Wago alternatives? Cost effective

[robinbanks]

Ideal 3-ways are 20p each from tool station. Wago 3-ways are 40p each from Screfix

 

[jcaan]

I mean this don't look too bad do they very cheap compared to wagos.. 8 quid for 90 from ebay.

90 For Wago 221 Electrical Connectors Wire Block Clamp Terminal Cable Reusable.

 

[robinbanks]

Not genuine wago though; maybe the connector metal inside is made of finest chinesium and burns your house down in a few months' time

It's entirely your choice; I've a limit to how far i'm willing to cheap out - I think if it came to a toss up between 10p for a no name and 20p for a branded connector I'd go for the branded one. There are likely other economies to be made elsewhere to make up the diff

 

[JohnW2]

It's entirely your choice; I've a limit to how far i'm willing to cheap out - I think if it came to a toss up between 10p for a no name and 20p for a branded connector I'd go for the branded one. There are likely other economies to be made elsewhere to make up the diff

Indeed, in this case the amounts are so trivial that 'playing safe' (perhaps - see below!) is probably a no-brainer.

However, if, rather than 10p and 20p it were £100 and £200 then it would not be quite so simple - the extra £100 might mean 'a better product', or might just mean 'a lot more profit'. There was once a time when 'more expensive' generally did mean 'better', but that's no longer the case, and it's now not even impossible that the more expensive product is actually of inferior quality.

However, I don't really have any particularly constructive suggestions about what one can do about this - other than that one probably should try to look at reviews and recommendations regarding 'quality' (based on the experiences of oneself or others), rather than looking at price, brand or nationality of manufacturer.

 

[jcaan]

Indeed, in this case the amounts are so trivial that 'playing safe' (perhaps - see below!) is probably a no-brainer.

However, if, rather than 10p and 20p it were £100 and £200 then it would not be quite so simple - the extra £100 might mean 'a better product', or might just mean 'a lot more profit'. There was once a time when 'more expensive' generally did mean 'better', but that's no longer the case, and it's now not even impossible that the more expensive product is actually of inferior quality.

However, I don't really have any particularly constructive suggestions about what one can do about this - other than that one probably should try to look at reviews and recommendations regarding 'quality' (based on the experiences of oneself or others), rather than looking at price, brand or nationality of manufacturer.

This is how I see things. Multiply the small savings becomes big especially if use them alot.

Also problem with these kind of reviews is that they haven't been used long enough (in most cases) to know whether it was worth it or not.

 

[Murdochcat]

This is how I see things. Multiply the small savings becomes big especially if use them alot.

Also problem with these kind of reviews is that they haven't been used long enough (in most cases) to know whether it was worth it or not.

The flip side is don’t waste time thinking about this stuff too much and use this time to do more work. That’s far more profitable IMHO

And don’t forget to bill them to your customers too

 

[robinbanks]

However, if, rather than 10p and 20p it were £100 and £200 then it would not be quite so simple

If you're using a thousand wago connectors during your rewire of the east wing, you're probably not the sort who's going to blink at dropping an extra hundred quid on connectors..

 

[jcaan]

So shall we say wagos it is ?

 

[Murdochcat]

So shall we say wagos it is ?

A wise decision and get the correct enclosures too.

 

[JohnW2]

This is how I see things. Multiply the small savings becomes big especially if use them alot.

Yes,that can be an issue.

Also problem with these kind of reviews is that they haven't been used long enough (in most cases) to know whether it was worth it or not.

Indeed so - but that applies to Wagos almost as much as other brands of similar items. Whereas we have very many decades experience of JBs with screwed connections in domestic installations, it will be a very long time before we have anything like as much experience of 'spring-loaded' terminals.

There are therefore lots of uncertainties such that, as I said, it would be wrong to assume that 'cheaper is worse' or 'more expensive is better' - or, indeed, whether any of the brands are as good/safe in very long-term use as the screwed-terminal connections of the past.

 

[JohnW2]

If you're using a thousand wago connectors during your rewire of the east wing, you're probably not the sort who's going to blink at dropping an extra hundred quid on connectors..

Indeed - but, as I've said, how sure can you be that a newer/cheaper alternative will not actually be 'better' or more reliable/'safer' in very long-term service? It's currently all really guesswork, and it's naive to believe that 'more expensive' (or 'better-known brand') necessarily means 'better'.

 

[Ragnar_AT]

Spring-loaded terminals have been around since the 1970s and quite a few countries on the continent have been using them almost exclusively for the better part of 30 years (German manufacturers pretty much abandoned sockets with screw terminals when the VDE allowed spring-loaded terminals in 1995, ones with screw terminals are special order only these days). For me that’s a sufficient evaluation period.

 

[JohnW2]

Spring-loaded terminals have been around since the 1970s and quite a few countries on the continent have been using them almost exclusively for the better part of 30 years ...

Yes, that is what is always cited, and I admit that the "we" that I mentioned was the UK.

However, in terms of potential differences between products of different types/costs which this thread has been discussing, one crucial factor with sprung-loaded terminals is the material used for the spring ("chinesium" has been mentioned ), perhaps leading to more scope for cheap spring-loaded terminals being inferior to more expensive ones than is the case with screwed terminals?

As I've always conceded, it is very likely that spring-loaded terminals are at least as reliable in very long term service as are screwed ones, but I'm used to working in a world that demands data/evidence, and I have yet to really see/find any data relating to very long-term reliability for any type of terminals - so, as I've said, I feel that there are uncertainties.

 

[robinbanks]

So shall we say wagos it is ?

As noted, Ideal connectors are half the price (and more advanced IMO)

 

[blup]

You have to but wago's in bulk now for best value, but worth it.