what is your preferred brand of consumer unit?

[Smudge]

Everyone is obviously each to their own, but in your own opinion, what is the best brand of consumer unit and why? I think i've went full circle a fair few times and still cant pick out a preferred one.

(i'm talking about a domestic install, i/e board change, rewire etc, say roughly 10 circuits).

 

[Robinson]

Everyone is obviously each to their own, but in your own opinion, what is the best brand of consumer unit and why? I think i've went full circle a fair few times and still cant pick out a preferred one.

(i'm talking about a domestic install, i/e board change, rewire etc, say roughly 10 circuits).

Crabtree i always like but not always practical to price in. As i have a account with Cities. I know after their upgrade quite like there own Proteus brand. They used to be awful but seemed to have vastly improved their Mcb's and RCD's and the solid core dressed neutrals give plenty of room to work

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Yep crabtree. Easier and faster to fit than others. Not much in price these days unless you go really cheap and nasty.

 

[Guest55]

whatever flimsy foreign tat the wholesalers is doing offers on lol.
no room for brand loyalties in todays cut throat market.

 

[Ponty Massive]

Crabtree and wylex are almost identical

 

[Smudge]

i have been using wylex most often, mainly down to price, but i always think that the rcd tails are 'flown' to the terminals and ruin the look of a neatly wired board. I like the look of Volex boards but i'm not convinced after getting a warning letter of potentially faulty breakers bought a couple of years ago.

i would prefer to standardize in a certain type, (i have near OCD tendancies), but it's not always possible.

 

[brman]

i have been using wylex most often, mainly down to price, but i always think that the rcd tails are 'flown' to the terminals and ruin the look of a neatly wired board. I like the look of Volex boards but i'm not convinced after getting a warning letter of potentially faulty breakers bought a couple of years ago.

i would prefer to standardize in a certain type, (i have near OCD tendancies), but it's not always possible.

but didn't wylex also have a MCB recall or something similar a few years ago? Do enough digging and you will find problems with all brands I suspect.....

 

[DPhilpott]

Starbreaker wherever possible, it is a joy to install, you can struggle with the crap ones and hen u get the odd faulty breaker

 

[telectrix]

i like the starbreakers but for 1 thing. because of how the RCds and busbar are arranged, they're not flexible.

 

[arturas]

Hager all the way..

 

[Guest55]

Hager all the way..

No offence but your joking right ?
Total french gash lol.
But their 400v glass fronted dis boards are quite good i must admit.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Volex, wylex, crabtree and a couple of others are all made in the same factory - by Electrium I think.

Crabtree are easier to install and quicker and thats obvious to see why.

But inflexible if you want to swap around. Like Tel said.

Not keen on Volex. Just changed 3 MCB's and the RCD in a board (post recall period)- MCB's worked intermittently and the RCD was kaputt. As Paul Calf would say "Bag of s......"

 

[Fin170]

If my local wholesaler stocked them..... Contactum CP range (dun dun duuuuuun)

Lots of sizes available, easy to work with due to space given, don't just look like a grey box on the wall*, Sub £20 RCBOs, made in Britain, flush units available

*I'm sure a wavy doored white box with colour coded MCBs isn't everyone's favourite but I have a bit of a philosophy the average customer cares more about the look of the accessories than what the wirings like behind them.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Yes used contactum in past. Forgot about them, still got a load of spare breakers

 

[sedgy34]

Crabtree starbreaker for me enclosed busbar and mcb clips in a joy to fit
and the bloke who invented it deserves a choc ice lol