Crabtree Accessories

[Evans Electric]

Volex is identical to Crabtree , specially their grid switch ranges, only the name is different.

 

[Andy™]

i have used the new crabtree accessories. design is not as good as previous. never had a failure of the new design though, so its not all bad

 

[batty]

Batts, their adverts are saying they are made in the UK.

I could be wrong just what manager from TLC told me. When Contactum had gone into receivership they had brought a container of d/sockets that were in transit from abroad. Not much is made in this country anymore although MK accessories are but there MCB'S and RCD'S are imported.

 

[Lurch]

I was doing something involving some Crabtree chrome accessories earlier and then I realised I've thought for ages that the Crabtree stuff seemed to have more and more in common with Volex as time went on.

Click I've used quite a bit of, a lot of the chrome fittings from one wholesaler are all Click and I've used another supplier who deals with a lot of Click accessories so have used them on the odd rewire and for the odd job here and there. Not really had any problems with either.

 

[cadspark]

I had a chat with technical at Electrium who said they had received quite a few complaints about the new crabtree sockets. The design change from round brass terminals to square was done on the grounds of cost. They would have had to put their price up so instead they redesigned the guts to make it cheaper. The new design was rushed out and they now admit there are problems with it that are being addressed and will be incorporated into the latest ones. In the meantime the reason for all the cheap crabtree deals is to clear the stocks. As for the new redesign I am told the size of the terminals will be increased as you can't terminate 3 cables into them at present with insulation on. Interestingly the sockets are made in 3 different factories around the world.

 

[gselectrical]

MK all the way.

 

[PC Electrics]

I had a chat with technical at Electrium who said they had received quite a few complaints about the new crabtree sockets.

Not really surprised about that

The design change from round brass terminals to square was done on the grounds of cost.

Well, what a surprise!

The new design was rushed out and they now admit there are problems with it that are being addressed and will be incorporated into the latest ones.

These people are headquartered in Walsall. Surely close enough to have learned the lessons of the British Motor Industry of the 70s and 80s. About the only company in the world that seems to get away with putting out 'faulty' product is Microsoft and even they have realised it's the wrong way to go about running a successful business after the backlash over Vista.

Interestingly the sockets are made in 3 different factories around the world.

Still no word on where exactly, then? India, China?

No doubt Crabtree have gained a flavour of how badly their products are being recieved at the moment. They are certainly going the right way about spoiling their good name for good. It is a lot easier to loose a good reputation than it is to gain it back.

Perhaps you could point your Crabtree contact toward this forum and tell him to perform a search. There have been a number of threads here recently complaining about Crabtree products (and not just the sockets).