Best switches / related prodcuts and wires

[Janan Jae]

I planning a rewiring done for the property. I would like to ensure what is installed stay for ages like atleast 50 years without any issues.

Can you please advise what brand / products i can use which will stay for decades and decades without requiring replacement. In simple terms, the best product available in the market
1. Wires used for rewiring the house
2. Gang switches
3. Power points/plug points
4. CAT 6 cables
5. Any other materials with brand/suggestions please

 

[Taylortwocities]

My grandmother had one vacuum cleaner all of her life. I think that the recent ones I have bought could do 5 years at the most.

So it’s hard to look into the future. Only a few years ago there were two companies that were used in almost every installation. MK and Wylex.
MK was the most trusted British maker of switches and sockets. Then they moved production to China, and they are now way down on my list of makers that I would use.
Wylex were the standard “go to” maker if fuse boards and consumer units. Then they had a bad batch of MCBs which overheated and they had to recall thousands. So they too lost their mojo.

I’m not able to predict the lottery outcome, or guess the future. All I can say is that you shouldn’t buy products like this based on price. Look at customer reviews. Can’t be more certain than that.

 

[flameport]

which will stay for decades and decades without requiring replacement.

They don't exist - everything wears out and will require replacement at some point.

atleast 50 years

In 50 years time, electrical installations will be totally different and much of what's used now will be totally obsolete.


In terms of choice - manufacturers who have at least some credibility and are likely to be around for some time, rather than brands/companies which appear and disappear.
Whatever is chosen will inevitably require some replacements at some point, and as an example - if some unknown or 'new' consumer unit brand is chosen, it's an expensive total replacement if devices for it are not available in a year or four when a replacement or additional circuit is required.

Some suggestions - there are others:

Consumer units - Wylex/Crabtree, Schneider, Hager
Accessories - Crabtree, Hager, Schneider, Scolmore, Knightsbridge.
Cables - UK made such as Doncaster Cables or Prysmian. Suggest avoiding imports particularly those from Turkey and similar as cables from those places have had problems in the past. Additionally cable is very heavy and transporting it for large distances in it's finished state makes no sense for several reasons.

 

[Janan Jae]

Some suggestions - there are others:

Consumer units - Wylex/Crabtree, Schneider, Hager
Accessories - Crabtree, Hager, Schneider, Scolmore, Knightsbridge.
Cables - UK made such as Doncaster Cables or Prysmian. Suggest avoiding imports particularly those from Turkey and similar as cables from those places have had problems in the past. Additionally cable is very heavy and transporting it for large distances in it's finished state makes no sense for several reasons.

Thank you, really helps.

 

[plugwash]

In 50 years time, electrical installations will be totally different and much of what's used now will be totally obsolete.

Electrical installations of 50 years ago don't seem fundamentally different from those of today. Sure we have fancier protective devices and we tend to install more sockets. Our lights tend to draw less power, but we still seem to use the same cables and roughly the same rating of protective devices.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Avoid Ethernet cables that say CCA (copper coated aluminium) and use only solid copper

 

[Janan Jae]

Electrical installations of 50 years ago don't seem fundamentally different from those of today. Sure we have fancier protective devices and we tend to install more sockets. Our lights tend to draw less power, but we still seem to use the same cables and roughly the same rating of protective devices.

That's my understanding as well. For british weather, as long as good quality cables are used, i personally believe they can stay for atleast 5 decades without any issues.

 

[Taylortwocities]

That's my understanding as well. For british weather, as long as good quality cables are used, i personally believe they can stay for atleast 5 decades without any issues.

Yes, you would hope so. But things can go wrong. Looking back at PVC cables. Some PVC cables installed in the 1960 and 70s turned out to have a problem. This did not reveal itself until the cables had been installed for several years.
What happened was that the plasticiser in the cable deteriorated and gave off a runny green liquid.
So, there’s no guarantees.

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 2 Apr 2010
• 4

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 2 Apr 2010
• 4

More info

What is the green goo coming out of my twin and earth cable? Why is it happening? | Prysmian Group

Now and then on a job you may come across twin and earth cable that is oozing a strange green goo-like substance, almost like washing up liquid.

uk.prysmiangroup.com

 

[Janan Jae]

Avoid Ethernet cables that say CCA (copper coated aluminium) and use only solid copper

Thank you...

 

[Sureitsoff?]

If you intend to run any cables for tv ie sky, Freesat,Freeview use good quality ct100

Doncaster Cables Coaxial Satellite Cable (CT100)

• 75 ohm• Low loss

www.toolstation.com

this is suitable for satellite and aerial feeds

 

[winston1]

CT 100 was made by one manufacturer and has been obsolete for over a decade. This includes the one linked to. CT100 had air spaced dialectic not solid foam. Any cable claiming to be CT100 is either fake or very old stock.

Use WF100.

 

[Taylortwocities]

CT 100 was made by one manufacturer and has been obsolete for over a decade. This includes the one linked to. CT100 had air spaced dialectic not solid foam. Any cable claiming to be CT100 is either fake or very old stock.

Use WF100.

Are you sure? A quick look sees CT100 as being sold today by Screwfix, Toolstation, Edwards, etc. can’t believe they are selling fake and/or obsolete products.
But I suppose that you know what you are talking about.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Wf100 has a 1mm centre and foam dielectrics as does the one linked to so what's the difference?

 

[winston1]

Are you sure? A quick look sees CT100 as being sold today by Screwfix, Toolstation, Edwards, etc. can’t believe they are selling fake and/or obsolete products.
But I suppose that you know what you are talking about.

I am sure. CT100 was made by Radex. It has air cored dielectrics not foam. All those companies you mention are selling something using a description that applies to something else. That is fake.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Indeed radex did make CT100 with air spaced dielectric. but it wasnt universall like as it was too easy to deform the dielectric with clumsy handling or tight bends so the foam filled centres were preferred as they didnt collapse so readily