Key Issue

THE EVOLUTION OF BRITISH STANDARD WIRING DEVICES

The launch of the new MK Logic Plus Rapid Fix double switch socket from MK Electric changes wiring device installation to help make electricians’ lives easier, especially on larger projects. Colin Marshall, Chief Technology Officer, looks at this innovation that is designed help speed up installation and provide a robust, safe connection.

The double socket is a staple for every electrician Since the early 1900’s, sockets and switches have evolved from split pins and round sockets to three pins, the addition of different finishes, enhanced safety features, and more recently, the incorporation of USB Type-A and Type-C ports to meet with our newer charging needs. That said, the socket connectivity has remained largely unchanged, requiring screws to hold the cables in place.

Advancing the double socket

The double socket is a staple for every electrician. With function and form a constant with this product, many updates involve the user interface and the latest technology trends, such as adding USB ports and material upgrades. Although not seen by the end user, MK turned its attention to the back of the socket to make alterations to help installers on a day-to-day basis.

Reviewing the connectivity of the product can offer installers considerable time and cost saving opportunities, enhanced ease of installation and robust guaranteed connections. Adding spring-loaded clamps to the new MK Logic Plus Rapid Fix double switch socket ticks even more boxes.

Screwing multiple cable terminations when wiring sockets is a cumbersome and time-intensive task that many installers are familiar with. Tool-less cable clamp termination is a known and proven concept within the lighting industry and an easy transition for use in wiring devices.

No screws means it’s a tool-free operation. The ability to hold cables in place easily while connecting wiring is an obvious benefit and can help when fitting sockets in awkward or unforgiving environments. The spring-loaded clamps also help prevent over or under tightening and degradation of the connection over time if the tension should loosen by keeping wires in place with just the right amount of pressure.

Bringing this to the market required more overhaul than simply swapping out screw connectors for the new colour-coded clamps.

Testing to meet standards

Socket ratings are typically much higher than a light fitting; a difference of perhaps 0.2 amp in a light fitting to 13 amps being drawn from a socket. The MK Logic Plus Rapid Fix connection needed to be designed and tested to support this additional current.

When the standard BS1363-2 was updated in 2016, screwless clamps were recognised as a viable connection means. The clamps used on the MK Logic Plus Rapid Fix have faced stringent testing to meet the British Standard. The company’s Southend-on-Sea factory in Essex features an independently accredited in-house test laboratory, which allows products to be tested to British Standards and beyond. Testing includes loading the socket to certain levels and measuring temperatures to cyclical tests that monitor operation over a minimum number of plug insertions.

Making sure the product fits the purpose to which it is designed is vital to its success

The importance of input

Investment in design

Significant change was needed to incorporate the larger clamps in place of screw terminals to avoid changing the depth of the backbox required to fit the socket to the wall. Essentially, the back of the product needed to be completely redesigned, requiring investment not only in the initial product design and development but also in the shape of new tooling and production lines needed for manufacture.

It’s important for manufacturers to continue to keep up with the latest trends Making sure the product fits the purpose to which it is designed is vital to its success. When developing the MK Logic Plus Rapid Fix double switch socket, input was taken from electrical installers to ensure it tackled the main issues they faced on a day-to-day basis: saving time, robustness of connections for a ‘right first time’ installation, and ease of use, which would also greatly aide junior installers and apprentices.

Feedback given was worked into the design to ensure the product connections gave enough benefit to offset the uplift in product cost, essentially comparing cost to the man-hours needed to install. In fact, trials showed time savings of up to 45% when compared to a screwed socket, meaning this latest addition to the MK Logic Plus range successfully delivers on all three points.

With consumer tastes changing almost as quickly as products can be developed, it’s important for manufacturers to continue to keep up with the latest trends. Also, innovation never stops. It also takes different forms, from safety to installation ease and greater efficiency. As the demand on sockets becomes even greater with the advent of more devices requiring charge and power, it can only be expected that more of the humble double sockets will need to be installed at each job. Using an innovative solution that can cut the time taken to install whilst offering robust connection and guarantees is a win-win for all.