LongRunner's Mini-review Collection

[LongRunner]

In the area of Australian electrical accessories, there's one surviving quality make (namely Clipsal) predominantly used by the professionals, with HPM a distant second and the cheaper Deta (originally a small UK company, but in Australia adopted by Arlec around a decade ago; I don't believe the actual products are related in any way) perhaps a close third (although their products still manage some aspects better than HPM's). (If the originally New Zealand-based PDL can be counted additionally is debatable, as both them and Clipsal are nowadays owned by Schneider Electric, with recently-designed products bearing both names.)
Well, Hager have also gotten involved (and their products may well be good), but should I have to choose between just a few multinational giants? (Maybe so for high-tech products, but in simpler fields I'd rather not over-concentrate the capital if I can help it…)

Even Clipsal's standards seem to have slipped a bit in places, though. Lately a number of smaller companies have been popping up too; most of those probably range from "meh" to junk, but I recently found out about one which looks like it might have a shot at decency.
While they can be found at the major Australian sellers like Rexel, with the limited ranges usually available there, I ordered an assortment directly instead: BS‑POD10 ×2 (Basix S twin 10A outlets) and one each of: PR310 (rewireable plug), PFR310 (trailing socket), BHC (B22 battenholder with clip-on cover), CR01 (ceiling rose), LH01 (B22 lampholder), BCA (B22 adapter plug), MNR (red neon mechanism), MNG (green fluorescent version), MJ (miniature junction box with 4 integral terminals), SJ4 (small junction box) and GJ4 (giant junction box) both with 3 single-screw + 1 double-screw connectors included (you can also buy the GJ without terminals), SMS1QF (Quick-Fit surface socket/plug base for 1.5mm² and 2.5mm² TPS cables) and SMS1_1QF (version for 1mm² cable, without mounting points), M25S (25A split switch mechanism) and YM75 (cutout measuring tool with integrated spirit level).
I subsequently got another three BS‑POD10 at the local Blackwoods.

The Magnet Test
In one of their videos, CEO Dean Lucantonio demonstrates how to detect plated steel terminal screws. While it isn't clear how the AC mains would provoke corrosion, it's probably fair enough to judge any observable resultant failure rate as false economy considering how small the screws are in the first place.
(Whether there is an observable failure rate, I can't say.)

Anyhow, with the number of magnets I have I'd be a fool not to repeat the test myself, and here's what I've found so far:
Clipsal: 30 series switch mechanisms and (1)438 trailing sockets have brass screws, current socket outlets and (1)439 (and 418 side-entry) plugs have plated steel screws. (The plug terminal clamps themselves are still brass like the pins.) An older 25 outlet I have to hand does have solid brass screws.
HPM: In 7P trailing sockets, both the screws and clamps are plated steel (only the contacts themselves being phosphor‑bronze). The D5M cordline switch's earth connector had brass screws originally (slotted only, Australian made), steel screws now (combination head, China made?).
Deta/Arlec: Both switch mechanisms and socket outlets have steel screws. Both trailing sockets and plugs (and their cordline switch) have brass screws, though.
Although not named, those familiar with their construction can see that CSG's video includes one of each of those brands in their comparison.

Steel screws in clamp terminals was probably always accepted practice in plugs at least in Australia, observing the 1950s Ring-Grip plug on John Hunter's history page. (EDIT: Maybe not the best example given that I found a near-identical plug where the pins themselves were copper-plated steel.)

Now for the moment of truth, running the magnet over Connected Switchgear's own products:

• BS‑POD10: Pass on the terminal screws; zinc-plated steel screws hold the unit together.
• SMS1QF and SMS1_1QF: No terminal screws to check here, but they're actually held together with stainless-steel screws!
• M25S, MNR and MNG: Pass (only the switch springs are steel)
• BHC, LH01 and CR01: Pass on the terminal screws; the B22 pin springs and assembly screws are steel.
  However on a side note, the CR01's large-terminal screws may be a bit short to securely terminate smaller wires (even on 2.5mm² 7-strand their heads can bottom-out); they're M4 by about 6mm long (7mm would be appropriate). This is also the case to a lesser extent in the M25S, even though its terminal screws are actually longer than those of the Clipsal 30MD20 (the problem there is because the M25S's body has flanges under the screw heads; if you're prepared to disassemble the M25S, you could drill the flanges out to solve that problem).
• Screw connectors included in SJ4 and GJ4: The website claims that the connectors sold in jars (100 single-screw or 50 double-screw) have brass screws too, but I got suspicious on seeing the photo in which they don't look brassy. The connectors I got in the junction boxes (I guess they're the same, although the giant box is marked 40A but the connectors listed for 35A in the catalog) actually look the part, but their screws still stick to the magnet.
  Sorry, Dean. The SJ4 box is actually marked "Wattspot" but the connectors inside are still Connected.
  The same goes for the MJ's integral screw terminals. For what it's worth, I used it (without cover) to make the low-voltage connections for earlier load tests (before getting Wago 221 series, here using the larger version for 0.5–6mm² wires), with no overheating even above 30A.
• PR310 and PFR310: While no claim is explicitly made regarding these, they actually have more steel than their Clipsal counterparts: Both the screws and clamping plates in the plug are plated steel, and the socket has steel screws (which don't have great-looking heads either) in tunnel terminals.
• BCA: As above, using clamp terminals with both the screws and plates being steel.

No prizes for consistency, huh?

General design and build quality
Terminal screws aside, it's also good of CSG to stick with polycarbonate for the cover-plates, rather than the ABS which yellows heavily on many HPM Excel and Clipsal Classic accessories. (Come on, Clipsal – even the Deta knock-off of your C2015D4 manages to use a polycarbonate cover plate!)

BS-POD10 inside.JPG (246.5 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

The BS‑POD10 looks fair enough, with wiper contacts formed of 0.7mm phosphor‑bronze. (Although since the incoming common active busbar doesn't need to be springy, they could have made it from brass like the terminals – just as Clipsal did in the older 25 outlet I've shown below – for higher conductivity and hence less cross-section necessary for the rating.) Switch mechanisms are little-changed from Clipsal's (the main difference being a concave curve in the rockers, making them somewhat more ergonomic), although the rockers are marked for 16A even with the 10A sockets. The barriers between busbars look satisfactory to me (when the front plate is holding them in flat). It can be easily seen that the basic structure is the same with or without the extra switch option (BS‑POD10X), only part of the plastic molds being swapped out. (Although the back of the extra switch mechanism would appear to obstruct access to the earth terminal screw )
Three screws hold the unit together at the center and bottom corners, with the top edge hooked into place.

Pegs at terminals.JPG (79.13 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

Without an extra switch, the only nuisance (apart from the lack of a stripping length guide on the back) is those pegs in front of the terminal screws – I suppose the idea is to stop the screws from falling out in transit, but it obstructs screwdriver access; feel free to cut the pegs down at installation.

Dated January 2022 on the front

BS-POD10 (newer) back.JPG (190.13 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

BS-POD10 (older) back.JPG (190.55 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

The active and earth terminals have about 5.8mm bores (on par with Clipsal's), neutral is a bit smaller at 5.4mm; screws with M5 thread. One of my samples is even missing the chamfered edge on the neutral bore, and another sample has a small crack near the center screw (although such cracks are not uncommon on Clipsal items either). (I swapped the neutral contacts afterwards to make one good unit.) Some factory fingerprints can be seen on the phosphor-bronze parts.
The assembly screws are obviously better-made on the newer sample, while the terminal screws look better (clearer head shape) on the older unit.

Switch marking difference.JPG (183.07 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

My newer units have deep red on marks, older units smaller marks in a lighter orange-red like on Clipsal (the deep red marks also go with stronger springs, at least among these; while those with orangey marks also have noticeable mold machining marks on the rockers).

Clipsal 25 inside.JPG (246.55 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

Surround dated August 2013

Clipsal 2025S inside.JPG (278.05 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

For what it's worth, the Clipsal outlets have been swapping phosphor‑bronze contacts out for brass in the meantime; while my older 25 outlet has all phosphor‑bronze socket contacts, the latest production have swapped mostly to brass and only the earth contact remains phosphor‑bronze.
(The newer Clipsal/PDL Iconic series outlets have all brass socket contacts, by the way; along with a less durable plastic-flex arrangement closing the shutters.)
As an intermediate example I have a 2025S (shuttered version), where the left active contact is brass but the others were still phosphor‑bronze.

Clearance/creepage between the termination blades of the SMS1QF measures at 2.08mm when set for 1.5mm² cable, and 2.65mm when set for 2.5mm²; this calculates about right given the specified cable dimensions and 0.7mm blade thickness (being part of the same phosphor-bronze piece as the socket contact).
I couldn't get my calipers at the SMS1_1QF, but I calculate 1.665mm given the 1.13mm diameter solid A+N cores and a 7/0.4 earth; if the earth is 1.5mm² (7/0.5) this would increase slightly to 1.815mm, but of course only one can have been designed for (or maybe a compromise between the two, which would make 1.74mm).

Tarnished blades.JPG (198.1 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

Blades end-on.JPG (75.73 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

Molding void.JPG (168.31 KiB) Viewed 144437 times

In my SMS1_1QF the blades are heavily tarnished, not sure if this will still make a good connection.
The faceplate also has a sizeable molding void; although to be fair, voids (although usually smaller) can often be seen in transparent Clipsal 418S plugs.

To be continued…

[LongRunner]

Didn't end up taking as many pictures as ideal, but they comprise most of the effort so without being paid, you can only expect as much as I feel up to

CSG M25S vs Clipsal 30MD20.JPG (184.2 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Mechs side.JPG (170.64 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Mechs rear.JPG (166.53 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

You can see here the under-screw flanges (which I ultimately drilled out).

Mechs unscrewed.JPG (212.95 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The M25S has heavy enough contacts (about 4.2mm diameter or 14mm²) that I suppose it could manage the 25A rating (CSG also make a 32A DPST mechanism, M32DP); it can be seen to resemble the Clipsal 30MD20 (20A DPST) and two single‑pole switches can generally be made into the same‑size housing as a double‑pole switch of the same rating (this is standard practice in many appliance switches). However, when it's not mounted into a switch plate, the rockers seem to fan‑out and might come unclipped; when mounted into a (Clipsal) plate it seems under control though. I originally included it in the hopes of using it in an architrave plate, but in reality that won't happen as the terminal screw collars make it as wide as an architrave plate itself; Australian wall‑size plates can accommodate up to 6 mechanisms, so a split mechanism is rarely necessary there. As a result, it's more a curiosity than a genuinely useful item.
Both mechanisms have M4 terminal screws, the M25S with 5.0mm bores (versus 4.5mm on the 30MD20); either would fit up to a 10mm² core in theory (or 2×4mm², or 3×2.5mm² as Clipsal more-conservatively suggest).

Among the junction boxes, the GJ(4) is a clone of Clipsal's 554C(4), with the MJ somewhat similar to Clipsal's 559/3 but with a clip-on cover and a bit wider to accommodate the 4th terminal. I'm not sure if the SJ4 is cloned or original. The GJ's cover has a few molding voids in the screw channels.
Both the integral terminals in MJ and loose terminals in SJ4/GJ4 have M4 screws in 5.8mm bores; although the MJ's terminals have 2 screws, that seems to be with the intent of putting one set of cables into one end and another into the other end, so to meet the Australian requirement for earth connections (either 2 screws, or a single screw's thread must be ≥80% of the bore diameter) you'd only be able to insert earth wires from one end ; then again the Clipsal 530 battenholder has an earth terminal which doesn't meet this claim, so it doesn't seem to be a consistent rule .
The bigger boxes do have a 2-screw terminal (among three 1-screw) for the earth, although these have slotted/Pozidriv combination screws (where the other combination screws are slotted/Phillips). Anyway I find myself favoring the Wago 221 series over these ancient tunnel terminals (the simple push-in types aren't much use in Australia where every size above 1mm² is stranded nowadays, and earths are always stranded).

The MNR disappoints with a 150kΩ resistor in ¼W at best (and maybe ⅛W at this size; these also generally don't have a satisfactory voltage rating for 240V mains). The MNG is worse still with a 120kΩ resistor in the same size. The plain neon bulb is about 4.9mm diameter by 12.4mm long, the green fluorescent bulb 4.7mm diameter by 11mm long. These may or may not survive for the typically-claimed 25,000 hours (at rated current of the neon bulb; usually a bit shorter for the green or blue fluorescent), but won't cut it for long-term 24/7 operation; either way, the resistors will get quite hot and won't do the housing any favors.
If there was a struggle to get sufficient brightness, putting a white plastic layer behind the neon would help improve this.

PFR310 packaged.JPG (271.04 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The PFR310's cover looks noticeably aged even in the packaging. (Clipsal at least makes a decent attempt at stabilization in their clear PVC covers.)

Socket covers.JPG (206.87 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Sockets front.JPG (149.55 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The wire channels are also a bit narrower on the CSG, so H05VV-F3G2.5 (which can fit into Clipsal 438XHD, 438/15HD or 438S15HD) would be a squeeze.

Sockets rear.JPG (177.41 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The stated minimum cable diameter is 8.0mm, which would rule out pretty much everything below H05VV‑F3G1.5 .
The PR310's cord entrance measures 9mm (not too far off from Clipsal's stated 8.7mm) and the PFR310's measures 10.1mm (same as for Clipsal 438HD); maybe this was revised at some time observing that my PR310's cover isn't noticeably aged (so presumably newer).

Cord grip nuts.JPG (222.14 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

On top of that, the nut's thread has a larger diameter (despite appearing as the same external size).
Test-fitting suggests that the PR310 really is designed for cable 8.0mm and larger diameter (so H05VV‑F3G1.5 is OK and maybe H05VV‑F2X1.5, not H05VV‑F3G1.0 and smaller); and the PFR310 fares even worse, only gripping heavy-duty flexes (and H05VV‑F3G2.5 if you could squeeze the cores into their channels). Borrowing a Clipsal nut improves both results somewhat, enabling the PR310 to grip H05VV‑F3G1.0 and PFR310 to grip H05VV‑F3G1.5.

PR310 inside.JPG (122.18 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The plug does have nickel-plated pins, although the screw heads are smaller in diameter (4.1mm) than Clipsal's (4.8mm).
Also, the earth clamp's thread is on a bit of an angle (though probably not cripplingly badly), and the active and neutral pins seem angled a few more degrees (from vertical) than they should be (making it hard to insert into Clipsal 463SAS, for example). That said, the plug frame may be of a better (glass-fiber reinforced?) plastic than Clipsal's, so since my remaining Clipsal 439S has a partly-melted frame and loose earth pin (albeit probably from an overload test), I may actually swap the Clipsal cover and nut onto the CSG base. Observing the (lack of) sheath grip, though, I won't bother with either of these again (you could get away with fitting them on heavy-duty cord, or maybe if you have a few leftover Clipsal nuts to use; but the covers don't seem stable enough for my liking anyway). If I do end up using the PR310, I think I'll also replace the terminal screws with some wider-headed types (they're M3 so easy enough to substitute, indeed what I have to hand should work fine). Observing that no wiring instructions are even provided, these items seem to be an afterthought. Even the Deta counterparts (while of worse general quality) often grip the cord better than this (and are available with opaque covers to avoid yellowing/clouding).

BHC back.JPG (171.79 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

The BHC's terminal screws are difficult to back out in-situ (angular tolerance wasn't properly evaluated), and the looping terminal screw's head gets dangerously close to the opening; while the opening is small enough to technically meet IP20, it's easy enough for my little* finger to touch the screw when backed-out even halfway. That said, being a BC lampholder (with no additional safety) anyway makes it somewhat pointless to recall over this.
Still, I'd recommend sticking with the original Clipsal 2530, and there's an even better reason to do so below…
*Only relative to the rest of me.

Clipsal 501 vs CSG LH01.JPG (207.51 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Lampholders inside.JPG (193.52 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Lampholders back.JPG (193.19 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Compared to the Clipsal 501, the CSG LH01 lacks the flange in the middle of the body (to stop the skirt from being screwed on too far and stopping the terminal cover from screwing on fully); the body itself is 2-piece (held together with 2 screws) instead of 1-piece like Clipsal's, which has an advantage in holding the spring pins straighter. Clipsal's is marked T180, CSG's doesn't state the temperature rating.
The cord entrance is slightly smaller (8.4mm vs. 8.9mm) but still enough to accept H05VV‑F2X0.75 or H05VV‑F2X1.0 (even H05VV‑F2X1.5 if you have it for some reason). Both have hooks for inner core support, but no outer sheath grip; the same goes for the CR01.

Even with doubled-back ends I don't really trust the CR01 on 1.5mm² (the screw barely makes a dent), let alone the earth core of 1mm².
The flex side has M3 screws in 3.4mm bores, the fixed-wiring side has M4 screws in 4.8mm bores; both screw sizes about 6mm long.

The BCA (similar to the now-discontinued Clipsal 466) does have a sheath grip suitable for H05VV‑F2X0.75. Its body is a bit tight in the Clipsal 501, but this turned out more to be the 501's fault (the same happens with actual lamps); it fits fine in the CSG one and a spare Clipsal 530 (probably of 2000s manufacture).

There's no apparent rhyme or reason as to whether the terminal screws are backed-off (to varying degrees) or screwed all the way in.

Current testing
My modified MPT‑301 will be handy here as well; I've wired in 2m of H07RN‑F2X4 cable to (what was originally) the +5V output (and ground via my current shunt), and will then connect this (previously using the MJ, now Wago 221-613 terminals) to wires of the normal size used for the items' circuits. I've prepared for this by also buying 1m each of 4mm² and 6mm² TPS cables (both sizes have 2.5mm² earths to Australian standard) which I can strip and cut apart as needed.

While the MPT‑301 is label-rated for 30A on the +5V, this is rectified by 2×SBL3040PT in parallel so can manage a bit more for some time (the design was later uprated to 400W and 35A on +5V, with only the +12V rectifiers being visibly upgraded).

I will first apply the rated current; then if the item remains cool to the touch after 1 hour, gradually step the current up until it gets too hot to touch comfortably. I'll consider 25% overload as a baseline (it also makes a nice reciprocal to the irksome American "80% rule" for sustained loads); if something melts at or below that current, it'll receive a warning from me. (Well, a 45% overload test for 1 or 2 hours would better-correspond to circuit breaker trip requirements, so I'll also do that.)

Where flexible (finely stranded) cores are used under terminal screws, I will test them with and without bootlace ferrules (I don't know if Australian Standards require ferrules in these situations, though I believe VDE regulations do). Rising-clamp terminals will not use ferrules.

To start with, the BS‑POD10; I was concerned that the main active bar (4.0mm wide in the same 0.7mm phosphor-bronze as the other contacts; i.e. 2.8mm² of phosphor-bronze, which in conductivity is equivalent to 0.42mm² of copper) may get hot at 16A (or potentially 20A) combined. (I don't know if the official standard allows a lower combined rating, but even if it does, that won't stop me from testing all the way.) Just changing it to brass (as suggested above) would bring it up to 0.78mm² Cu equivalent, while the Clipsal 2025's active bar is 0.7mm brass with 6.5mm width at the narrowest point (1.27mm² Cu equivalent). Anyhow, testing with shorted plugs in both sockets, it wasn't as bad as predicted; it seems cool enough at 16A, lukewarm at 20A, still under control at 23.2A (16A+45%), a bit hot to touch but not unreasonable at 25.6A (16A+60%), and very hot but still surviving at 29A (20A+45%).
So it seems that 16A combined is fine (after all there is a version with 15A sockets) and 20A combined is still kind of OK.

The M25S passes 32A without getting too hot, as does the Clipsal 30MD20 it appears inspired by (then again, for AU$58.18 you'd damn well want that Clipsal mechanism to); that said, new switches will invariably survive a greater overload than they will after the contacts are eroded by thousands of on/off cycles.

Then the CR01; given its simplicity I didn't expect any drama during the load test itself, and indeed none occurred. Despite the PR310 and PFR310 cover concerns, I couldn't see anything wrong with their actual contacts either, and they survived up to 24A when wired with 1.5mm². (Well, the PFR310 did; I haven't actually loaded the PR310 yet, but provided the wire clamps hold solidly – which they do – and the pins are correctly dimensioned, not much else can go wrong in that regard.)

Tarnished terminal blades notwithstanding, the SMS1_1QF still works, even overloaded to 16A. But I can't directly guarantee that this will work every time, so it's your call if you have enough confidence in it (and CSG's proclaimed in-house warranty).

Broken!.JPG (113.09 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

Still, for a challenge, I decided to reconnect in another place on the cable – only for the frame to break (it's for one-time installation only); but it still made contact, so let's continue under load Even over 30A for a few minutes, while the cable got very hot indeed, didn't send it up in smoke. I think I'll keep the SMS1QF around, rather than also sacrificing it for test's sake (the contacts aren't very different in design, and in better condition on my SMS1QF sample).

Toasted springs.JPG (136.76 KiB) Viewed 144366 times

But the BHC and LH01 (well, strictly speaking I borrowed the LH01's springs for a second test of the BHC) failed under 3.75A (B22 springs overheated and annealed), and even at 3A they're right on the edge. (For comparison, the Clipsal 530 and 501 are also rated 3A but have no problem surviving 3.75A.)
Either thicker springs should be used, or the rating dropped to 2A. Their catalogue says 10A

After this, I tried the BHC's terminal screws (8.5mm long) in place of the CR01's (6mm long). Only now they're too long to close the cover, unless screwed in most of the way . It would have been better to orient the terminals differently, so the screw length wouldn't be so cramped.

Heat and fire tests (BHC)
After failing the load testing, I put it into a convection oven at 200°C for 1 hour; the plastic parts survived with some slight brown stains mainly on the skirt (not sure if from the plastic, or rust from the baking tray though). Another hour at 220°C (the maximum my baking trays are rated for) and more browning, but still intact.

It's still rather windy so my glow-wire only managed a dull red, but for what it's worth, the body ignited but then self-extinguished within a few seconds after removal, while the base and skirt charred but didn't reach ignition.

Conclusion
Connected Switchgear show some potential and seem to be indeed among the better of the minor makes, but they still have much to work on if they're to seriously compete with Clipsal. My verdicts are:

• Decent: BS-POD10 is probably the best-made item overall, surprisingly close to Clipsal's and even arguably better in some respects (while only slightly pricier than Deta/Arlec at retail, not sure if trade prices are much different though; then again, you might consider the Clipsal 2025 worth the money as long as they still make them in Australia). The Quick-Fit range may be worth considering for new installations, provided you don't need to branch-off; creepage between the terminal blades is on the small side, but not woeful. With the Clipsal 466 discontinued, you can consider CSG's BCA as a fair equivalent.
• Meh: M25S (potentially useful if you find a place for it, but I haven't), junction boxes (nothing inherently wrong with them, they just don't have the claimed brass terminal screws)
• Don't bother: CR01 (it may be OK on a suspension-socket circuit with 2.5mm² feed, not so much ordinary lighting circuits), MNR and MNG, BHC and LH01 (well you could use BH/BHC or LH01 in a pinch if you don't draw >2A), PR31x (unless you have a leftover Clipsal 439 series cover and nut) and PFR31x

I'll try to contact them, if they revise anything I'm more than happy to examine samples of such.
They'll also have to update their RCD and RCBO ranges to type A real soon (type AC will be prohibited in Australia from 2023, I believe; and even that's overdue).

[LongRunner]

Rewireable plugs (non-Australian)

• Permaplug HDPT13 (BS 1363/A): Reasonably solid; pins are plain brass (with brass-plated steel terminal screws), fuse clips phosphor-bronze (the provided fuse is 13A, made by Bussmann). Cord clamped by a plastic bar, which (like in many BS 1363 plugs) can be inverted if necessary to fit larger cables (up to H05VV-F3G2.5 or H07RN-F3G1.5). The cover screw threads into a brass insert, not cutting into the plastic.
  However, the stated stripping dimensions don't match the drawing scale (bared length is indicated as 4mm, actually about 6mm; E insulation stated 40mm, actually 32mm; N insulation stated 22mm, actually 18mm; L insulation stated 14mm, actually 11.5mm). By the drawn scale, L and N hardly reach; the numbered dimensions are closer to the truth. If you want to use ferrules, there's enough clearance beyond the terminals to fit the most-common length.
• Velleman E390M2 (CEE 7/7): (actually Kaifeng KF-GRCP-01) Also reasonably solid (and claimed to meet IP44 by sealing around the cord), here with nickel‑plated pins (and earth contacts) and a steel-reinforced clamping bar. The pins are technically hollow, but not to the point of being noticeably flimsy.

Travel adapter

• Jack Hammer JH500600 (or P303): Adapts an AS/NZS socket to accommodate BS 1363 or NEMA 5-15 (on the top) and Schuko, Swiss or Italian plugs on the front, and it manages to keep correct polarity for all (by crossing internal conductors where applicable). However, this comes at the cost of considerable bulk (62mm wide and high, 65mm deep excluding the pins) and possible overloading up to 29A (13A in the BS 1363 + 16A in the Schuko) with no protection; and the NEMA contacts are too tight to insert the plug into without brute force (especially bad given the absence of a rigid frame in many NEMA plugs), although I managed to ease them a bit by inserting another adapter. The BS 1363 and Schuko/Swiss/Italian sockets have shutters (although the former can be overridden by inserting the plug backwards, if not plugging the adapter directly into a wall outlet; and the latter can't hold back a great deal of force), the NEMA socket doesn't (and a NEMA 5-15 plug will also partly open the British shutters ). The power pin insulation has rather long pieces of flashing; it probably won't foul the socket contacts, but this might vary from sample to sample so who knows? I found it in IGA, for AU$15.60 IIRC.

It could have been significantly safer just by omitting the NEMA socket, but it's still acceptable enough that I can dispense with the previous half-assed models.

[LongRunner]

Desk fan

• Vornado Pivot: I couldn't help myself while on vacation in Perth Its slick jet-engine look (a nod to Vornado's beginnings) aside, its small diameter means it doesn't actually move as much air as the rechargeable-battery Onix I bought on clearance last year; so the AU$79 at retail really does look steep. The cord is actually H05VVH2-F2X0.75 (ordinary duty) rather than H03VVH2-F (light duty), so that's something good at least. The shaded-pole motor is a 58mm circular type (but with a core 16mm deep, rather than the usual 12mm deep core found in fan heaters), which spins to around 2400RPM (about as fast as is feasible on 50Hz mains); the speed increments are barely noticeable. The clipped-in front grille makes service very difficult, and it doesn't have the clear airflow-for-size win of the larger Vornado models (since the other manufacturers can't get away with slacking as much on the design of smaller fans).
  So if you really fancy the style or find it on clearance, go ahead; but otherwise you're not missing a great deal.

[LongRunner]

Appliances

• LG LD‑1482T4 inverter dishwasher: Damn, this beast produces so much interference when it's running. It also seems to be producing more audible whines with age. I'll have to investigate; I'd suggest going to better-regarded manufacturers for inverter-driven appliances (at least until someone like us gets the budget and space to review them properly ), but it's anyone's guess what choices you'll have.
• Sunbeam MixMaster JM6600: A straightforward design which feels solid enough; normally at a somewhat-steep AU$80, but Coles had it for AU$45 yesterday. The six speeds are selected by connecting different taps on the universal motor's field coil; boost mode works by momentarily shorting out a 1N5408 in series with the motor (so in a way, it's better to use boost mode whenever possible). RFI suppression looks quite generous (ferrite beads on the brush springs, 3.3nF Y2 caps from each spring to motor frame, two differential inductors with a 22nF X2 cap before them, a 220nF X2 cap across the input, and the cord wires are looped twice through a ferrite core) even if the X2 caps are of dubious makes, and I have to bring it quite close to an AM radio to be noticeable; however, the lowest speed without boost makes an audible acoustic whine. The mechanism is standard (a worm on the motor driving the two output gears, which are plastic for supplementary insulation), not much I can comment on there. Cord is 95cm of H03VV‑F2X0.75 (preferable to the flat H03VVH2‑F in a frequently‑flexing application like this), made by Unirise but significantly more flexible than previous Unirise cords I've seen.
  I would prefer ball bearings on the motor, but maybe the sleeve bearings will still outlast the plastic gears…
  The handle has a rubbery coating (for improved grip, but I'm not sure how long that will last before going sticky).

[LongRunner]

UPDATE: The deal was too good to last; my local Bunnings ran out of the shown CLKPB6 version and is now selling the inferior type.
Kaifeng's own KF‑MSD‑4A and KF‑MSD‑6A are better-made anyway, and BizLine-rebranded versions of them are available at Rexel.

Power-boards (or power-strips in the USA etc.) don't generally get much attention to their build quality, largely because they just don't have enough to go wrong (though they can be quite dangerous when it does, and I had one dodgy model short out the mains when bumped). In my experience, their main weakness is socket contacts loosening after repeated plug insertions; therefore, more-robust contact designs are something I've been looking for in them.

So far I haven't thought much of the “Click” brand (although they've been around for decades, I've not been overly-impressed by their prior products and they don't have a website), but I noticed in Bunnings (though I mostly go there for non-electrical items) that some (but not all) of their power-boards have decent-looking contact designs, despite being among the cheapest on the Australian retail market:

CLKPB4, CLKPB6
(Note: My units are a different version to those pictured by Bunnings; look for the cord centered on the right end, and reset button on the bottom edge.)

I actually rather like the diminutive casing; many power-boards have unnecessarily bulky casings seemingly just to look more “substantial”, but to me that's just a superfluous waste of plastic (especially if the contacts aren't beefed-up to last).

CLKPB4 front right.JPG (152.29 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

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For AU$2.74 and AU$4.98 respectively, I figured them worth checking out even if there is a catch. Of course, at prices that low you get no real packaging; just a tag around the cord, and a pair of twist ties holding the cord in a bundle around the board. My CLKPB4 is dated August 2022, the CLKPB6 from September 2021.

Approval number shared with CLKPB6 (and some Arlec models of the same general design)

CLKPB4 back.JPG (121.88 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

Like most of today's cheaper power-boards, the casing is polypropylene (which I actually prefer to ABS in this application, as PP is more resistant to heat and UV; polycarbonate as on wall switches and outlets would be better again, but more expensive). It's not so weak either, I've felt flimsier models before (some of which are sold for a few dollars more). The circuit breaker is recessed quite deep (even when tripped the button barely protrudes), but if this is the worst inconvenience then we're doing alright. The screws are a divided-slot type (or whatever the proper name is), the CLKPB4 has 7 and CLKPB6 has 8 of them.

Yes, the busbar is a bit twisted at the neutral weld; the casing presses it back into shape when assembled, but I straightened it anyway.

CLKPB4 inside.JPG (320.72 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

Seems to be enough guides to stop anything from going where it shouldn't.

CLKPB4 inside back.JPG (178.67 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

Cord clamp.JPG (82.44 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

At least the clamp itself didn't do the damage here.

CLKPB6 pinched cord.JPG (244 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

The cord clamp is actually a separate piece with two screws (rather than comprised of the two casing halves), which is virtually a luxury at this price ; although my CLKPB6's cord was pinched a bit in the casing. The cable itself seems adequately flexible, with proper copper wires; both measure within 2cm of the specified 0.9m.

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CLKPB6 contact comparison.JPG (211.81 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

CLKPB6 unused socket contacts.JPG (173.82 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

The circuit breaker connections are soldered (not so well in my CLKPB4, although not an outright fail), while the busbar connections are made by brass crimps on the wire which are then spot-welded to the bars (these look fine). The socket contacts are sideways-wiper arrangements, although some were formed so tight that the first insertion spreads them out noticeably (it's probably better not to overdo it like that); but they do appear to contact the plug pins over a good area.
The bar section is about 3.5mm by 0.5mm, i.e. 1.75mm² of brass (equivalent in conductivity to 0.49mm² of copper, although heating is mitigated by the larger surface area and surrounding free-air space).

Your standard thermal-element circuit breaker

CLKPB breaker.JPG (302.94 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

Overloaded to 20A, the CLKPB4 and CLKPB6 breakers tripped in 21 and 19 seconds; going up to 25A gave 9 and 6 seconds, then 30A gave 5 and 4 seconds.
For the normal-load test I set 11A to ensure a tolerance margin; over 2 hours and no trip.

There's also a bundle of a 6-outlet power-board + 4m extension cord, although this power-board (C6PB) has a different design:

C6PB (not found on Bunnings' site)

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C6PB back.JPG (143.65 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

This model has a less-cluttered look, although that has a side-effect of making molding distortions (a drawback of polypropylene) more noticeable.
The screws here are tri-wing; the date code is for March 2022.

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This time the cord grip is entirely integral to the casing.
Unusually for a modern power-board in Australia, the contacts actually have a full wiper arrangement; their alignment is a bit off in places, though, so might not maintain contact along the whole width. Still, since they have a larger back area to rest against the casing, they won't press into the plastic (as could be the case with other contact designs). The earth and neutral bars are 0.5mm thick, the active 0.6mm for some reason; all are about 4mm wide.

C6PB breaker.JPG (309.78 KiB) Viewed 142992 times

The miniaturized breaker responds in time (18 seconds at 20A, 5 seconds at 25A, 3 seconds at 30A) but has a significant weakness:
If you hold the button in, it cannot trip. (The normal type can trip even if you hold the button, although will then reset as soon as it cools down enough; a full free‑trip mechanism is probably over‑budget for these.) If the button was recessed (so didn't protrude even when tripped), this might be more tolerable.

Fire tests
Normally I only do them on irreparably faulty items, but these are so cheap that a sacrifice is affordable. CLKPB6 was the first victim here (since my unit has the pinched cord sheath at the entrance; resoldering the breaker in my CLKPB4 was the easier fix, so that's the one I'll keep); I'll do the C6PB later.
Since I wanted to keep the brass busbars clean for recycling (and salvage what else I could), I gutted them beforehand.

While it's still been windier than ideal, the CLKPB6 didn't continue flaming for any noticeable time after removing the glow wire, and only under the most extreme (and unrealistic) conditions could I get flaming drips to ignite a tissue below; so I'd consider this satisfactory (probably up to UL 94 V-1 or even V-0).

I also tested my worst-cracked piece of Connected Switchgear BS-POD10 (again after removing the brass and phosphor-bronze bits) and that passed easily too.

Conclusion
The C6PB is a close call given how easy it is to defeat the breaker, but the CLKPB4/6 aren't bad for the (low) price; the breaker soldering should be better (or use crimping/welding as on the busbars), but did still survive loading (although I resoldered it in the end) so overall, I'll give them a C−.

Given the choice I'd spend a bit more for something really well-made, but among what's available these are surprisingly decent.
Even the Jackson Power Block is a bit hard to continue recommending (since one of mine had a bad solder joint itself), unless you have a bunch of awkwardly‑shaped plug‑packs or you're carrying it in a travel bag (or the like) where the length of a normal board would become unwieldy; and if the Allocacoc PowerCubes are still as defective as they were in 2016, then I wouldn't even consider them.

[LongRunner]

Since a local second-hand store is soon closing down (or so they planned to at the time…), I decided to collect many of the electrical items from there.
Some particularly good buys included a barely‑used Clipsal 2015D (double-pole switched) for $3.50 (plus extra mounting screws), a NOS Clipsal 15 (an older unit with solid brass terminal screws and all phosphor-bronze socket contacts), and a trio of Kambrook KD44 (1980s) time-switches with Matsushita mechanisms (plus a KD84 probably from the '90s). There were also a trio of '60s~'70s electric blanket switches (using series/single/parallel operation for quarter/half/full power), among the more mundane items like Bakelite double-adapters (figuring that if I don't end up using them, I can collect the brass contacts for recycling; 8 of the 9 were serviceable). Oddly, one Ring-Grip Bakelite plug I found had copper-plated steel pins, which given the tarnishing, meant it wasn't worth keeping.

Anyhow, here's what I deem worthy of the micro-reviews:

• Maxim Travel Max LK8901 (TM12): A small hair-dryer rated at 240V 1200W; the casing has an unused position for a voltage selector.
  Unlike some travel irons, the cord entrance isn't compromised in such a way that everyday use would bother me.
  Circuit‑wise it's as basic as possible; low power is done by putting a 1N5404 (cutting it close there) in series, though with only two settings it would seem just as easy to use two actual heating elements (I did a test with a 1200W hot-plate in series on full‑wave; the fan runs a bit slower there than in normal half‑wave, but still fast enough to work) and avoid the bother of the DC component (which is/was historically frowned upon here in Australia). Only a resettable thermal cut‑out is included, no thermal fuse; although this may well be deliberate observing how much heat builds‑up in the time it takes to trip (in hair‑dryers which do have a thermal fuse, like the larger Remington I got before, it is placed further back). Still, it could at least have been a self‑holding type.
  Although the input X2 capacitor is only 47nF, even that is enough to give a noticeable shock when charged (as it has no bleed resistor).
• Australian Protective Electronics Power Guard 370B: An undervoltage/overvoltage cut-out device from 1987, although the original dropper capacitor was only marked for 250VDC so I changed that to a proper X2 cap before trying it. For some reason a pair of halogen bulbs via the aforementioned electric-blanket switch will regularly nuisance-trip it (a 2400W heater is no problem), even after readjusting the undervoltage threshold for a more-forgiving 204VRMS.

In case you're wondering, the switch contacts look fine to me and I even deep-cleaned the switch, so how much interference can it make
Even the dishwasher doesn't seem to affect it…

[LongRunner]

Update: You can also buy these under the BizLine brand (available at Rexel); this KF‑MSD‑4A is rebranded as BIZ 390525/BIZPB0001 and the KF‑MSD‑6A as BIZ 390527/BIZPB0005 (I got two in the meantime). So yes, they're available where you get other trade-quality electrical items.

Beware of cheap power-boards which are made to look the same from outside, but are NOT built to the same standard.
Arlec/Click have been guilty of playing dirty in this manner – their look-alikes had ordinary low-life contacts, and worst of all, had to be recalled in 2017.
So if buying these under any name other than Kaifeng or BizLine, you must look for the same approval number (SAA-162063-EA).

During one final time at the second-hand store, I found this among the new items:

Front.JPG (190.63 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

It was packaged as “Handy Hardware” (a brand of PJ SAS Trading) item number 76802, and sold at $11.50 (on the expensive side for a 4-outlet board with no extra features). But I could see through the packaging that it has full wiper contacts, and a normal breaker (which can't be just held on), so let's give it a chance:

Dated April 2019

Back.JPG (137.51 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

The casing is again polypropylene (with the normal slight distortions).
Here's the category page, by the way (the individual product pages add little of relevance, other than to volume customers).

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The plug has a cleaner molding than that on the CLKPB4; the cord feels flexible enough, though at 90cm it falls a bit short of the “1 metre” on HH's card.
But take a look at the plug faces:

Plugs 2.JPG (346.64 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

Evidently the Click CLKPB4/6 are also manufactured by Kaifeng, albeit with a different design.

Inside.JPG (238.71 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

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The earth contacts are slanted a bit to the left, but still managed to accept the plug pins without being splayed out. (I straightened them using spanners before reassembly.) On the plus side, they stand taller than the active and neutral. Active and neutral bars are 4mm by 0.6mm with the earth 4.8mm by 0.5mm, both calculating to 2.4mm² of brass (0.67mm² copper equivalent in conductivity). All internal connections are made with spot-welded brass crimps.

Cord grip.JPG (216.56 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

The cord sheath wasn't inserted far enough to reach the innermost pair of clamping ridges (or perhaps was stripped back further than intended), although 3 of the 4 was probably still enough to pass a pull-test (but I inserted it all the way on reassembly).

Circuit breaker.JPG (256.52 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

The circuit breaker tripped in 19 seconds at 20A, 7 seconds at 25A and 5 seconds at 30A; no trip after an hour at 11A.

Conclusion
Although from a Chinese company, it's better-built than most modern power-boards, so gets a solid C from me.
If the earth contacts had accurate horizontal alignment, I'd make it a C+ (and maybe B− if the cord sheath was inserted fully in the grip).

If anything, Chinese manufacturing often knows itself best; it's more-often been the “Western” companies which get nasty surprises when they have their products made in Chinese factories (and/or with Chinese components) without checking the quality in enough detail themselves.
Once these companies do catch on (and practice more-vigilant QA) their products are often alright again (and sometimes still more-robust on the design level, though here we've seen a reverse case), but whether by enough to justify the price difference can only be discerned case-by-case.

But for Chinese designs, I'm actually more comfortable getting them with their own name than rebranded (on the actual product, that is).

Extra
While at the same store, I also found a decent-quality 3.5mm to RCA cable (an older Crest model) to replace the Con Cord. Here are the plugs so you can identify it (and also a component video cable of similar design, which I found the previous time to also replace an unshielded, stiff generic):

Crest AV cables.JPG (270.21 KiB) Viewed 142478 times

[LongRunner]

Gamepad

• Powerwave 159933: And I thought the Logitech F310 was bad. This is horrible with its even-larger (again axial) dead zones!
  The construction actually seems fine (the sticks physically move smoothly enough), so it's really an unnecessary waste.
  
  If you happen to run a gaming shop, I'd strongly recommend to discontinue sale of these (and the F310/F710) and just discard any stock you have.
  Your reputation (if a small shop) is worth more than the cost of a few gamepads, to say nothing of the gamers' happiness…

Old-style analog joystick ports did have a significant advantage, in that the controller manufacturers couldn't implement stupid shit like this.
In any case, dead zones are best applied by the game so they can be shaped to suit the game's requirements (scaled radial for general movement, possibly scaled axial where straight horizontals and verticals are important; for vehicle steering, on the other hand, zero dead zone may be better).

On this note, you may have noticed that I've changed my second signature statement accordingly…

[LongRunner]

Electrical accessories (Australia/New Zealand)

• Clipsal/PDL Iconic™: The swappable switch rockers are fairly clever (Schneider Electric obviously put a lot of thought into the scheme), but it doesn't seem to be as well-made overall as the old Clipsal 2000 series; the socket contacts are all brass (no phosphor-bronze), and while they have shutters as standard, the closing spring is just a leaf on the POM shutter itself so might not be as durable as the steel springs in older models. (And if the shutter stays even slightly open, it's easy enough to slip even a thick sewing needle past it.) They do have the benefit of rising-cage terminals, and steel reinforcing plates around the mounting points; but I'll personally just stick with the Clipsal 2000 (and Standard if I have NOS) series.

BS 1363 shutters operate smoothly because they were required from the start (and the pin geometry designed accordingly); when shutters are added as an afterthought, they can become a bit rough. I can still support other shuttered sockets in childcare facilities, but in aged care homes they'll just get in the way.

Hand tools
I mostly just judge them in a hands-on manner (fittingly), but I may have to check a bit closer next time…

• Stanley 87‑434: A 300mm (12″) spanner which should open up to 38mm (1½″), but stops at 37mm and a bit.
  Feels solid enough otherwise, but I don't put much stock in any particular brand of tools.

My other spanners are different brands so I can't comment further on Stanley's, but my 150mm (6″) Kincrome K040002 clears its marked 24mm (and almost 25mm) and a 100mm (4″) generic (packaged as “Workforce” IIRC), marked to span 13mm, opens to almost 16mm!

I also have 150mm (6″) digital calipers from Kincrome; suffice to say that they're no Mitutoyo, and quickly drain the CR2032 if you leave it in.

Lighting

• TaoTronics TT‑DL046 LED floor lamp: Seems fairly decent as with the TL‑DL22 desk lamp, but fortunately doesn't have the same DTV-jamming USB output. This model defaults to the maximum-brightness 4000–4600K mode (both LED sets) rather than 5000–5500K (as the DL22 does); its only comparative deficiency is that while the DL22 sensibly uses a red standby LED, the DL046's standby LED is white (so I resorted to wrapping Scotch Super 33+, the lone good quality PVC tape, around the on/off touch area). Oddly, the DL046's PSU is 10V 1.2A (vs. 12V 1A for the DL22).