LIght switches and sockets

pennies

Anyone know if there are any good deals out there on light switches and double sockets for a new house build, tnx

davelerave

you'll get them cheap enough at the wholesalers.it's the other misc. electrical items that will pump up the bill

paddymick

Just what ever you do dont buy electrical gear from hardwear or diy shops they are way over priced.
A small example with me was when i was stuck for a 1gang switch so i went to woodies and they charged me nearly €5 when i get them for less than a €1 from a wholesaler.

Stoner

paddymick wrote: »

Just what ever you do dont buy electrical gear from hardwear or diy shops they are way over priced.
A small example with me was when i was stuck for a 1gang switch so i went to woodies and they charged me nearly €5 when i get them for less than a €1 from a wholesaler.

+1

They cost more and in many cases are of lower quality, (this relates to some hardware suppliers and is a general comment not directed at any one hardware supplier).

OP the sticky on the front page lists electrical wholesalers
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055193263

Bruthal

paddymick wrote: »

Just what ever you do dont buy electrical gear from hardwear or diy shops they are way over priced.
A small example with me was when i was stuck for a 1gang switch so i went to woodies and they charged me nearly €5 when i get them for less than a €1 from a wholesaler.

Yes very true alright. Can be handy when badly stuck though which happend once or twice with me also. But the wholesalers is the place to go.

Energysavers.ie

If your in the Tallaght area try a company called Switch Distribution near shamrock rovers stadium. They supply the wholesalers and have a huge range.
See www.switch.ie

Solair

Definitely go to a wholesalers. You'll pick up high quality brands like MK, Legrand etc etc at a fraction of the price that you'll get them in some of the hardware stores.

I was utterly horrified at some of the prices that a certain major hardware store was charging for basic electrical fittings. They had a non-transformer MK shaver socket i.e. for use on a dressing table or somewhere outside a bathroom area marked at over 48 euro!

I think they just rip very gullible DIY enthusiasts off when it comes to electrical products like that.

The quality in a wholesalers is also vastly better than some of the hardware stores. Ideally, if you're not that tight for funds, go for decent quality brand name fittings as they will pay off in the end.

I would recommend avoiding non-branded stuff as it's often just barely compliant with the standards and if there's no manufacture's name on it, then nobody is really standing over it other than the retailer.

Good quality fittings are usually easier to wire, look better and are more robust and less likely to cause problems such as sockets becoming very loose after a while and overheating.

If you've kids in the house, some of them also incorporate shutters which go beyond the normal standard requirements and really do prevent kids inserting anything into them. MK and Legrand particularly strong on this kind of stuff and have patents on shutter mechanisms which require all 3 pins to be inserted to open the socket.

The internal components, particularly the spring mechanism that grips the pins are usually better constructed.

On top of that, you'll get a much better range of finishes and colours that will match in with your decor without paying insane prices for them as you would in a hardware store.

I don't know where the OP is, but if he/she happens to be in/near Cork. Dwyer's on Forge Hill which is just off the Airport Road is well worth a visit. They've a DIY-store style layout i.e. big huge open space but they carry all the trade products. It's a bit easier to browse than some of the wholesalers where you have to ask at a counter.

KatieO8

Another key is to look for a brand that does non standard items, so that all of the different outlets 'suite' together. All the hi price/low quality DIY brands will do just the basic switches and sockets but if you want to get computer outlets, or speaker outlets, or even HDMI in a particular finish, that costs, but will come from a top class manufacturer. I even got my electrical gear and door handles all to match from a company called HAMILTONS in the UK, they sell through the wholesalers, but they are at www.hamilton-litestat.co.uk

M cebee

i 2nd fixed a house in that hamilton stuff a while back

crazy dear(50 quid sockets) and total junk electrical quality


didn't even have like IP2X on the accessories-get a shock touching the back of sockets and switches

Bruthal

M cebee wrote: »

i 2nd fixed a house in that hamilton stuff a while back

crazy dear(50 quid sockets) and total junk electrical quality


didn't even have like IP2X on the accessories-get a shock touching the back of sockets and switches

Never used that, i`l know not to now if it ever comes up.