nicer and has an excellent terminal layout, but I haven't used it and can not comment on quality.

 

[Alla Musica]

Quality is good, but Capital has been on the market for years and isn't exactly modern in appearance.

Crabtree have a newer range named instinct which looks much nicer and has an excellent terminal layout, but I haven't used it and can not comment on quality.

Thanks again - I do agree the Capital line looks un-modern!

 

[Alla Musica]

Scolmore Click is manufactured in the UK

I doubted this earlier - and I actually emailed them yesterday and was just told that the Mode and Polar ranges were made in China... But I hope this doesn't matter at all since almost everyone out on the forum has given it a thumbs-up after years of use

 

[Ric2013]

FWIW, my house had a lot of wiring work undertaken around 15 years ago. It wasn't a total rewire so there are a lot of very legacy faceplates still in use. Around 50% are probably 1990s or older, with the new faceplates being MK Logic Plus for the sockets and MK, Marbo, or Crabtree for other fittings.

Most of the MK Sentry consumer unit was installed around 20 years ago and most of that unit and its modules were retained in the work that took place 15 years ago.

Failures:

buzzing switch on a nearly-new MK Logic Plus 2-way lightswitch after a few months

the plastic broke on the fulcrum of a very old Ashley 2-way lightswitch

a month ago, an MK SP RCBO 30mA type AC that was serving the 1st-floor light circuit since it was installed new 15 years ago tripped and wouldn't stay untripped even with the load disconnected (there was no obvious fault on the circuit and none that I am aware of).

So of the 3 items to require replacement, 2 were modern MK, one was ancient Ashley, and they all related to the lighting circuits. My home installation is more MK than any other brand, but it has struck me as odd that I had two failures with modern MK and none with the older stuff.

 

[Alla Musica]

buzzing switch on a nearly-new MK Logic Plus 2-way lightswitch after a few months

That is very scary to me - how many watts did each gang take?

 

[pc1966]

buzzing switch on a nearly-new MK Logic Plus 2-way lightswitch after a few months

Common on dimmers due to the choke used to suppress noise, but on a simple switch a worry!

Either contacts not closing properly, or a loose wire?

 

[Ric2013]

That is very scary to me - how many watts did each gang take?

At the time, between 28W and 40W lamps were fitted.

 

[Ric2013]

Common on dimmers due to the choke used to suppress noise, but on a simple switch a worry!

Either contacts not closing properly, or a loos wire?

It wasn't a loose wire, so either a dodgy contact or plaster dust had got in. I had a broken faceplate that had got dropped before installation and swapped out the switch insert and no problem since then.

 

[Alla Musica]

At the time, between 28W and 40W lamps were fitted.

I'm truly sorry to hear what happened to you. That's just unreasonable, given that it's far below the limit and that it's a simple switch rather than electronic...

 

[pc1966]

It wasn't a loose wire, so either a dodgy contact or plaster dust had got in. I had a broken faceplate that had got dropped before installation and swapped out the switch insert and no problem since then.

OK, getting plaster dust inside would explain things and is not a manufacturer-related fault.

 

[Ric2013]

OK, getting plaster dust inside would explain things and is not a manufacturer-related fault.

I wouldn't want to judge a manufacturer on a single switch failure anyway, and we don't know if it was plaster. There was obviously dust in the air due to various decorating works and it didn't seem to affect any of the switched sockets or other switches that are in the same room; however, if I did carry out an autopsy, the result wasn't conclusive.

All I am saying is that, statistically, MK Logic Plus hasn't been the most reliable lightswitch in this house because there were 5 installed 15 years ago (if we count a 2G switch as two) and one failed. You could also say that the very old Ashley lightswitches haven't been reliable because there were 4 in use 15 years ago and one has since failed. The sample size is insufficient and there a lot of lightswitches in this house and some get used more than others. I just thought I'd add my sample to the other 5 pages as, combined, the sample size becomes more meaningful.

 

[Alla Musica]

I wouldn't want to judge a manufacturer on a single switch failure anyway, and we don't know if it was plaster. There was obviously dust in the air due to various decorating works and it didn't seem to affect any of the switched sockets or other switches that are in the same room; however, if I did carry out an autopsy, the result wasn't conclusive.

All I am saying is that, statistically, MK Logic Plus hasn't been the most reliable lightswitch in this house because there were 5 installed 15 years ago (if we count a 2G switch as two) and one failed. You could also say that the very old Ashley lightswitches haven't been reliable because there were 4 in use 15 years ago and one has since failed. The sample size is insufficient and there a lot of lightswitches in this house and some get used more than others. I just thought I'd add my sample to the other 5 pages as, combined, the sample size becomes more meaningful.

On the other hand, speaking of Logic Plus, I'm having problems with my terminal screws which have worn out upon installation (3 out of 5 gangs failed). Never going for it again.

 

[Alla Musica]

the Mode and Polar ranges were made in China...

And so are the Hager Sollysta line, FYI.

 

[Ric2013]

And so are the Hager Sollysta line, FYI.

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

 

[Alla Musica]

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

I'll email them - please wait for my next reply. Cheers

 

[nicebutdim]

And so are the Hager Sollysta line, FYI.

I expect most low priced goods to be manufactured in China, but thought I'd read that Click manufactured accessories in the UK. I guess they'd be much more expensive if made here.

 

[nicebutdim]

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

Possibly UK assembly of some components or manufacture of more specialised items.

 

[Alla Musica]

I expect most low priced goods to be manufactured in China, but thought I'd read that Click manufactured accessories in the UK.

Not to worry at all - you're not the only one who suggested that Click accessories were made in the UK!
(And it's just a bit cringe to me that there are tons of made-in-China items that just aren't available in China)

I guess they'd be much more expensive if made here.

Makes total sense. No wonder the Varilight white unfurnished dimmer faceplate (UK-made) were far more expensive, i.e. £7~£8, while that of Click is only £1~£2.