How are BG light switches perceived among electricians?

[Alla Musica]

II usd a 5 as it matches the pattern of lights on my ceiling
4 corners and one in the centre

Wow, that sounds like a great arrangement!

In case of your curiosity, mine is slightly complex. Among the ten mini rockers:

• The middle left switch is for mode selection between normal and vacation modes.
• The middle right is the master switch. Only works under normal mode but not vacation mode.
• The top switches (except top right) controls the general / mood lights and is collectively controlled by the middle dimmer (Varilight JQP252W).
• The top right controls the light outside. Non-dimmable.
• The bottom switches controls the accent lights + other decoratives and is collectively controlled by the left dimmer (Varilight JQP601W).

The right dimmer controls the entrance light and is excluded from the master control.

 

[Alla Musica]

My preferences are Legrand and Hamilton , it's what I have in my own house. A good switch doesn't go 'clunk', like cheap stuff, it has a softer feel because it 'wipes' the contacts, which keeps them cleaner and prevents arcung damage to the contacts.

BG is ok, it's budget gear but seems to work well enough.

Thanks for reminding me of Hamilton. Otherwise forgotten!!!

 

[Alla Musica]

I can only echo what has been said already, I only really fitted MK but that all changed about 20 years ago, MK went from being top of the class to at best average. Click Mode for me now.
Re Crabtree I have fitted a few of them and they are good I just keep forgetting about them except when it comes to there shower pull cords then they are the only ones to fit.
Re BG I do like their garage consumer units

True - I'm quite pissed off with MK these days, at least having learnt how flimsy the terminal screws are.

Click Mode is certainly great for its "modularity" (i.e. MiniGrid) but my only complaint would be sharp edges around rockers. Otherwise I'd definitely be determined for it.

It now seems that Hager Sollysta is for me. Rockers more pleasing to fingers.

P.S. Really wondering what has happened to Crabtree...

 

[Alla Musica]

Back to the question, I can see many of you suggesting to me that BG is commonly regarded as a nothing-special budget choice.

The rental block I lived in was very cheap and everything was minimal - poor quality equipment, no working elevators, no ovens etc. Now it becomes somehow clear why the developer went for BG. Note though, I do not mean to demean BG - as on the other hand, the switches worked very well throughout my tenancy.

Thanks all for answering my questions. That said, feel free to discuss further!

 

[ProDave]

Cheers!

I messed with my MK yesterday; the screws needed plenty of torque to move (somewhere halfway through) and as a result the screws melted slightly.

Nearly pissed off with MK Logic Plus which is otherwise a quality product!

Tight screws is why I went off MK big time. The screw thread is such a poor and overly tight fit that you tighten the fitting to what you think is tight, and the cable pulls out, because all you have done in "tightening" it is overcome the friction in the poor fitting screw. I even had one so tight it sheered the screw before it would even grip the cable.
Absolute carp.

 

[Alla Musica]

Tight screws is why I went off MK big time. The screw thread is such a poor and overly tight fit that you tighten the fitting to what you think is tight, and the cable pulls out, because all you have done in "tightening" it is overcome the friction in the poor fitting screw. I even had one so tight it sheered the screw before it would even grip the cable.
Absolute carp.

Exactly, utter shame on MK Logic Plus!

 

[Alla Musica]

I think my thoughts are similar to yours not used much MK since the mid to late 80's when they fitted their sockets with that stupid shutter arrangement and they were subject of a HTM that stopped their use in NHS buildings when most of the work I did at the time was in hospitals and health centres so Crabtree became the first choice for accessories
I normally use Click Mode accessories these days and sometimes the Schneider Lisse, I like the click switches as you can have different switch types (1 & 2 way, intermediate and double pole) in the same multi switch plate
Crabtree was my first choice upto 10 - 15 years ago but not many wholesalers stock it these days especially the ones I use

Hi - could I confirm whether Click Mode and Hager Sollysta comply to the HTM? Just curious

 

[UNG]

Hi - could I confirm whether Click Mode and Hager Sollysta comply to the HTM? Just curious

Health Technical Memorandums (HTM's) are in essence safety bulletins that highlight issues and make recommendations for continued use or replacement if neccessary

HTM's are only issued where issues are identified with equipment or products that are in use or may be used on future projects so if equipment or a product has not been mentioned / identified in a HTM then it's use is acceptable providing it meets the applicable standards in force for that equipment / product

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

P.S. Really wondering what has happened to Crabtree...

???? Crabtree products are still widely available from numerous suppliers...

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Crabtree/Crabtree_White/index.html

https://www.screwfix.com/c/electric...ts/cat830530?brand=crabtree&modelname=capital

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/32095-2-gang-13a-double-pole-switched-socket-white

https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=crabtree

etc.. etc.. I frequently use Crabtree accessories, (amongst others)...
But I don't really have any specific preferences...
(Just avoid the cheapo non-branded / shop branded products)

Often the choice of make and/or design is specified by needing to match other existing accessories that are already fitted..

Or if there are any discounts and/or bulk purchase offers available for a specific range that match what I need for a particular job...

Years ago to get your jobs done, you needed to keep a reasonable stock of kit in your van/depot/garage..
But since the abundance of relatively local suppliers, offering same day or next day click & collect/on-line ordering has become common place, large personal stock has become less of a necessity....

So, I don't tend to hold onto much stock that I don't need for a specific job... (no point keeping dead-money in excess stock), But in my general unallocated spares box, I do currently have Crabtree Fuse Spur and Crabtree Sockets.. and BG pendant & rose amongst a few other odds-n-sods!

If I had to fit a surface mounted plastic accessory, I do like the Crabtree pattress boxes and thus the Crabtree accessories to fit onto them!
(But I don't really like the far to limiting Crabtree Starbreaker CU's MCB's RCD's etc..)

Crabtree / Wylex / Volex / Appleby are all part of Electrium..
offering various circuit protection and wiring accessories, so they are still very much a significant player in the UK electrical marketplace...

https://www.electrium.co.uk/product...numOfProducts=24&pageNumber=1&search=&sortBy=

 

[sirsparkabit]

I fitted a Click FCU (flat plate ) can't think of the range off hand right now ,it lasted a week before the switch went wrong . It was the feed to U/f heat mat with that tacky plastic back plate that the decorative cover clicks onto imo it's just not rigid enough to prevent flexing .
Switched out for an Mk one and no further problems , however I do agree with you all regarding the screw quality or lack of it and extreme tightness on some Mk accessories but the terminal layout is at least sensible .

Bring back round brass entry tubes , ra ra ra

 

[Alla Musica]

???? Crabtree products are still widely available from numerous suppliers...

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Crabtree/Crabtree_White/index.html

https://www.screwfix.com/c/electric...ts/cat830530?brand=crabtree&modelname=capital

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/32095-2-gang-13a-double-pole-switched-socket-white

https://www.toolstation.com/search?q=crabtree

etc.. etc.. I frequently use Crabtree accessories, (amongst others)...
But I don't really have any specific preferences...
(Just avoid the cheapo non-branded / shop branded products)

Often the choice of make and/or design is specified by needing to match other existing accessories that are already fitted..

Or if there are any discounts and/or bulk purchase offers available for a specific range that match what I need for a particular job...

Years ago to get your jobs done, you needed to keep a reasonable stock of kit in your van/depot/garage..
But since the abundance of relatively local suppliers, offering same day or next day click & collect/on-line ordering has become common place, large personal stock has become less of a necessity....

So, I don't tend to hold onto much stock that I don't need for a specific job... (no point keeping dead-money in excess stock), But in my general unallocated spares box, I do currently have Crabtree Fuse Spur and Crabtree Sockets.. and BG pendant & rose amongst a few other odds-n-sods!

If I had to fit a surface mounted plastic accessory, I do like the Crabtree pattress boxes and thus the Crabtree accessories to fit onto them!
(But I don't really like the far to limiting Crabtree Starbreaker CU's MCB's RCD's etc..)

Crabtree / Wylex / Volex / Appleby are all part of Electrium..
offering various circuit protection and wiring accessories, so they are still very much a significant player in the UK electrical marketplace...

https://www.electrium.co.uk/product...numOfProducts=24&pageNumber=1&search=&sortBy=

Sorry for my stupid error - I might have confused it with GET (Is it the one absorbed by Schneider? Or is it a separate brand but defunct?). Also thanks for pointing out - no wonder Crabtree doesn't have a dedicated website.

 

[Alla Musica]

Bring back round brass entry tubes , ra ra ra

Can't agree more!

It was the feed to U/f heat mat with that tacky plastic back plate that the decorative cover clicks onto imo it's just not rigid enough to prevent flexing .

Thanks for raising this, since otherwise I haven't seen any complaints on Click.
Is it a metal cover?

 

[kerching]

You know when you send tinfoil to be recycled?
Well,the stuff hat is rejected is hammered flat, rolled into tubes and then threaded to make MK screws

 

[Alla Musica]

You know when you send tinfoil to be recycled?
Well,the stuff hat is rejected is hammered flat, rolled into tubes and then threaded to make MK screws

Oh?! For real?

 

[sirsparkabit]

Can't agree more!


Thanks for raising this, since otherwise I haven't seen any complaints on Click.
Is it a metal cover?

Hi ,
Yes it's a chrome cover

 

[Alla Musica]

Hi ,
Yes it's a chrome cover

I see. I have a Click Mode white plastic 2 gang (well, just one) myself. Hopefully still promising...

 

[sirsparkabit]

On the whole , I generally like Click accessories, however from any manufacturer I detest flat plate ones as walls here are seldom actually flat and they don't sit right .
I always council my clients to avoid them in the older rural properties.

 

[binky]

Oh?! For real?

You'll get used to his humour eventually

 

[Alla Musica]

You'll get used to his humour eventually

Aha! I'm not surprised, but... JUST IN CASE IT'S REAL.

Cheers mate!

 

[Alla Musica]

On the whole , I generally like Click accessories, however from any manufacturer I detest flat plate ones as walls here are seldom actually flat and they don't sit right .
I always council my clients to avoid them in the older rural properties.

Just curious still, for older rural properties, what would you recommend for both white plastic and metal plates? (Sorry if the question sounds too general)