Ashley Clements-Smith, Senior Channel Lead at MK Electric, chats with Ross Sands from RS Electrix, to find out what he thought about the new Logic Plus Rapid Fix after he was given the opportunity to put the product through its paces.
Screwing dozens of cable terminations when wiring sockets is one of those cumbersome and time-consuming tasks many readers will be familiar with. Given that tool-less cable clamp termination is a known and proven concept within the lighting market, it was only a matter of time before it would be utilised in wiring devices. MK Electric is the first UK manufacturer to incorporate this innovative concept into sockets and has launched its Logic Plus Rapid Fix – the UK’s first double switchsocket that uses spring loaded clamps to keep cables in place with just the right amount of pressure.
But don’t just take our word for it, let’s find out what Ross thought:
Q. What’s your biggest nuisance about installing sockets?
It can be time-consuming screwing the terminals in by hand, especially when you’ve got 20-30 to complete. Some spaces can be tight or difficult to get to as well, like corners and under cupboards. That makes it even trickier to bring the cables together and screw them all into a terminal.
Q. How does installing a conventional socket compare with Rapid Fix?
The Rapid Fix switchsocket uses levers instead of screwing connectors to keep cables in place so it’s a more reliable connection. There’s less chance of causing a fault. In a conventional socket, if you overtighten the screw, the conductor becomes brittle and thin.
When you push the socket back in, it could snap in half and break away. If it’s not tightened enough, the cable could fall out of the terminal when you push the socket back in. That’s why you’ve got to get it right. A bad connection can cause a fault, or worse, a fire.
I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so I can get a good feel for the right amount of torque to apply and it’s rare for me to have a problem. Apprentices or those who aren’t as experienced might find it harder to get the torque right. If this results in a fault without you knowing, you could spend hours trying to locate the problem.
Q. What do you like about the Logic Plus Rapid Fix switchsocket?
You just push the wire into the terminal, push the lever down, and job done. You know it’s a reliable connection. It’s a great idea – you’ve got to wonder why they haven’t been put into a socket before.
The colour coded levers make them easier to see especially in places where lighting is poor. There’s also a cable strip length ruler which provides a good guide for the right amount of cable to strip. When I installed the Rapid Fix switchsocket in a time trial, I was surprised by how quick it was to install – 45% quicker compared to a standard socket.
I compared the price of Rapid Fix with the time I could save – not just because I won’t need to screw each terminal by hand, but also the time saved in fault finding. It’s a no brainer. If I was on a job with a team of staff, I’d use this product.
Q. What other advice would you give to make life easier and take the stress off?
Don’t rush. Like I said, you could spend hours fault finding, so if you make sure you do it correctly the first time, you won’t have to go back and fix problems after you’ve turned it on and save yourself a lot of time and hassle. The best electricians might not be the fastest, but they do stuff right the first time. When everything is switched on at the end, it all works and the job is done.
Like the rest of the Logic Plus range, the Rapid Fix switchsocket comes with a 30-year product guarantee to give total peace of mind, has antibacterial and antiviral properties with kill rates of over 99.99% (source: Honeywell data on file), and features a 3-pin operated child resistant shutter system and double pole switching for user safety.
TO GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE LOGIC PLUS RAPID FIX SWITCHSOCKET CLICK HERE
