Sockets and switches

[Ferdinand]

@nod

 

I think the key insight here is Don’t be a Fashion Victim.   Meet the needs of the self-build customer ie you or your boss, after taking any advice you may need.

 

You want polished brass like the Edwardian Navy; you get polished brass and enjoy polishing it.

 

One consideration might be to make sure that you can switch faceplates later, just in case the eventual purchaser of your house in 20xy *is* a fashion victim.

 

@lizzie How do these floor sockets in wells cope with spills and leaks? Perhaps like most electrics ... let it dry out properly and it will usually work just fine after checks if the leak wasn’t something sticky or flammable.

 

At home I have flat metallic steel in the kitchen and white with curvy edges everywhere else, plus something nearly the same but squarer where we have added a conservatory and in the utility. I am now standardised on Hager white for everywhere in refurbs, mainly as I quite like the robustness of their Consumer Units, and that the Electrician did not come out in hives when they were mentioned.

 

Ferdinand

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by Ferdinand

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, Alphonsox said:

 

Still the wrong flavour of USB, you'll be pulling them out within 5 years and replacing them with USB-C types.

 

 

It'll be USB-D by the time I get around to it! 

[Alexphd1]

My archiectect also had same opinion about sockets, he installed white metal ones on his own new build. We went for black nickel Schneider for two reasons a. We like them and b. They were cheap. Just down to individual taste I suppose.

Edited April 22, 2018 by Alexphd1

[dpmiller]

2 hours ago, ProDave said:

I am a fan of Scolmore Click Mode. The ones I use are the simple white ones, which are cheap and not bad looking, and seem reliable and easy to terminate with no issues.  I latched onto these some time ago when I found the switch modules are interchangable, so you can have say a 2G light switch with one of the switches being an intermediate switch.  This is the only make I know that allows that other than grid switches. Click also do fancy ones.

 

See also my comment on Hager above.

[jack]

We have Click Definity screwless stainless steel.

 

If I were doing it again, I'd go for quality white plastic on all white walls. The stainless ones stick out visually too much for my liking. Maybe a bit different somewhere like a kitchen where you might want to make a feature of them.

 

I also wouldn't l wouldn't go for this particular brand of screwless fitting. I find the little dents in the edges of the faceplate as distracting as screws would be (especially for light switches), plus it's a bit hit and miss as to whether any particular faceplate clicks positively into place.

[lizzie]

Here are my floor boxes. They have a seal that stops water getting in when washing the floor. They are much more prominent in the photos...they will be lost in the furnishings eventually so not so obvious. I have 2 in my open plan area, 4 sockets in total.

 

Its a shame we didnt get them in line with grout of tiles but as they had to be planned into the mbc slab (no ufh under them) it would have been a miracle if they had hit the grout lines.

 

I’m very pleased with them they do exactly what I want.  I didnt want the metal lids that have to stick up when you have a plug in, trip hazard as well as not being discrete.

[ProDave]

I doubt the seal is watertight, more to keep most (but not all) the dust out.

 

Those are common in open plan offices. Most of them that I see have the lift up cable flap missing, because if you leave it open like in your picture, someone will trip over it and break it.

[lizzie]

3 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I doubt the seal is watertight, more to keep most (but not all) the dust out.

 

Those are common in open plan offices. Most of them that I see have the lift up cable flap missing, because if you leave it open like in your picture, someone will trip over it and break it.

The cable flap is made of steel and the hinge is steel pins too would take some breaking and yes I doubt the seal would withstand a bucket of liquid poured over but then Im not planning that, just washing the floor as normal. In the last month or so they have withstood repeated cleaning of the tiles with no moisture penetration even from steam mop on full power as well as labourer with mop and bucket 

 

I have positioned them roughly where I expect furniture to abut. They will not be sitting in the middle of an open floor with cables trailing across so I do not anticpate a trip hazard. It was one of my considerations.

 

The design evolved from the open plan office idea but has been refined and developed and is far superior to the office ones.... I know because we have them in the office. LOL

[ProDave]

What make are yours?  The ones I know in an office I look after I think are Britmac.  I know the cable flap on many has been broken, some have had the main lid hinges broken, and then when the main lid goes AWOL, people stand on the socket front and break that.

 

I am sure yours will have a pampered cosy nice existence by comparison.

[newhome]

1 minute ago, ProDave said:

What make are yours?  The ones I know in an office I look after I think are Britmac.  I know the cable flap on many has been broken, some have had the main lid hinges broken, and then when the main lid goes AWOL, people stand on the socket front and break that.

 

I am sure yours will have a pampered cosy nice existence by comparison.

 

It's because they are often put in ridiculous places in offices. Where people need to walk, or right under tables where office chairs go so when someone leaves the lid up the chair gets rolled forward and rolls into the hole often breaking the lid and the sockets. They are in constant use in conference rooms with laptops and often network cables being plugged in and out constantly. Plus people having to scrabble about under the desk to find a damn socket. A much better idea to put sockets in a bank at the back of the desks in general I think. 

 

[lizzie]

Mine are solid steel it would take a lot to break one of those.  They are made by a small company who specialise in bespoke floor boxes for high end properties, mainly very expensive London houses.  I found them by accident and persuaded them to make just 2 for me.

[Dreadnaught]

1 minute ago, lizzie said:

They are made by a small company who specialise in bespoke floor boxes for high end properties

 

These people perhaps http://electropatent.co.uk/product/bespoke-floor-boxes/?

[lizzie]

9 minutes ago, Dreadnaught said:

These people perhaps http://electropatent.co.uk/product/bespoke-floor-boxes/?

Similar, the name doesn't ring a bell but the product base is similar. Ours were made to our own specified size and finish. Can't find my quote at the mo.

[Ferdinand]

 

Edited: Must not divert the thread.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Ferdinand