Is Dorman Smith switchgears still popular ? All the recent ones I have come across are Schneider or Eaton Memshields.

In the absence of a response by anybody else …

I like Memshield - built like a brick dunny. I would hope that anything which I install will outlive me, or actually, do I really mean that? ?

Yes, I think so. ?

I do not know if Dorman Smith stuff is still popular. I have come across it over the years. I have not installed any, but have maintained or inspected it.

The Loadcentre distribution boards seem good.

• Type Tested / Verified Assembly to the latest standard IEC 61439 and certified by ASTA
• TPN Vertical - 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 Way up to 17kA for 250ms type tested / verified to the latest standard IEC 61439 and certified by ASTA
• SP&N and Consumer units
• Horizontal distribution - Row Type: 1 - 6 rows in 10, 12, 16, 18 and 24 Modules
• Incomer ratings from 63A - 250A (Isolators, RCCBs & MCCBs)
• Enclosures formed from 1.2mm sheet steel, epoxy powder coated to light grey semi-gloss as per RAL 7035 with a paint thickness of an average 65 microns. Other color options available on request
• Tin plated HDHC copper bus bars from 100A - 250A

Z.

We were a Dorman Smith site from the 80s, black dollies, series 15 boards, then the new loadmaster and loadlimiter.

Prior to that, it was Red Spot, English Electric MEM and Dennis

Then, one day, someone fitted a Merlin Gerin board and it was like looking into the future, that was about 18 years ago and we stuck with it

I imagine Dorman Smith has updated, but some of the boards we have, in order to add a breaker, you have to slacken the busbar screws - that's just bizarre. Another that springs to mind has unshrouded busbar lugs and virtually no space for cable management, its fine on a new install, but in an industrial setting, things get altered all the time.

We did have a little foray into Crabtree C50 boards, they just look frightening now

We had Dorman Smith boards at an anodizing  works I helped maintain all the boards were in reasonably good condition with little rust despite the damp corrosive atmosphere. They were all OK then one day during shutdown the DNO did a load of tests and it was surprising how many incorrectly rated breakers there were also insulation resistance was a bit low  so yes good boards up to that point

MEM has sadly gone downhill in the quality and robustness stakes - their MEMSHIELD 3 boards may as well be made out of cardboard in comparison with their earlier MEM2 incarnations. Despite the utmost care being taken during the fixing back of their 3 phase dist boards, the front covers still won't fit squarely, nor do the front cover fixing screws and holes line up. The MEM bean counters have value-engineered all of the previous quality out of the things. I'd be hard-pressed now to recommend any manufacturer when it comes to fitting industrial 3 phase dist board stuff. Square D used to be bullet-proof gear back in the u70s and 80s, now that Schneider own it, the brand is pure junk.

Thanks for all the interesting answers

I worked for a Dorman Smith system builder. It was good stuff and everything was modular across the range. We could quote you for a 1250A powerboard with metering, eight MCCBs and a built in 12 way TPN DB including delivery over the phone.

I remember building a switchboard in Nottingham late on a Sunday night which was on the IoW on Monday morning! 

They‘re installed on the DLR too.