non metallic box vs metal

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splinetto

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
I have a homeowner requesting all metal boxes. When I asked , thru the sales lady, he said he wants them because they last longer. What is the lifetime of a non meatallic box vs a metal box? Next ? Without using gangable boxes can I get a 3 or 4 gang box? Thank You
 

mikeames

Senior Member
Location
Germantown MD
Occupation
Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
Put a metal box in the dirt, then put a plastic box in the dirt....Better yet in the ocean....Come back in 50 years and see what lasts longer.


I get very frustrated when people who rarely have no basis for a decision make a claim like that one! Among all of the professionals there may be preferences and reasons...We all have our own. I prefer plastic in residential for a few reasons but the one given "because they last longer" is in my opinion ignorant.

Has any one had to replace a plastic box because its life time was exceeded?
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
splinetto said:
I have a homeowner requesting all metal boxes. When I asked , thru the sales lady, he said he wants them because they last longer. What is the lifetime of a non meatallic box vs a metal box? Next ? Without using gangable boxes can I get a 3 or 4 gang box? Thank You
Both boxes will outlast you, the customer, the saleslady, myself and our children's children ~ IF installed properly, barring an interference from Mother nature, etc.

You can get plastic boxes up to 4G
B455A.jpg

http://tinyurl.com/3bo6rf

Metal boxes also up to 4G
sc_1_s_4g4dv12_0_ld.jpg

4G4DV 1/2

Someone may make larger ones :-?

Why the restriction on ganging?
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
mikeames said:
Has any one had to replace a plastic box because its life time was exceeded?
It's kinda like asking "Has the Plutonium gone away yet?"
 

splinetto

Senior Member
Location
Missouri
celtic said:
Both boxes will outlast you, the customer, the saleslady, myself and our children's children ~ IF installed properly, barring an interference from Mother nature, etc.

You can get plastic boxes up to 4G


Metal boxes also up to 4G



Why the restriction on ganging?
Thanks There is no restriction on ganging.. it is just that the ganged boxes I get are small and hard to work with.. I told the sales lady that I didnt think it made a diff and the only diff would be that it would cost more money.. The subdivision is for older people 55+ and alot of them have there own ideas about things ... Some people might call it wisdom but Im not sure about that
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I would use the metal boxes and charge accordingly. If you're dead set against using them give her the price both ways She may like the plastic after she can see the cost savings. In the past, plastic boxes were largely inferior because the 6/32" screw would pull out when someone yanked hard on a receptacle. They gotten much better.
 

jetlag

Senior Member
fire rating

fire rating

mikeames said:
Put a metal box in the dirt, then put a plastic box in the dirt....Better yet in the ocean....Come back in 50 years and see what lasts longer.


I get very frustrated when people who rarely have no basis for a decision make a claim like that one! Among all of the professionals there may be preferences and reasons...We all have our own. I prefer plastic in residential for a few reasons but the one given "because they last longer" is in my opinion ignorant.

Has any one had to replace a plastic box because its life time was exceeded?

I believe the metal would last longer with a fire inside of it, but I dont know the rating for either one.
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
splinetto said:
... it is just that the ganged boxes I get are small and hard to work with..

You can get them up to 3.5" deep ...
sc_1_s_cxv_0_ld.jpg

CXV Steel City? Indoor Boxes & Covers (MC & AC)
CXWV Steel City? Indoor Boxes & Covers (NM)
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Beats me. That was back when I didn't get involved in prices. I was getting paid to install it, not write checks. All I know is that was what was spec'd.
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
chris kennedy said:
Would you care to tell us what you paid for the trim plate? $52 or more is my guess.

How many dimmers would fit in a 10/12G?
How many spaces would each dimmer occupy?


I do agree, anything over 3/4G plate is cha-ching!
 

macmikeman

Senior Member
Fact is I have seen some cheap plastic boxes that did go bad, the plastic got so brittle that it started cracking at the screw holders when removing devices, but that seems to be limited to the really basement bargin brands.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
celtic said:
How many dimmers would fit in a 10/12G?
How many spaces would each dimmer occupy?

Depends on the wattage. Some take up one space, some take two. But schools generally don't install dimmers.
 

celtic

Senior Member
Location
NJ
480sparky said:
Depends on the wattage. Some take up one space, some take two. But schools generally don't install dimmers.

True ...and I also haven't installed a bank of dimmers since 1987 :D
 

inspector23

Senior Member
Location
Temecula, CA
Reminds me of the Zig Ziglar story:

Bob asks Sam if he can borrow his lawnmower. Sam says " I'd love to lend you my mower, Bob, but didn't you hear? All the flights between LA and New York have been cancelled !

Bob says "what does flight cancellations have to do with me borrowing your lawnmower?"

Sam says "well, If I don't want to lend you my mower, one excuse is as good as another."

The owner wants steel boxes, never mind the reason....
 
plastic is the shizzle

plastic is the shizzle

I love plastic, use em in all the resi jobs I have done besides having to use metal boxes wherever the party walls are...is that a building code? or electrical?, I'm from MA.....someone will probably give me the answer before I look it up anyways ;)
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Forget about the price of those plates. A multigang box usually runs about $10/gang once you get in the 5 gang and above range.
 
yup

yup

non metallic are great for single,double,and 3 gangers...but yeah like you said once you get up to 4,5, they cost mucho dinero...then its time to go metal again.
 
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