Once quality brand on the wane?

[GBDamo]

Three MK 45A pull cords all failing to make on live.

Fitted the first, no live at the shower. No continuity across the switch when on, Neutral making fine.

Second and third tested on the counter at screwfix, one failed on live the other on both live and neutral.

Fourth one was dropped by the shop monkey and smashed the Bakelite.

Fifth one fitted and tested.

30 min job took 2.5 hours due to poor QC at MK.

Not a happy bunny.

 

[ruston]

I think I would of fitted another brand. That is scandalous.

 

[ruston]

duplicate post

 

[ipf]

They ain't what they used to be...….get a Crabtree.

Seems like a bad batch, though.

 

[UNG]

MK quality hasn't been good for many years and would never be my first choice.
For showers I generally use a 50A pull switch

 

[Nebu1a]

MK ones from screwfix are 50amp
Did you leave a review on the screwfix site.

The crabtree 50amp ones are nice to fit

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Three MK 45A pull cords all failing to make on live.

Fitted the first, no live at the shower. No continuity across the switch when on, Neutral making fine.

Second and third tested on the counter at screwfix, one failed on live the other on both live and neutral.

Fourth one was dropped by the shop monkey and smashed the Bakelite.

Fifth one fitted and tested.

30 min job took 2.5 hours due to poor QC at MK.

Not a happy bunny.

That really is poor!

The general consensus seems to be to go for 50A crabtree one. There's been a few posts where that switch gets mentioned as one of the best.

 

[GBDamo]

Got caught out really as Screwfix were just round the corner as opposed to a 40min drive to somewhere sensible.

Will get a crabtree for the van.

 

[westward10]

Got caught out really as Screwfix were just round the corner as opposed to a 40min drive to somewhere sensible.

Will get a crabtree for the van.

Where will you fit it on the bonnet

 

[GBDamo]

Oh, and it's definitely 45A, just checked the receipt, odd though as the catalogue did say 50A

 

[telectrix]

Got caught out really as Screwfix were just round the corner as opposed to a 40min drive to somewhere sensible.

Will get a crabtree for the van.

you got a shower in the van??? talking about turning up on site clean??? sheesh.

 

[GBDamo]

Where will you fit it on the bonnet

There isn't a panel flat enough on my van to mount it securely.

 

[telectrix]

crabby or click 50A, either one where you fit cables into the switch in situ, then popt he cover on. sod this squisshing cables into a stupid pattress,

 

[FatAlan]

Was MK a British brand originally? I believe their plastic stuff is stamped made in Malaysia? I see they are part of Honeywell.

 

[multimick]

make sure when fitting crabtree that cable colours line up on both sides ,makes fitting it easy

 

[GBDamo]

On the whole I like MK as the terminals tend to be well laid out and accessible but this episode has left me pondering my future loyalty.

 

[ruston]

Was MK a British brand originally? I believe their plastic stuff is stamped made in Malaysia? I see they are part of Honeywell.

Years ago their Ad was " You can tell a good electrician by what he throws away", then there was picture of the empty MK boxes in the bin.
Bit ironic in view of the op.

 

[telectrix]

i went off MK when they stopped making plugs with the wrap round terminals. good for 30A with a modified fuse ( bit of 6mm screwed rod)

 

[freddo]

Mr Arnold must be turning in his grave. If I were in his position I would be horrified at the garbage products being produced with my company name on. MK stuff really is getting bad, the quality seems to drop down a step every 10 years.

I have MK Logic+ in my house, fitted 14 years ago when it was built. There is a clear difference in quality between those sockets, and the ones I bought recently.

The quality plummeted with Crabtree products when they became part of Electrium. The sockets and 13a switch fuses are proper crappy now compared to 5 or so years ago. Horrid tiny stupid little square terminals. I remember when they first changed the design, the Crabtree rep was visiting the local wholesalers, he was getting so much abuse from the electricians there he had to leave.

 

[Nebu1a]

Still find homes with the MK sockets from the 1960s. Made them to last back then.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Was MK a British brand originally?

One of the foremost British makers of accessories, founded by Messrs. Arnold and Belling (as in Belling heaters) in about 1920. The name 'MK' came from their 'Multy-Kontact' socket design that made contact in multiple places on the plug pin. Their factory used to be in Edmonton in Middlesex.

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

I personally feel that we shouldn't have to fit isolation switches on showers.Think about it,every time someone rings up with a shower not working,it's usually the pull switch with burnt terminals or the switch itself not working.
If we did away with the switch then the whole shower circuit would be more reliable.
Around our area,about 20-30 years ago,the electric board never used to fit isolation switches.We used to think that it was rough but now I feel that they may have had a point?

 

[GBDamo]

I personally feel that we shouldn't have to fit isolation switches on showers.Think about it,every time someone rings up with a shower not working,it's usually the pull switch with burnt terminals or the switch itself not working.
If we did away with the switch then the whole shower circuit would be more reliable.
Around our area,about 20-30 years ago,the electric board never used to fit isolation switches.We used to think that it was rough but now I feel that they may have had a point?

I've often wondered why we have the switch in the most awkward position in the most inappropriately sized accessory.

Why not a decent sized switch, like a cooker switch, next to the consumer unit to act as a maintenance isolator.

 

[Flanders]

I've often wondered why we have the switch in the most awkward position in the most inappropriately sized accessory.

Why not a decent sized switch, like a cooker switch, next to the consumer unit to act as a maintenance isolator.

just use the mcb for isolation . I think you only have to fit an isolation switch if its in the manufacture instructions. In a dometic I would of thought the mcb would be classed os local isolation .
Tin hat on .

 

[Welchyboy1]

There lighting pullcords are even worse, i used them for about a year on bathroom jobs, i replaced probably 12 out of 16

Disgusting MK, i now use crabtree or cheap contractor ones and have had no call backs since

 

[MFS Electrical]

you got a shower in the van??? talking about turning up on site clean??? sheesh.

Doesn’t everyone? Mine is beside the hot tub bugger trying to work in the zones for the battery charger sockets though

 

[MFS Electrical]

There isn't a panel flat enough on my van to mount it securely.

Did you forget to pop into specsavers?

 

[MFS Electrical]

Years ago their Ad was " You can tell a good electrician by what he throws away", then there was picture of the empty MK boxes in the bin.
Bit ironic in view of the op.

Yeah but the boxes weren’t empty