Striebel Und John

[securespark]

Stumbled across these guys on the internet by accident.

Installed a very cheap nasty CU made by them in the late 80's - sold by Denmans.

Needless to say the incomer burnt out two weeks later.....

Interesting to see they are still around & part of ABB now.

 

[Iggifer]

Surprised they're not a part of Honeywell or Schneider, everyone else is!

 

[PBC_1966]

Or Eaton.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Isn't that the organisation which turns out people who think that simulating sex acts with dead animals is OK?

 

[Iggifer]

This is true. I think the three aforementioned conglomerates, on the whole represent pretty decent quality though. Makes sense that SUJ weren't snapped up by one of them.

 

[PBC_1966]

This is true. I think the three aforementioned conglomerates, on the whole represent pretty decent quality though.

Although as with most things, the quality is slowly declining. Planning out the rewiring on our new home a while ago I was torn between the Square D QO range and Cutler Hammer CH for the two sub-panels I want to install, the two ranges here which have long been held in the highest regard. But looking at the new Square D QO panels, they've cheapened the internal construction - breakers now clip onto a plastic rail instead of solid metal - and moved production to Mexico. The Cutler Hammer CH boards are still much more rugged and still made in the U.S.A., so C-H it was.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The Cutler Hammer CH boards are still much more rugged and still made in the U.S.A., so C-H it was.

TBF, they may now have turned things around, but in the early days the cars that came out of BMW's plant in SC were a very good illustration of why "Made in the USA" is not, per se, a good recommendation.

 

[PBC_1966]

Certainly, to be fair there's been bad distribution eqiupment made here in the past: Federal Pacific and Zinsco, for example, which both got a bad reputation (breakers not tripping properly, breakers welding onto the busbars, etc.). But it seems to be a general pattern then when something which used to be made to high standards in the U.S.A. has production moved elsewhere, it's a cost-cutting measure and quality suffers.

I've mentioned Milwaukee power tools before. I have several Milwaukee drills from the 1950's - 1970's era, made in the U.S.A. and built like the proverbial tank. Then they moved production to Mexico to cut costs and quality suffered, now they've moved some production to China and they're little better than the no-name Chinese stuff.

 

[Iggifer]

I always viewed Square D as the poor mans Merlin Gerin (now just Schneider). I never expect MG/Schneider quality from Square D - even though I suspect much of it is made in the same factory

 

[PBC_1966]

Trivia question: Without searching for the answer, what is the significance of the name Square D ?

 

[Echo the husky]

I don't like what schneider did to the Merlin boards, especially now all the earth terminals are at the top in the bigger boards. The bars are in 3 layers, so you end up with a forest of cpcs!
Saying that I don't like what Electrium did to Crabtree, what Honeywell did to MK, or what Eaton did to MEM!

What we need is some nice Bill Crown/Royal switchgear!

 

[JohnD]

I have an idea they were an American company that used to make something else, and branched out on a wartime contract. Did it relate to their previous line of business?

 

[PBC_1966]

I have an idea they were an American company that used to make something else, and branched out on a wartime contract. Did it relate to their previous line of business?

No, but you're right with the American connection.

 

[JohnD]

Ah, this is where I got the idea (I have an interest in old binoculars).

The SARD has a good reputation.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/binoculars/3159336402

 

[stillp]

Trivia question: Without searching for the answer, what is the significance of the name Square D ?

They used to be "The Detroit Switch and Fuse Manufacturing Company", their logo being a D for Detroit in a square. Their limit switches were miles ahead of the competition, and customers used to ask suppliers for "those square D switches", so they changed the name.

I worked for them for a few years.