MK Prices

[RandomGrinch]

Oddly, I'm in the market for another MK 4 Gang switch.

I think it's almost cheaper to go MK grid.
If the switches were all one way, I've found a set for £13.20 Inc. VAT, exc. delivery.

 

[SUNRAY]

And the big question is why is MK still so sought after? other than to match.

 

[JohnW2]

And the big question is why is MK still so sought after? other than to match.

I suspect that you probably could ask the same about many a make of products which was once a (deserved) "brand leader" (but no longer are) !

Kind Regards, John

 

[hovertoast]

And the big question is why is MK still so sought after? other than to match.

I find the Hager Sollysta and MK to be a “reasonable enough” match. Click Mode for anything out of view though these days as I like the quality and price.

 

[Gigagator]

I'm not an electrician but I'll throw my two cents in anyway.

Good old Crabtree for me. And Contactum for Metal Clad accessories.

I have a dim view of MK Grid stuff. Working in a high school where most of our accessories are MK Grid metal clad my experience is that they can't withstand much abuse at all. With a relatively small amount of force the clips break and they get pushed inwards out of the frame.

We've also had an unfathomable amount of the momentary push grid switches fail including one where the whole plastic rocker part popped out of the module and exposed live parts! And that was in a staff toilet, so no deliberate abuse by students.

The key grid switches have a high failure rate for us too, including the white plastic top parts which seem to just crack and disintegrate for no reason.

Because of my own experiences MK is never on my list of brands to purchase if I ever need to buy something. Expensive garbage and I can't believe people keep buying it.

 

[crystal ball]

I'm not an electrician but I'll throw my two cents in anyway.

Good old Crabtree for me. And Contactum for Metal Clad accessories.

I have a dim view of MK Grid stuff. Working in a high school where most of our accessories are MK Grid metal clad my experience is that they can't withstand much abuse at all. With a relatively small amount of force the clips break and they get pushed inwards out of the frame.

We've also had an unfathomable amount of the momentary push grid switches fail including one where the whole plastic rocker part popped out of the module and exposed live parts! And that was in a staff toilet, so no deliberate abuse by students.

The key grid switches have a high failure rate for us too, including the white plastic top parts which seem to just crack and disintegrate for no reason.

Because of my own experiences MK is never on my list of brands to purchase if I ever need to buy something. Expensive garbage and I can't believe people keep buying it.

I too spend lots of time replacing MK grid switches in a school

 

[Gigagator]

We've also had an unfathomable amount of the momentary push grid switches fail including one where the whole plastic rocker part popped out of the module and exposed live parts! And that was in a staff toilet, so no deliberate abuse by students.

Found an old photo I took of the switch in question before it was replaced.


So the rocker didn't pop out as I thought, it sort of 'fell in'.
But as you can see, quite a dramatic failure from a switch sold by a company that probably regard themselves as market leaders.

 

[Deryck Tintagel]

I suspect that you probably could ask the same about many a make of products which was once a (deserved) "brand leader" (but no longer are) !

Kind Regards, John

My old dad swore by MK when he was in the trade but that dates back to the 70s and 80s. I have changed all my accessories to MK as the original Eagle / Volex failed over time - some of these lasted not much more than 10 years and the MK are fine so far. I do think that the terminal screws are not particulalry good though.

I do seem to agree abvout prices though. On the whole MK prices are OK as a DIYer but I am looking to change three fan isolators but cannot justify £25 each for a Logic+ switch. I have looked at the Hager based on the comments here and I could be buyingh these! They look very similar to the MK

 

[Notch7]

I often wonder if manufacturers have awkwardness as part of the design brief.

For a start WTF do manufacturers of electrical stuff like light fittings persist in using screws with Philips heads - and usually a size that doesn't seem to match any screwdriver.

 

[SUNRAY]

I often wonder if manufacturers have awkwardness as part of the design brief.

For a start WTF do manufacturers of electrical stuff like light fittings persist in using screws with Philips heads - and usually a size that doesn't seem to match any screwdriver.

I carry philips and pozi 00 to 2 sizes.

 

[ebee]

Some folk do not realise there is a difference between Phiilips and Pozi and some Folk refer to them all as Star Point, when I was a kid stars were mostly 5 or 6 points anyhow.

what next I ask. Will we start to call all vacuum cleaners "Hoovers" irrespective of whether they are Panosonic, Dyson, Electrolux etc etc ??

 

[Sureitsoff?]

I often wonder if manufacturers have awkwardness as part of the design brief.

For a start WTF do manufacturers of electrical stuff like light fittings persist in using screws with Philips heads - and usually a size that doesn't seem to match any screwdriver.

And plug manufacturers that have a pozi screw to hold the cover on and for the cable grip but slotted screws for the terminals...

 

[Notch7]

I carry philips and pozi 00 to 2 sizes.

I wouldn't mind if they fitted perfectly, but they seem to have screws that no screwdriver seems to fit.

And even more weirdly is those screws that seem be half between pozi and philips.

I must admit most of these problems are with the cheap gear from Screwstation, toolbox, fleabay etc