B&Q Shoddy Goods...!

raspberrypi67

Hi,
Just wondering if any other DIY..er has come to the conclusion that a lot of items B&Q sell are almost borderline defective and just do NOT last?


I've been going there ( Liffey Valley ) for many years but in the last 12 months I've stopped, and the last straw was something I bought a few weeks ago from the Athlone branch on the way home from Galway, as it was handy!!


The last item I bought, was an isolating switch for my bathroom for activating the shower. The last one was there for over 15 years but eventually had to be changed.

I bought the new one in the Athlone B&Q, installed it and after a week the pull switch 'sort of worked'. Eventually after 2 weeks or so it just died altogether.

I sourced a new one from a better electrical supplier...its fine.




Many handles for doors I've gotten there lasted less than a year. I bought a small radiator there too...big mistake. Lasted maybe 14 months...


Does anyone else have similar stories....sorry just had to vent at the increasingly bad quality of goods here and just in general too I find on goods not lasting....

Sleeper12

raspberrypi67 wrote:

I bought the new one in the Athlone B&Q, installed it and after a week the pull switch 'sort of worked'. Eventually after 2 weeks or so it just died altogether.

B&Q also stock MK pull cord switches. Obviously it should last longer than 2 weeks but B&Q do stock top quality stuff alongside cheap cack. I'd have bought the MK switch

It may not even be a fault with the pull cord switch. Installing it incorrectly will cause it to fail in this way too

raspberrypi67

Sleeper12 wrote: »

B&Q also stock MK pull cord switches. Obviously it should last longer than 2 weeks but B&Q do stock top quality stuff alongside cheap cack. I'd have bought the MK switch

It may not even be a fault with the pull cord switch. Installing it incorrectly will cause it to fail in this way too

I thought someone would say that. It was installed correctly. The second one I put in is fine. I'm an electrician!!!

Tomhammer

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

I thought someone would say that. It was installed correctly. The second one I put in is fine. I'm an electrician!!!

I wouldn't buy much at these places

It's best to leave them on ,not be switching them

I'm an electrician too

Sleeper12

raspberrypi67 wrote:

I thought someone would say that. It was installed correctly. The second one I put in is fine. I'm an electrician!!!

If you are an electrician why didn't you buy the MK? You know from experience that it's hands down a million times better than the cheap cack.

Obviously the cheap cack should last longer than 2 weeks but in fairness to B&Q they would have exchanged it for you had you brought it to B&Q swords.

I don't have a problem with the quality of their products. My main gripe with B&Q is their horrible stock control. First week in January I wanted 12 large 50amp MK cooker switches & 12 small 45amp Cooker switches all to be used as shower isolation switches. I also wanted twelve 6mm bosh drill bits. They had only 5 large switches, no small switches and no drill bits. Went back a few days ago and still no bits or small 45amp switches. I've given up. I'm going to stick with Hager switches in the regular electric wholesalers. I've wasted too much of my life going to B&Q & for them not to have what I need

Sleeper12

Tomhammer wrote:

It's best to leave them on ,not be switching them

The fire officer now recommends that they are turned off when not in use. Too many old electric showers going up in flames.

Tomhammer

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The fire officer now recommends that they are turned off when not in use. Too many old electric showers going up in flames.

Really I've seen the connectors burnt but no fires

Big Words

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The fire officer now recommends that they are turned off when not in use. Too many old electric showers going up in flames.

56 a day in Dublin.

Tomhammer

What's causing the fires

First I've heard of it, no load and RCD protected and enclosure

Sleeper12

Tomhammer wrote:

Really I've seen the connectors burnt but no fires

I see several electric shower go on fire per year. There was one on Dublin North side last year where the fire department were called out

There is an issue with some Mira Elite st showers where electricity still goes to the elements after the shower is turned off. The TCO eventually blows. Same model shower, I've seen plenty of micro switches over heat causing a fire

Tomhammer

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I see several electric shower go on fire per year. There was one on Dublin North side last year where the fire department were called out

There is an issue with some Mira Elite st showers where electricity still goes to the elements after the shower is turned off. The TCO eventually blows. Same model shower, I've seen plenty of micro switches over heat causing a fire

Ok hadn't heard about this
In that case isolation is best , suspect the majority of cases are showers in use

Sleeper12

Tomhammer wrote: »

Ok hadn't heard about this
In that case isolation is best , suspect the majority of cases are showers in use

One shower went on fire & the other photo is the Mira Elite ST micro switches

Sleeper12

Ah I found the link

https://www.thesun.ie/news/2891023/dublin-fire-brigade-shower-fire-warning/

listermint

Bought two outside pir lights there. Not the cheap kind. And the both failed inside six months.

One just switched on and off constantly and the other had two lamps and one side just died a death.

Absolute crap.

Force Carrier

Bought some discs for angle grinder a couple of months ago. Opened them yesterday and saw expiry date of 2018.

Big Words

Dont eat them.

Steve

Jebus wept..

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

I thought someone would say that. It was installed correctly. The second one I put in is fine. I'm an electrician!!!

Where have you been buying all your other supplies if you are a professional.. I assume you have regular trusted suppliers and can claim VAT back etc..?

Tomhammer wrote: »

Really I've seen the connectors burnt but no fires

Me too, mostly due to incompetent installers, NOT THE HARDWARE.

Force Carrier

Big Words wrote: »

Dont eat them.

Yes, cause it's only food that has a shelf life. You simpleton.

NomadicGray

Force Carrier wrote: »

Yes, cause it's only food that has a shelf life. You simpleton.

ah dont cry

Force Carrier

NomadicGray wrote: »

ah dont cry

I'm not able to cry I lost my eyes to a dodgy grinder disc.

hesker

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I see several electric shower go on fire per year. There was one on Dublin North side last year where the fire department were called out

There is an issue with some Mira Elite st showers where electricity still goes to the elements after the shower is turned off. The TCO eventually blows. Same model shower, I've seen plenty of micro switches over heat causing a fire

I have a Mira Elite ST. Can you tell a good one from a bad one.

Sleeper12

hesker wrote:

I have a Mira Elite ST. Can you tell a good one from a bad one.

Only after they go on fire unfortunately. I've seen more electric fires with Mira Elite ST showers manifactured between 2012 and 2015 than all the ones between 2007 and 2012. I'd be more wary about the last few years of production. Any electric shower from any manufacturer can go on fire.

Look here's the thing electric shower is rated 15 minutes on & 45 minutes off. Any electric shower can overheat if used too long. Many installers put silicone around them blocking vents designed to cool the shower. Electric shower should not have silicone around it if at all possible. It voids the mira warranty. The average life span of an electric shower is 10 years. People with 15, 20, 30 year old showers are increasing the risk of fire the older the shower is. The heat from the element transfers to the cables on the element over time. This drys out the cable, damaging it & making it more prone to overheating & fire. We don't repair electric showers over 10 years old. Personally I believe the manufacturer shouldn't sell parts for old electric showers.

Someone mentioned RCD protection earlier but RCD if for electric shocks rather than fire. There is no guarantee that THE RCD will trip with the shower on fire. Believe it or not I get people telling me that the shower has had a burning smell the last few weeks as they used it. It's electric IF YOU SMELL BURNING STOP USING IT. TURN OFF THE POWER AND CALL IN AN ELECTRICIAN. It amazes me the risk people take with an appliance using more electricity than anything else in the house but this appliance is where you are showering. Electricity and water don't mix too well.

Big Words

Avoid cowboy father and son team.

Sleeper12

Big Words wrote:

Avoid cowboy father and son team.

Avoid cowboys full stop imo.

Big Words

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Avoid cowboys full stop imo.

Them Dublin duo.

Kevin Finnerty

Bought skirting board there once only to get it home to find it was a different shape to my cornice. First and last time darkening their doors.

raspberrypi67

Steve wrote: »

Jebus wept..


Where have you been buying all your other supplies if you are a professional.. I assume you have regular trusted suppliers and can claim VAT back etc..?



Me too, mostly due to incompetent installers, NOT THE HARDWARE.

Well, it was a spur of the moment thing. There was B& Q and I needed to get my shower going...
Am I allowed to do that??....lol
Besides, the question isent about where I get my goods ( cant tell you that ..ha ha ) it was the fact that most of the B&Q stuff is SH1T

Sleeper12

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

Well, it was a spur of the moment thing. There was B& Q and I needed to get my shower going...
Am I allowed to do that??....lol
Besides, the question isent about where I get my goods ( cant tell you that ..ha ha ) it was the fact that most of the B&Q stuff is SH1T

But you didn't explain why you bought cheap cack when MK pull cord switches were right beside them. You knew just by looking at what you bought that it was cack. They might fool a DIY person but as an electrician you know the differance

1874

raspberrypi67 wrote: »

Hi,
Just wondering if any other DIY..er has come to the conclusion that a lot of items B&Q sell are almost borderline defective and just do NOT last?

I've been going there ( Liffey Valley ) for many years but in the last 12 months I've stopped, and the last straw was something I bought a few weeks ago from the Athlone branch on the way home from Galway, as it was handy!!


The last item I bought, was an isolating switch for my bathroom for activating the shower. The last one was there for over 15 years but eventually had to be changed.

I bought the new one in the Athlone B&Q, installed it and after a week the pull switch 'sort of worked'. Eventually after 2 weeks or so it just died altogether.

I sourced a new one from a better electrical supplier...its fine.




Many handles for doors I've gotten there lasted less than a year. I bought a small radiator there too...big mistake. Lasted maybe 14 months...


Does anyone else have similar stories....sorry just had to vent at the increasingly bad quality of goods here and just in general too I find on goods not lasting....

Yes, some of their stuff seems like cheap rubbish alright, havent needed any, but have you seen the PEX pipe, it looks terrible cheap. Very hard looking and doesnt look too flexible.

Kevin Finnerty wrote: »

Bought skirting board there once only to get it home to find it was a different shape to my cornice. First and last time darkening their doors.

well, thats hardly their fault?

Jackhammer9

Sleeper12 wrote: »

But you didn't explain why you bought cheap cack when MK pull cord switches were right beside them. You knew just by looking at what you bought that it was cack. They might fool a DIY person but as an electrician you know the differance

Who's doing your work and certifying everything?

Sleeper12

Jackhammer9 wrote: »

Who's doing your work and certifying everything?

We have a REC certing our work. Well actually there's two of them at busy times. I also install or repair a lot of showers for electricians who cert them themselves. There's plenty of RECs that don't like messing with water use our services . We invoice them & they invoice the client with cert

dok_golf

Kevin Finnerty wrote: »

Bought skirting board there once only to get it home to find it was a different shape to my cornice. First and last time darkening their doors.

???? tongue in cheek?

Ted Plain

Sleeper12 wrote: »

If you are an electrician why didn't you buy the MK? You know from experience that it's hands down a million times better than the cheap cack.

Obviously the cheap cack should last longer than 2 weeks but in fairness to B&Q they would have exchanged it for you had you brought it to B&Q swords.

I don't have a problem with the quality of their products. My main gripe with B&Q is their horrible stock control. First week in January I wanted 12 large 50amp MK cooker switches & 12 small 45amp Cooker switches all to be used as shower isolation switches. I also wanted twelve 6mm bosh drill bits. They had only 5 large switches, no small switches and no drill bits. Went back a few days ago and still no bits or small 45amp switches. I've given up. I'm going to stick with Hager switches in the regular electric wholesalers. I've wasted too much of my life going to B&Q & for them not to have what I need

They sell 3-gang sockets, but not the matching backboxes. :pac:

Sleeper12

Ted Plain wrote:

They sell 3-gang sockets, but not the matching backboxes.

Isn't that a strange one. I have a 3 gang socket with back box in my porch that I bought in B&Q Swords close to 10 years ago.

This is my biggest gripe with B&Q. I know quality products when I see them so don't have a problem with quality. Their stock control is terrible. Particularly for smaller items like this. Something like an electric shower or lawn mower they will alw have in stock because the shelf looks bare without them in stock. Small items they don't seem to care about

jhenno78

Don't really see how this is a surprise?

I'd put them and woodies in the same category.
For branded stuff you know what you're getting but it's more expensive than elsewhere.
For own-brand/no-name stuff expect it to be barrel-scraping crap, but at least as expensive as what you'd pay for something of reasonable quality.

Only reason to go is because it's open late/on Sundays/you can't find what you want somewhere else.

jack of all

dok_golf wrote: »

???? tongue in cheek?

Maybe he was looking for something with lamb's tongue....

hesker

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Only after they go on fire unfortunately. I've seen more electric fires with Mira Elite ST showers manifactured between 2012 and 2015 than all the ones between 2007 and 2012. I'd be more wary about the last few years of production. Any electric shower from any manufacturer can go on fire.

Look here's the thing electric shower is rated 15 minutes on & 45 minutes off. Any electric shower can overheat if used too long. Many installers put silicone around them blocking vents designed to cool the shower. Electric shower should not have silicone around it if at all possible. It voids the mira warranty. The average life span of an electric shower is 10 years. People with 15, 20, 30 year old showers are increasing the risk of fire the older the shower is. The heat from the element transfers to the cables on the element over time. This drys out the cable, damaging it & making it more prone to overheating & fire. We don't repair electric showers over 10 years old. Personally I believe the manufacturer shouldn't sell parts for old electric showers.

Someone mentioned RCD protection earlier but RCD if for electric shocks rather than fire. There is no guarantee that THE RCD will trip with the shower on fire. Believe it or not I get people telling me that the shower has had a burning smell the last few weeks as they used it. It's electric IF YOU SMELL BURNING STOP USING IT. TURN OFF THE POWER AND CALL IN AN ELECTRICIAN. It amazes me the risk people take with an appliance using more electricity than anything else in the house but this appliance is where you are showering. Electricity and water don't mix too well.

Thanks for reply. We will be remodelling bathroom shortly so I’ll add a new shower to the list of stuff.
Would you have a recommendation for a cold tank fed electric shower.

The Elite ST has been working fine. Not overloaded and vents are not blocked but better safe than sorry. A part was replaced a few years ago and I was surprised at the level of black soot type deposits inside but guy said it was normal enough.