I’ve had a problem with power recently; specifically power extensions. A few weeks ago the plastic switch on the multiway socket I used on my desk shattered. Being the best part of twenty years old, I figured it had served for a decent run and so decided to retire it. In its place, I found a great looking “tower of power” in Homebase: ten sockets and a vertical, space-saving design that would even allow bulky or awkward adaptors to be plugged in without blocking each other.

Unfortunately, within a couple of weeks, the switch on the top went, failing to click on or off. It was an unwanted hassle but the staff at the local store were good and had no problem with me taking it back for a swap. Within a few days though, the switch on this one had also started to play up, clicking into the on position but failing to click off. So, back to the store.

Of course, after a couple of demonstration presses, it suddenly clicked to off. Then on. Then off. Gah! The assistant was able to flick it back and forward multiple times and it appeared to have been cured. I wonder if being transported upside down in its box caused some little piece of plastic to fall back into place? To their credit though, they didn’t mind taking it back and the new replacement is an unswitched device. I can just lean a little further and turn off at the wall with a switch that I expect to last for years.