The untimely and undeserved demise of SBS

[@dead.format]

My irrelevant little mind was desperate to try SBS after watching your videos - the product looked astounding. I did just have a fee observations: I particularly wanted to use it for my NVQ project (where I oddly had a lot of control over specifying jobs). As they "only sell to the trade" it did seem like quite a faff to prove I was trade - as I was in house for an organisation. Whilst well intended (and I know many have pushed for devices only to be sold to trade) actually being "trade" can be open to interpretation...I never followed the process through so never found out if I'd have been eligible - but it was kind of an extra layer to go around. I wish they'd been successful. I generally use FuseBox - sadly although just a "standard" product and nothing revolutionary, they did hit marketing hard and kept the costs as low as possible - which right now seems to be what people want. Despite all the influencers getting hard on's over neat boards, they were clearly just too flaccid to go the extra mile and eliminate those N fly leads. I really think this was just a case of cost being the swinging influence - and SBS was just too expensive. Hager already had the following (which is a shame as their product is nothing special) so will always have the die hards. I guess it's hard to get buy in for a product nowadays unless it's super cheap - and FB jumped on that and succeeded. Oh on the Circpro front - I called their technical line regarding compatibility as I had a 16th edition to fit an RCBO to (52 or 59 series I think). The one I bought didn't fit the bar. They advised something along the lines of filing a bit off the busbar 😂

[@dsesuk]

It's a competitive market and FB have done well to get coverage pretty much everywhere. Availability and low-cost seem to be the main drivers and FB seem to manage to keep on the right side of the too-cheap-and-nasty line that one or two other 'store exclusive' brands fall foul of.

[@mikeselectricstuff]

Maybe BSI should standardise the busbar dimensions so any brand will fit any board.

[@eddiereed5025]

And that aint ever going to happen

[@jongmassey]

always seemed daft to me that these devices clip into DIN rail that's been standardised for decades but the bus bars are all over the place

[@s.kxx1956]

Until one standard has a failure and makes everyone else look bad who had different designs and specifications which may have actually been ok in such situation

[@TestGearJunkie.]

Was that a pig that just flew past..?

[@mfx1]

Isn't there also a supposed "issue" with different thermal characteristics of different brands potentially affecting each other? I don't really see how that can be a significant issue myself but I don't write the regs.

[@davidwhitehead6150]

Agree David! I've got one of their boards sitting in my garage waiting for an upcoming install and my heart sank when I heard the news as I needed to get 2 more RCBOs. Luckily they're trying to keep their support going as long as stock allows and the RCBOs are on their way. I should have twigged something was up when 6A RCBOs were not available back in the Autumn and they were only sending out 10A versions. Very sad - the DP as standard was great, both for TT installs or allowing an EV, and the time-saving in not having the hassle of N fly-leads I didn't appreciate until after an install! You mentioned about those using SBS trading parts - if it turns out I don't use this board I'd be happy to help out anyone in that boat.

[@Ragnar8504]

Siemens Germany pulled the same move a while ago, although admittedly after a very long run. Back in the mid-70s or so they introduced their N series. The unique selling point of these devices was how shallow they were, which becomes interesting once you start fitting flush DBs into flimsy partition walls. If you try fitting any other brand (or Siemens series) into those boards, the cover goes on perfectly fine but the door no longer closes. They did keep the N series alive for around 40 years, which is decent I guess. There's still quite some demand for the spacers they introduced to move the cover (and door) of the slim boards further out to allow for new Siemens devices.

[@johncooper5293]

So sad when an innovative company goes bust.

[@JBE]

Sad news David! Let's hope their installed equipment is still going strong in 20 years time? Love the MCB line up of who's who. I probably have a thousand of the little things in a box under my bench. Maybe they'll be worth something one day? Hey, if I get hold of some SBS RCBOs I'll be sticking them on ebay for a tidy price 👌🏻.

[@dsesuk]

Yes, you helped me install one in Manchester a few years ago Beckster. I think we all have one of those boxes full of MCBs all looking for a new home. Any obscure ones you throw away you just know will pop up as being required on a job, so you're stuck with 'em!

[@davidpatterson1574]

Excellent video David-thanks for the effort-D

[@user-te1le7ck6b]

Dave I never did complete my electrical installation course due to a late uni offer but your videos both entertain and inform me. Great video as always and chuck us some ransoms like your Miele repair that was gold 👍

[@edc1569]

If only they'd paid more youtuber's like fusebox does.

[@montystelevision3238]

I absolutely adored SBS switchgear. I was truly upset to see them go and I have recommended and specified their products and installed.

[@davideyres955]

What I find shite about the afdd is that they have a micro processor in the device but they don’t do anything additional like testing earth leakage or having 2 connections for ring and testing for split ring (always painful a split ring), power consumption etc. if your going to start dropping Bluetooth on the device then invest a bit more and give people the ability to monitor it via some open source solution. Some will do eventually. Love your videos Dave. Keep em coming.

[@calumclark1719]

Ah man that is a shame I was thinking of giving them a go but way up north I always worry about getting replacement Rcbo's. I use Wylex just purely due to it being the most readily available locally its a shame they did not get in more wholesalers,

[@dannyboisparky]

I only fit Crabtree or Hager consumer units for this very reason. I avoid Wylex because of the changes and definitely avoid budget boards like fusebox over concerns of longevity

[@philiphughes4515]

Really gutted SBS have gone bang as they were so helpful on a board change in my Mother’s house. I chose them as I respect Dave from DSES’ opinion as I am an event power guy and lecturer at uni with NAPIT accreditation under 7671. Your technical accuracy is so impressive David.

[@sdgelectronics]

Axiom it is then!

[@SuperUltimateLP]

does ABB have a foothold in the UK ? didnt her them mentioned ín the video and here in germany they are a recognisable brand among schneider and hager

[@dsesuk]

@@SuperUltimateLP ABB aren't on the domestic market here, at least not under that brand. I don't know if they own something more recognisable on these shores?

[@sdgelectronics]

@@SuperUltimateLP ABB is primarily used in industrial panels here. I don't think I've ever seen an ABB consumer unit or distribution board.

[@tomcardale5596]

Single phase ABB stuff does exist but it's rare. No idea where you buy it from. I used to use quite a bit of their three phase kit bought from BPX who are an automation supplier. They're not good for backwards compatibility though, struggled on a job recently trying to get some ABB MCCBs for a panel that was only a few years old. The MCB panels are among the most solid I've seen, very nice.

[@posei3960]

SBS started by Dave Stansfield (SBS Stansfield Building Services). I used loads of his boards , prior to him selling to Ben. I have one fitted at home as they were that good

[@IanFarquharson2]

Didn’t pay the cat enough….

[@ChickenWizy]

loved the Borg Shneider comment 🤣

[@johnturrell942]

Im sticking with my old wylex re wireable board. Good as the day it went in 1955. Only ever had one fuse wire replaced in that time. Says 2d on th 5 amp fuse wire bought from woolwoths. Quality.

[@PhilipHudnott]

Shame about SBS I fitted a few boards, including in my own house and liked the way they stopped diy Dave and the local builder pissing around where they shouldn’t.

[@gadgetman36]

Ironically this is probably a large factor in SBS's demise. The lesson to other companies is never limit your market.

[@dead.format]

I think it had an effect both ways. I'm not a domestic installer....so don't have the same quals as one. I have my NVQ - but I don't have a Level 2 or 3 nor an apprenticeship - I went experienced worker. I also haven't done AM2 yet. However, I have my Inspection & Testing 2391 and am right up to tick with 18th. So I can fit DB's and certify them - perhaps in commercial environments where Part P doesn't apply... ...but that means SBS or indeed any other supplier selling to "qualified electricians" only would end up having to decide what "qualified" actually is - which is largely impossible as there's different routes, different levels and even different roles that may want to buy boards - I mean panel builders may want to buy them but have no formal qualifications, engineers etc. Yes you could argue that "qualified" is NVW, AM2 etc - however there's thousands of competent electricians out there working who haven't done that scheme or route. So after giving SBS some consideration - I just ended up going to Thomas's and buying Fusebox for a job I worked on - simple and straightforward

[@MrBinabanana]

You'll never stop the local builder. They'll just say it's unstandard and obsolete and charge the customer to throw in a Screwfix special!

[@enriquedmu1]

I liked the board. Only installed 2 as i didnt like the lack of quick access to their products, which probably killed them. Plus, some sparks still do not know what SPDs and RCBOs are, so not being in a wholesaler, their missing the big idiot market.

[@danvictor3934]

Hi I use Siemens Crabtree Starbreaker and CPN Cudis titan lumo consumer units they are fantastic i highly reccomend them both.

[@dsesuk]

Starbreaker is good stuff. I don't know why Electrium don't ditch Wylex and concentrate on pushing Starbreaker as the go-to.

[@ConorNoakes]

@@dsesukWylex is the known brand that most councils, etc. seem to default to. They’d be fools to throw that away as it’s pretty much just a license for them to print money

[@cbcdesign001]

@@dsesuk I was certainly impressed with Starbreaker and chose it when we had our old Wylex fuse board replaced.

[@dg2908]

​@@dsesuk I used to fit MK, then when they weren't doing SPDs or Type A RCBOs I switched to Crabtree Starbreaker, although have used Wylex once where I needed a 45A or 50A RCBO and have tried FuseBox for a garage board. Must admit that until I watched this video I've never stopped to think about why I use a particular brand. In the case of MK I think it was long established availability, and with Crabtree/Wylex I trust the company not to disappear overnight and like the Starbreaker enclosed busbar system, similar to the Schneider (Square D) KQ busbar. I have no idea how old each system is though. I presume that there's no impetus for manufacturers to make safer boards since we are never meant to even take the cover off one that hasn't been isolated.I should admit that I rarely use traditional wholesalers and have never tried to get a Starbreaker RCBO locally... The rise of FuseBox has been admirable, a simple name, getting off the ground as metal boards came in, by all accounts a reasonable product for the price, RCBO's with switched Neutrals, a wide enough range without being complicated. My main reservation has been whether it will be possible to find the odd compatible breaker 15 years down the line, by volume alone I think it will. The SBS parts came from the same factory as 'Live' I believe. I remember seeing a 'Live' main switch in an SBS photo when they were awaiting stock. I came across 'Live' at a trade show once, their people were friendly enough, and although their spoken English was significantly better than my Mandarin, it wasn't good enough for much of a conversation. I guess the flip side is that they can communicate well with those manufacturing the product. Did you mention Consumer Units Ltd ? Sister company to Surge Protection Devices Ltd. Left Elex with one of their coasters one year but never seen one of their boards in the wild! I think Elucian and Verso boards coming out chasing the heels of FuseBox was too little, too late. Click probably had the advantage of established distribution though. I think I've remembered what I mostly like about MK and Starbreaker boards: Main switch on the left!! All the other boards may have been designed by people who read right to left! And that's before you start on three phase boards. About to spec my first, and wondering if Schneider KQ is within budget and Hager? Never really looked at their products until recently when it occured that their 2g sockets are half the price of MK and seem less badly made

[@johnburns4017]

SBS was the superior continental setup of twin (comb) busbars and double pole breakers. Needed a full range of RCBOs and AFDDs. They should have had all the range then sold to anyone as well as assembling panels. Sad to see them gone.

[@metallitech]

I suppose the end users should buy extra breakers when they get a new consumer unit?

[@andrewd762]

Things are only going to get worse. At least your SBS boards will keep working and still be compliant even though they're bankrupt and gone. Same won't be true in coming years when your protective devices start flashing a failure warning LED or cease functioning altogether because their update cloud server disappeared along with the company that made them. Maybe time to ammend your terms and conditions to cover these eventualities.

[@dsesuk]

Good point. I just updated my terms regarding that.

[@colinblythe3710]

The engineer at work told me that FUSEBOX is owned by MK - or who ever now owns MK - dont know how true it is - but would explain the money behind marketing & getting into the wholesalers !

[@chrisyoung7362]

I think Robus now own fusebox, not sure the full details of it

[@dg2908]

The MK brand is owned by Honeywell and has no connection to FuseBox. A brief history behind FuseBox: Control Gear Direct Ltd was formed in Kilmarnock in 1996 by the Forsyth Family. In May 2009, Robert & Jean retired, Lewden bought 75% of the shareholding and Robin retained 25%. In October 2013, Lewden bought the remaining shares from Robin. Robin became a director of Lewden in March 2014, and remained a director of Control Gear Direct Ltd and Lewden Ltd until April 2016. In January 2017, Robin formed CP (Electric) Ltd, known for their FuseBox products. He was the only shareholder. In March 2023 he stepped down as director and sold his shareholding to the newly formed CP (Electric) Management Services Ltd, owned by Michael Slein Sr, who shares the directorship with son Mick. Michael is Chairman and founded LED Group Ltd, trading as Robus Lighting, where Mick is CEO. From Robin's LinkedIn page it seems he's still working with FuseBox. A cursory glance at the CP Electric Ltd Facebook page reveals that they did try to branch out into pattresses, pendants and other wiring accessories in 2018, as well as check plugs, voltsticks and worklights, but I guess those didn't feature in the range for long. I also discovered today that if you search 'CP Fusebox' on Facebook, it thinks you're up to something very dodgy. I don't even want to know why.

[@dannyboisparky]

I really liked the idea of a dual bus bar system and providing only to trade. The latter unfortunately, is part of their downfall. Very difficult to compete with the wholesaler market when no one else is restricting sales

[@tonyaskew7750]

Dave standfield used to visit yearly when he was with NAPIT . Great bloke he was

[@TradieTrev]

SBS look like DL RCBO's we have here in Australia, I suspect all the internals and tooling used to produce similar products come straight out of China as some sort of OEM deal. I've always been critical on manufactures that don't pay for their own tooling and testing and expect the OEM to do it all; We've got Voltex here in Australia which is basically a CHNT RCBO with their own tweaks. Couple of bad batches without testing is a good way to kill a small "distributor"; Wouldn't call them the manufacturer.

[@RANS-ie5cf]

Didnt get the chance to try an sbs board out. Would have loved them to be successful. It’s tight margins on everything these days.

[@billdoodson4232]

I did look at their website when you first sort of raised them on your KZbin site. It looked like a really good product, but the way they sold it just didn't work for many people I suspect.

[@gadgetman36]

Ironically this is probably a large factor in SBS's demise. The lesson to other companies is never limit your market.

[@billdoodson4232]

@@gadgetman36Yep only selling to registered sparks was a total turn off.

[@magnets1000]

anything advertised via youtube creators is always going to be more expensive. who is paying for the youtubers cut! the viewer!

[@dsesuk]

I don't think SBS ever paid for promotion - I never took any payment and I didn't see them appear elsewhere, although they might have done. Any company has to advertise though, whatever the medium, and that will always be funded by the customers. Perhaps they didn't do enough in the social media space?

[@magnets1000]

@@dsesuk sorry I didn't specify: i was talking about the trade insurance companies

[@dsesuk]

@@magnets1000 Ah, I getcha!

[@harveycreekin]

Alternative title: Prat in a McHat strokes a cat 🐈

[@Cablesmith]

Tbf to Hager, I’ve found them pretty much the same price as fusebox these days

[@dsesuk]

These days, yes. But only because they either dropped their prices or watched Fusebox waltz off with their customers.

[@Cablesmith]

@@dsesuk 😂😂 which leaves us to make a decision…. The new guy, or the backwards compatibility guy with AFDDs you won’t need to worry about tripping 😂🤷🏻‍♂️

[@anthonybragg]

There are so many consumer unit brands out there. Don't they have double-pole devices in Europe with the same bus bar type? One thing as you said I can put an MCB from the 1990s and install it in a consumer unit today. and visa-versa.

[@oninbridders]

The verso website seems to be down or misconfigured for the most of last/this week. It was displaying the Wix holding page for a while. I'm not in the industry so don't know the back story of where they are in the hierarchy of suppliers. Only know them from the electricians podcast.

[@dsesuk]

Yeah, it seems up and down. They retail through an independent near me, but I tend to only use CEF for the most part so haven't seen much of their gear.

[@corvoltelectrical]

I think the general busbar design for all manufacturers is behind. Surely we can make clip in double pole devices a standard now.

[@dsesuk]

A busbar design where everyone has different bumhole alignments while all sitting on a standardised DIN rail is ridiculous.

[@Dog-whisperer7494]

Excellent, some good information there Mate , And I love the couple off references to Star Trek voyager , you could have included an image of seven of nine u la la . Fantastic video as alway mate .👍

[@dsesuk]

I didn't have any pictures of her that weren't worn out Sean...

[@FrontSideBus]

@@dsesukSeen her in the latest season of Picard? I think I fancy her more now that she's older... but then again I'm a lot older now too! 😂

[@londontrada]

I saw a Honeywell consumer unit once

[@RaithUK]

Damm shame about SBS, and wow i did not see Verso going squirly/may under.. thats gonna be interesting!

[@ryanstaples903]

What was the actual reason for them shutting down? I have one fitted at home and need some more RCBOs. Anywhere I can get some still?

[@fairplaytoyou2041]

my main coone cat is obsessed with boxes and is trying to get in them before i even empty them

[@TestGearJunkie.]

All catses are like that 😸

[@noskills9577]

After hearing the SBS news last week I did wonder if you’d be leading a consortium after reviving the brand. After all it could be renamed Savery Board Services or something catchy like that 😂

[@dsesuk]

I like the name...

[@steveatkinson2196]

SBS will probably purchased, it will take a few months for the company to get back into trading

[@g7eit]

Another great and informative video old pud. A few bloopers would be nice though 😂

[@dsesuk]

Thanks for tuning in as always old china.

[@themadhippy6911]

we shoulda stuck with the ole wylex boards, 50 years on and you can still easily get mcb's for them .

[@dsesuk]

Funny you should say that because the plug-in breakers have started getting more scarce and have doubled in price. I'm not sure they'll be around much longer.

[@sarahjrandomnumbers]

Really seems stupid that you can't use other devices inside a CU all because of some regulatory guff. If it meets the required standards of being a DIN rail device, and also passes all the BS regs for a protective device, then it should be fine to install it. But NOOoooo you have to follow the regs, and the regs say follow manufacturer instructions, and they say "only use our stuff". But then you look at my CU, a Wylex NSB 17th CU what uses a non standard busbar, and then you're stuck with them. Meanwhile you see yanks with their inferior 120v, alumin*I*um cables just throwing in any old circuit breaker they find in the street into their CU's with 0 testing, and if they're lucky, it might even have RCD protection as well!

[@mfx1]

The writers of the regs really need to consider this problem and relax the rules on having to use like for like replacement parts, has it ever really been a significant issue to mix brands in the past?

[@alexkane07]

To be fair, busbars can be put under unnecessary strain when the holes in the breakers don't perfectly align. If the breakers have clearly been made in the same factory/ are physically identical, I can't see why that should be an issue.

[@mfx1]

@@alexkane07 That's something else that should be standardised but even if you can find one that physically fits you're not supposed to mix brands due to possible thermal issues as I understand it.

[@SME_Ste]

If you get stuck Dave, Live Electrical also do a DP busbar RCBO, which looks the same

[@tomcardale5596]

Live are definitely at the cheap (and nasty) end of the spectrum, we've had a lot of issues with their higher current (32-63A) three phase MCBs feeding solar inverters tripping off under normal operating conditions. Over 80% for a couple of hours and they'd trip, when a Schnieder or Hager wouldn't. The lids on their single row boards also do a good job falling off.

[@SME_Ste]

@@tomcardale5596 Agree with you. Also had issues with 32 amp single pole MCBs tripping in the same way you describe. Cheap and nasty maybe, but they have the DP RCBOs in their range that are almost an exact match to the SBS versions. Makes you wonder if they are the same product branded differently. I’ve never been brave enough to chance any of their 3 phase gear TBH, just some consumer units

[@raymondburke1261]

The only Mac Donald’s, cat stroking Bond villain on E tube… 👌

[@HATCHETHAS]

Race to the bottom at the moment, every industry is the same.

[@nickloughrey9841]

love your cat !

[@FrontSideBus]

Bit of a shame!

[@s.kxx1956]

I feel a little bad as I have just replaced some of my makita stuff with another make, If I had remembered I could have sent you them. Sorry

[@dsesuk]

Ol' Bundy sorted me out with some Bosch bad-boys!

[@s.kxx1956]

Thats what my new stuff has now, they are very impressive

[@rlfvacslakenheath]

comming from the world of small appliances and vacuum cleaners repairs and sales its a mega hard task of walking a tight rope milimeters wide up a hill while being chased by rabid dogs. you want to create a eco system of a good prouduct / service to the right people at a fair price. i get it all the time alot of people just want it to be cheap and do the bare minimum. not why is it good. i try to avoid price questions in early stages as you want the best people to deal with. but like most things its just how much is it and i can buy a new machine for £10 more. not what makes your prouduct / service better. its the little things the backup and prouduct support and knowledge that makes a good business but it has a cost. its something i contenplate every week is it me thats missing something or is the world broken. the companys that pump out rubbish are stinking rich and doing the job properly i make a ok living.

[@sstorholm]

Quite amazing that the UK market is so non-compatible, last CU I wired had GE breakers and RCDs, ABB RCBOs and Haeger busbars, worked just splendidly. But we can’t have electronic RCBOs here, only electromechanical 2 space monsters (don’t ask me why, Finnish authorities banned them a couple years after they’d been on the market since 2005)

[@dsesuk]

I don't know why we have to put up with a DIN rail everyone can use and a busbar that changes per manufacturer. We even have a regulation now precluding mixing brands in an enclosure.

[@tomcardale5596]

@@dsesuk I'm really not convinced by the not allowed to mix brands thing. Once you get in to the world of automation you open a panel with every brand under the sun in it. Your circuit protection will be a different brand from your contactors, which are a different brand from the VFDs and again the PLC driving it all. The only thing, as we all seem to be on the same page on, is the different busbar hole locations. In the solar world I'm now in, we're using DIN rail mount meters but they're not from a brand of circuit protection, so you've no choice but to mix.

[@JC-jv5xw]

@@dsesuk Do the Europeans not tend to use wire links instead of a busbar? It is the only incompatibility. Until each breaker has a 32bit 16MB CPU and goes into a huff when it sees who is next door.

[@retrozmachine1189]

​@@JC-jv5xw 1 and 2 pole busbars are in common use in Australia. If you have to put a device in that won't mount up with the existing bar position, either wire direct to it or wire to a new section of busbar and continue from there.

[@sstorholm]

@@JC-jv5xw some hacks still do the wires, but with 3pase being the norm here almost everyone use Haeger 3phase bus bars.

[@beeeavs]

Everytime I hear your voice I automatically think of Jeremy wade

[@garygriffithsTEMLTD]

Hager got a video out 18-3-2024 AFDD

[@alvina69]

Was every board custom made then?

[@dsesuk]

You could order it as parts only, but coming assembled was handy even if you wanted to shuffle things around a little.

[@mitchbelectronics]

Ignorant Aussie here, can someone please explain why your boards have to have breakers of all the same brand? You’d be hard pressed to find a board that has less than three different brands of breaker fitted here in Australia. 😂

[@retrozmachine1189]

From another ignorant Aussie, fear of incompatibilities vs electrician's liability if something goes wrong. Will they be thermally compatible? How about magnetically? What about fire performance? What about manufacturer's directions saying you cannae put this in a board with another device brand because we won't guarantee our device's performance any more (but really because you need to pay us not them with plenty examples of outrageous price gouging to be seen). How about aesthetically gotta be picture perfect for youtube! (ok, that last one isn't real). It's all things they really don't need to be concerned about as a good quality device should perform to spec in all conditions. It's not normal to see a new board stuffed with random brands here since you'd tend to carry your favourite brand devices and fit all that but over time other people will work on it and add what they carry. If the busbar positioning doesn't allow it to mount up properly, wire direct or start a new section of busbar. All this and somehow Australia isn't on fire, well, except for all the fires. Oh, and before anyone mentions it we aren't talking industrial electrical, this is more the experience in domestic and light commercial. Industrial/the big end of town is different where jobs will often specify what equipment you are allowed to install. If you turn up to replace a failed device in a Schneider installation with a random p.o.c. you'll be shown the door pretty quickly.

[@dsesuk]

It's down to liability and the cage clamp method of busbar connection which means although devices line up on the DIN rail, they might not align properly at the connection point. Although not a specific no-no previously, our regulations were changed to make it such. The thinking behind it was sound - we've all seen boards where something entirely unsuitable was shonked into place with iffy modifications to make it work that the manufacturers would never approve of. The change in regulations means if you now do that, you become liable for it. If you fit Brand X into Board Y, it's on you as the installer while the manufacturers of both brands are off-the-hook if it goes bad.

[@retrozmachine1189]

@@dsesuk We all understand the things must mount up properly, as a trained professional one must ensure they do. If the alignment of the busbar means a device doesn't correctly mount then the option of alternate arrangements without threat of extended liability must exist to ensure a properly competitive parts supply environment. Wire direct to it or start another section of busbar as appropriate. It's how it works in here and despite all the consternation and tut-tutting from people over there when they see what we do here, somehow we manage to get it right and things aren't catching on fire left, right and centre and no one is wringing their hands over liability issues and what it would do to their professional insurance.

[@acelectricalsecurity]

The product looked interesting, but it seems these days, the vast majority are price driven not to mention near saturation of the market, apparently MK stopped doing boards because they were not making any money, and their boards were not made by them but by a third party, which if true would make sense, selling a fully loaded twin RCD board for £60 and paying someone to make it, crazy, it's not just electricians who can't price correctly it's the big boys as well 😂😂

[@liberatodelgreco4430]

Yeah, shame about SBS. Techa RtecM mini RCBO may be compatible.

[@stevejacklin8462]

Hope you've bought up all of SBS's remaining stock

[@kellymarieangeljohnson114]

Hi Dave so sorry to hear that some little scumbag nicked all your tools don't know what this country's coming t anyhow tried to buy you a coffer but for some reason just can't get it to work I changed my password went thru the whole process but for some reason it then tells me my password is incorrect bloody technology does my head in cheers mate keep up the good work x

[@dsesuk]

It's the thought that counts! I'll have a virtual coffee from you! And don't worry, my tools can be replaced easily enough.

[@Chrisdev1981]

Where’s the Manor House stuff coming Dave?

[@dsesuk]

Christ, the latest (and final) instalment finished filming last summer. You'd think I would have found time in front of the editor by now!

[@Chrisdev1981]

@@dsesuk Maybe give Hager a break and get editing! 😀

[@pauljohncross]

You mention that folk are banding together to share old stock, etc. Is that a FB group or?

[@dsesuk]

More informal messaging at present, but it could do with being organised on some platform or another whether that's FB, Discord or such.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

no keep dave in the pub

[@danvictor3934]

Maybe SBS are leaving before Afdds Become mandatory for domestic.

[@dsesuk]

Until prices drop AFDDs won't become mandatory for general domestic use. The reason for that is it would price the poor out of being able to level up to a better standard. Imagine telling someone on the breadline that it'll cost them £1000 in parts to upgrade them from a non-RCD old rewireable fusebox to a mandatory AFDD standard instead of £150 to supply an RCBO board! Minimum safety isn't just for the well-off and upgrade paths have to be within reach of those who need them.

[@danvictor3934]

@@dsesuk I completely agree.

[@TheChipmunk2008]

NEED MOAR CAT VIDEOS

[@paulharrison2325]

As an engineer I really liked the SBS board and intended to use one on my house but backed out and went for Hager due to the risk of insolvency. So I was vindicated. I think you just need to find the supplier to SBS - ask SBS to confirm.

[@TradieTrev]

DL here in Australia, they use the same tooling (plastic mould) with a different label.

[@artisanelectrics]

So much cheap crap on the market - it blows my mind that anyone would be stupid enough to try and set up a new brand of switchgear in such an established market with not real USP. Goodbye SBS and Verso…

[@lordshredsworth7772]

I've used soley Hager for years but when it was time to start fitting AFDDs I had to look at alternatives and SBS and fusebox were my picks. So now I'm just gonna be a fusebox wanker like all the tiktok sparks with their gay little pink beanies.

[@londontrada]

Am I the only sparky that is a Wylex fanboy? 🤔

[@retrozmachine1189]

*sigh*, yet another comment eaten by youtube. Perhaps it will show up again one day. The gist, the RCBOs used by SBS are available in Australia under the DL brand, retail delivered for 20 aussie bucks. No doubt made in China by some company that will put whatever branding on it you like if you buy 100 or more and for 5 aussie bucks a pop or some similarly low figure. Of course, won't bear the BS approval markings, but 5 minutes with a marking pen and you won't be able to tell them apart (joking)

[@dsesuk]

Sorry for YT erasing stuff - the channel is set for anyone to be able to comment but it sometimes decides to trash a comment with no rhyme or reason including my own replies to people. As you say, the SBS stuff is by Delong so maybe it'll reappear here under a different moniker.

[@iandonnelly542]

Yuanky seems to be the source. Their specs aren't superb mind. I dropped SBS an email enquiring about sale, but was away on a break, when I returned they needed a sale the very next day or else. Shame really, could have fancied a dabble

[@coralbay00]

Umkay 😆 🤣 😂

[@cstew8355]

Is that a cat? 🫵🏽 it’s a biggun really beautiful ❤️

[@JC-jv5xw]

Love the expression at the start when it is trying to work out who David is talking to....

[@harveycreekin]

I thought Nige had lost weight.... 😂