'Nice' Light Switches

JMR

Having painted the bedroom, I now need to replace the standard white plastic light switches with something nicer, where is the best place to find a good range with reasonable delivery times?

1 single dimmer
1 double switch
1 isolator switch for en-suite fan

Thanks

alan4cult

JMR wrote: »

Having painted the bedroom, I now need to replace the standard white plastic light switches with something nicer, where is the best place to find a good range with reasonable delivery times?

1 single dimmer
1 double switch
1 isolator switch for en-suite fan

Thanks

You want different colours or just nicer white?
MK Logic Plus are the nicest white switches but it's all down to taste, some people don't like MK.

JMR

alan4cult wrote: »

You want different colours or just nicer white?
MK Logic Plus are the nicest white switches but it's all down to taste, some people don't like MK.

Different colours, chrome or similar probably - will be up to the wife obviously!

anacc

If you want to replace plastic faceplates with chrome or other metal faceplates they will have to be grounded. Perhaps you have a metal backbox already that is grounded, but when I replaced my plastic faceplates with metal faceplates I had to get an electrician in to do the earthing.

Anyway, I got mine on screwfix. Decent quality and much cheaper than other shops. However, I heard that they have severely long delivery times now because of Brexit

Lurching

anacc wrote: »

If you want to replace plastic faceplates with chrome or other metal faceplates they will have to be grounded. Perhaps you have a metal backbox already that is grounded, but when I replaced my plastic faceplates with metal faceplates I had to get an electrician in to do the earthing.

Anyway, I got mine on screwfix. Decent quality and much cheaper than other shops. However, I heard that they have severely long delivery times now because of Brexit

Yep, disastrously long.

Flyb4ck

I'm very interested in hearing from more people. My dad used to install Bticino switches and the range of design was incredible, is it possible to find a similar manufacturer or import is the only choice?

coylemj

alan4cult wrote: »

MK Logic Plus are the nicest white switches but it's all down to taste, some people don't like MK.

+1 Hager Sollysta are also a nice curvy switch and socket. Came across them first when I replaced the immersion switch, then got my electrician to replace the old plain white sockets in the kitchen with Hagers when I was getting a new splashback, they look much better. Light switches will be in the next phase.

https://www.eurosales.ie/hager-sollysta/c-5231.html

Dnargel

Flyb4ck wrote: »

I'm very interested in hearing from more people. My dad used to install Bticino switches and the range of design was incredible, is it possible to find a similar manufacturer or import is the only choice?

Take a look at the Legrand Arteor range. Very nice and similar to the Bticino living ranges. You can get these in Lightvault near the red cow. Great showroom and very helpful staff.

Risteard81

As above, Hager Sollysta is an excellent range. Also Click Mode.

Nice switches clicky.

Dnargel

Risteard81 wrote: »

As above, Hager Sollysta is an excellent range. Also Click Mode.

Hager not so bad. Click is poor quality but because every wholesaler stocks it (Because its cheap for them to buy) and it comes in well branded packaging people believe it is better than it is. In lighting terms Robus is the same. For wiring accessories I wouldn’t be looking beyond MK, Legrand, Schneider and possibly Hager Sollysta in white. Just my opinion.

alan4cult

MK quality goes up and down, 2015 I remember sending back some sockets as the screw terminals jammed up, possibly a bad batch but I suspected low quality. Recently MK have got back to normal but who knows.

Click Mode are handy if you want to put 3 intermediate switches on a single plate without using a grid. I've found them poorer quality than MK though.
Hager are decent but I'm not too keen on their style of switch but that's just personal preference.

Dnargel

alan4cult wrote: »

MK quality goes up and down, 2015 I remember sending back some sockets as the screw terminals jammed up, possibly a bad batch but I suspected low quality. Recently MK have got back to normal but who knows.

Click Mode are handy if you want to put 3 intermediate switches on a single plate without using a grid. I've found them poorer quality than MK though.
Hager are decent but I'm not too keen on their style of switch but that's just personal preference.

To be fair the inclusion of a replaceable intermediate on a 1g plate is a get out of jail free card if something was missed or overlooked. I also like the neutral loop on the Hager switch. Agree with your point on the Hager switches.

alan4cult

Dnargel wrote: »

To be fair the inclusion of a replaceable intermediate on a 1g plate is a get out of jail free card if something was missed or overlooked. I also like the neutral loop on the Hager switch. Agree with your point on the Hager switches.

Yeah, I was in an unusual situation where the intermediate was in the wrong place, at a common wall between a dining room and a kitchen. The kitchen was two gang (two way main light + LED cabinet lights) and the dining room was intermediate. You can purchase a 3 gang intermediate but they are rare.

Hager N termination is a nice feature provided someone of course doesn't confuse it for switched line.

Dnargel

alan4cult wrote: »

Yeah, I was in an unusual situation where the intermediate was in the wrong place, at a common wall between a dining room and a kitchen. The kitchen was two gang (two way main light + LED cabinet lights) and the dining room was intermediate. You can purchase a 3 gang intermediate but they are rare.

Hager N termination is a nice feature provided someone of course doesn't confuse it for switched line.

What always gets me is why people don’t want to pay anymore than €1.50 for a light switch that will last for 25-30 years in a home and could potentially be a fire hazard yet think nothing about paying €2.50 for an ice cream that lasts all of 10 minutes. It’s all about priorities I suppose 🀔

alan4cult

Dnargel wrote: »

What always gets me is why people don’t want to pay anymore than €1.50 for a light switch that will last for 25-30 years in a home and could potentially be a fire hazard yet think nothing about paying €2.50 for an ice cream that lasts all of 10 minutes. It’s all about priorities I suppose 🀔

Yeah I agree but for a lot of people it's the labour cost, even though you can find a switch for €2.50 you need to pay somebody to fit it whereas you don't need to pay them to eat your ice cream!

Not saying I disagree with labour rates, quite the opposite. A proper safe job is better than any ice cream!

I disagree with paying for labour to have to fix it after the professional and replace the parts they broke in the process. More thinking about mechanics than sparkies but I often repair the work others.

Usually they get by on the client not being as well informed as they are to notice the shortcuts they're taking and why that's wrong.

Dnargel

alan4cult wrote: »

Yeah I agree but for a lot of people it's the labour cost, even though you can find a switch for €2.50 you need to pay somebody to fit it whereas you don't need to pay them to eat your ice cream!

Not saying I disagree with labour rates, quite the opposite. A proper safe job is better than any ice cream!

Insured skilled labour costs what it costs. I was talking about how the industry has gone and how the majority of domestic electricians are being forced by a few into a race to the bottom to provide competitive tenders. With labour SEO’s in place they have to pay the rate so the only way to save money is to do it cheaper. The result is either a poorer quality installation or cheaper materials installed.