Why the disparity in prices of RCBO's?

[HappyHippyDad]

As in the title.

I usually fit dual RCD boards, however I have recently fitted a few RCBO boards due to space restrictions.

To obtain a reasonable price for the customer I have been fitting Lewden RCBO's, as at £10 each they are affordable.

Why do RCBO's have such a difference in price depending on brand? I'm not talking about the mini RCBO's as that would not be a fair comparison, just the larger ones. Is there a difference in quality between say a £10 Lewden RCBO and a £35 wylex or MK RCBO?

 

[Dustydazzler]

Mark up ?

 

[littlespark]

I was going to suggest if you buy cheap, you get cheap and nasty.... but that's not always the case. Next board change im going to try the Fusebox brand I've discussed on here before. (After my holiday... woop!)


ps. Holiday in a caravan, near Aberdeen, in October.... not very "woop!"

 

[Zerax]

I was going to suggest if you buy cheap, you get cheap and nasty.... but that's not always the case. Next board change im going to try the Fusebox brand I've discussed on here before. (After my holiday... woop!)


ps. Holiday in a caravan, near Aberdeen, in October.... not very "woop!"

If you have 3 kids under 5 and are going on your own... then maybe it is Whoop !!

 

[littlespark]

Got 2 kids here, aged 12 and 13.... visiting the 3rd one at uni.

Worse than that, my mother and father in law have been on the same site for last 3 days!

Gone now. Whoop!!
Home Monday, then back to work

 

[Deleted member 105166]

It's not just RCBOs, it's everything, from materials to tools. Wholesale margins and production volumes are the key drivers. Wholesalers and DIY sheds alike will make significantly more money out of selling their own label products than the brand leaders, which is why for example CEF hard sell Proteus and Screwfix hard sell Magnusson. Kingfisher will make more cash margin out of selling a pair of £15 Magnusson snips than they will out of a £35 pair of Knipex.
Also, when you get into more niche product, such as AFDDs, 2-module width RCBOs with switched neutral, etc., these are hideously expensive, primarily because the volumes shifted are comparatively so small.

 

[MJPD29]

Because they are better quality. I find lewden to be fairly low end and not to the same standard as hager and wylex. Not sure why MK rcbos are expensive, think they are just living off the name as MK boards mcbs and rcbos are all an awful standard.

 

[Electric Magic]

I have been fitting Lewden RCBO's, as at £10...

Where have you got them for £10 if you don't mind me asking? Cheapest I can find is £12 for the type AC ones and £14.50 for the type A ones.

 

[suffolkspark]

Denmans will do 9.99 for ACtype (+vat though)

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Where have you got them for £10 if you don't mind me asking? Cheapest I can find is £12 for the type AC ones and £14.50 for the type A ones.

Sorry EM, my prices most probably ex VAT. Superlec I think.... good prices.
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Does anyone here actually fit a wylex or MK RCBO board? It would be a crazy price.

 

[MJPD29]

Sorry EM, my prices most probably ex VAT. Superlec I think.... good prices.
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Does anyone here actually fit a wylex or MK RCBO board? It would be a crazy price.

If I have to go budget brand contactum is my go to. No issues as of yet and rcbo around 12 quid.

 

[mattg4321]

I fitted a 20 way Hager board earlier this year, and quite a few with over 10 ways. These were all with the compact/mini RCBO.

Not cheap, but customers were given the option and went for it.

 

[happysteve]

Does anyone here actually fit a wylex or MK RCBO board? It would be a crazy price.

Yeah, pretty much all my boards are Wylex with all RCBOs and an SPD. The options I give to customer are, "do you want an SPD or not?" By the time they've payed £500-600 for a board (including new tails, and my time) an extra £50 or so is neither here nor there. My prices are basically my materials, plus my day rate.

I don't pay anything like £35 though! £22.95+VAT each. Most of the board changes I do are from old fuse boxes, or old BS3871 main switch boards where it's impractical to add RCD protection (or occasionally for old RCD main switch boards where they're sick of the whole house tripping), so the number of circuits is generally low - usually 5 or 6. I used to fit Hager and would like to go back to having that as an option, but my wholesaler can't get the RCBOs for a decent price and their boards are a bit dearer, too. But oh, they're lovely (even if their RCBOs are only single pole).

Maybe it's the type of customers I have. Usually board changes come on the back of other work I've already done, or they would like me to do.

 

[NDG Elecs]

As in the title.

I usually fit dual RCD boards, however I have recently fitted a few RCBO boards due to space restrictions.

To obtain a reasonable price for the customer I have been fitting Lewden RCBO's, as at £10 each they are affordable.

Why do RCBO's have such a difference in price depending on brand? I'm not talking about the mini RCBO's as that would not be a fair comparison, just the larger ones. Is there a difference in quality between say a £10 Lewden RCBO and a £35 wylex or MK RCBO?

I agree, partly mark-up but also definitely quality. I won't use BG anymore as I have had so many issues with their RCDs not meeting the x1 and x5. If you pay peanuts springs to mind. I lean towards Hager at £24 a pop, expensive but the trip times are often scarily consistent - 18.2/18.0/18.3/18.0 and so on and so on.

Tin hat time! I have heard many on here saying they only fit quality gear (which makes complete sense), but then are happy to fit el cheapo RCBO boards. I would rather fit a HI dual RCD with the odd RCBO from a quality brand than a cheap all RCBO board - space withstanding. Chin strap is tightened!!

But also manufacturing has gone down the pan a lot. With etablished brands such as Sylvania I have noticed the dumbing down of the internal components and premature failure. Last instance was LEDs lasting 10% of what they claimed to.

On a more philosophisical note this is really not good for the environment, such a waste of both materials and the energy and labour used in manufacturing this carp. I think that the young and much derided Greta has a valid point..

 

[richy3333]

Crikey that’s a lot for Hager RCBO’s. I pay £15.50 for the type A. If more people supported their wholesalers rather than a race to the bottom they might get better prices.

 

[suffolkspark]

Where have you got them for £10 if you don't mind me asking? Cheapest I can find is £12 for the type AC ones and £14.50 for the type A ones.

Crikey that’s a lot for Hager RCBO’s. I pay £15.50 for the type A. If more people supported their wholesalers rather than a race to the bottom they might get better prices.

What brand Is that bud

 

[Andy78]

I think that manufacturing processes and technology advances will have a lot to do with price. Look at the cost of led lighting ten years ago compared to today.

I remember when Merlin Gerin RCBOs were around the £80-£100 mark each, yet today their replacement equivalent offerings from Schneider are less than £25.

I have been using Lewden RCBO consumer units for over 2 years now and have found them just as consistent over batches as the Hager ones I use when budgets are more generous. The quality is there, I have no complaints, and I can only assume the cheaper price is due to generic Chinese manufacture. The test button on them is identical to those used on SBS DP RCBOs for example so certain elements are shared.

 

[davesparks]

They are priced at what the manufacturer thinks they can get away with charging.
A new schneider Acti9 RCBO is around £75 whereas a new schneider iKQ RCBO is around £35, which is quite a big difference when the only apparent difference is the addition of the busbar clip onto the iKQ RCBO.

 

[mattg4321]

What brand Is that bud

Hager presumably. I usually get them for only very slightly more.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Anyone used the brand ‘fusebox’

I have seen them advertising rcbos for as little as 7 quid