Receptacle Mounting to Surface Mounted Cover Plate

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ed downey

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
In the 2008 NEC 250.146(A) it talks about mounting the receptacle to the face plate (industrial surface mounted cover plate see picture) with two screws.



Two Questions:

1.) Do we need to mount the Receptacle with two screws when we have a bonding jumper?

2.) If we do need 2 screws according to the 2008 NEC, Do you agree that the 2005 NEC does not require 2 screws.

Thanks,

Ed
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
The reason behind the change was old RS covers used only the center screw to mount a duplex receptacle, this resulted in the receptacles comming loose and falling back in the boxes. This was mainly a change for manufactures, for now they are required to have two screws securing the receptacle to the cover. You still have to use the bond jumper because the ground would be interupted if the cover was removed while energized (which you are not supposed to do anymore:roll:)
(I believe this requirement has been in the code for the last couple of editions, I remember starting to use these two screw covers in '96 I think.)
 
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don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
I think the requirement goes back to the '93 code, but don't remember. I should as I was the original submitter of this requirement. It was not accepted the first code cycle that I proposed it, but was accepted the next time.
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
I think the requirement goes back to the '93 code, but don't remember. I should as I was the original submitter of this requirement. It was not accepted the first code cycle that I proposed it, but was accepted the next time.

Did my memory serve me correctly as for the change? A single screw in a duplex RS cover was insufficent to secure the receptacle? I remember telling a project manager to be sure to order the two screw covers for a new orange box we were doing in the city of Atlanta, because I knew it would be enforced. He ignored my advice, and ended up replacing every single one of them when he failed the final inspection.(and theres a lot of them in the orange box)
 

ed downey

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
Where would I find the requirement for 2 screws in the 2005 NEC?

250.146(A) does not mention anything about the number of screws.

Thanks
Ed
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Did my memory serve me correctly as for the change? A single screw in a duplex RS cover was insufficent to secure the receptacle? I remember telling a project manager to be sure to order the two screw covers for a new orange box we were doing in the city of Atlanta, because I knew it would be enforced. He ignored my advice, and ended up replacing every single one of them when he failed the final inspection.(and theres a lot of them in the orange box)
That was exactly the reason. In the TCR (now known as the ROP) my proposal was unanimously accepted. In the TCD (now known as the ROC) it was unanimously rejected. The rule first appeared as 410-56(i) in the 93 code.
 
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