What's up with the new metal receptacle covers?

[K8MHZ]

Sorry, but I can't get the pic off my phone...

I was in Lowe's today and noticed that the metal raised receptacle covers are being made differently. I am used to a hole in the center and holes above and below the receptacle opening. Inside the place punched out for the receptacle to be accessed are clips with threaded holes. You are supposed to break the clips off and slide them over the un-threaded holes if you need to use the threaded holes.

Even if you are only going to use the center screw hole, the clips have to be broken out prior to installation. That will leave a small tab. Beside that, the punched out holes are really nasty looking. The top and bottom aren't symmetrical like the receptacle.

I went to the Raco site for a pic, but the site won't let me into the product section.

So, why are they doing this????

They don't look like this anymore:

 

[stevebea]

Sorry, but I can't get the pic off my phone...

I was in Lowe's today and noticed that the metal raised receptacle covers are being made differently. I am used to a hole in the center and holes above and below the receptacle opening. Inside the place punched out for the receptacle to be accessed are clips with threaded holes. You are supposed to break the clips off and slide them over the un-threaded holes if you need to use the threaded holes.

Even if you are only going to use the center screw hole, the clips have to be broken out prior to installation. That will leave a small tab. Beside that, the punched out holes are really nasty looking. The top and bottom aren't symmetrical like the receptacle.

I went to the Raco site for a pic, but the site won't let me into the product section.

So, why are they doing this????

They don't look like this anymore:

I like it! Saves running to the truck for 6/32 nuts.:grin:

 

[K8MHZ]

Not Racos...

Not Racos...

Oops, sorry,

They aren't made by Raco, they are made by T&B / Steel City.

The T&B site has drawings of them, but I can't post a pic.

The site says they are 'Now manufactured to meet new code C4 and to conform to the 1996 N.E.C. change'.

 

[K8MHZ]

Here is a pic!!

Here is a pic!!

Finally, I found a pic!!

 

[K8MHZ]

I like it! Saves running to the truck for 6/32 nuts.:grin:

I thought about that, but they are clips, not just nuts. I added a second picture that shows that a bit better.

And what has that got to do with the 1996 NEC??

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The 96 code was the first code that prohibited using the single center screw to support the receptacle. The break off nuts (clips) let you comply with this rule using the screws that are provided with the receptacle and the break off nuts. Other brands of covers come packaged with short screws and nuts for this purpose.

 

[K8MHZ]

The 96 code was the first code that prohibited using the single center screw to support the receptacle. The break off nuts (clips) let you comply with this rule using the screws that are provided with the receptacle and the break off nuts. Other brands of covers come packaged with short screws and nuts for this purpose.

So the break off tabs are there in place of the nuts that are usually in the bag.... Makes sense, since none of these were in bags. I don't like them at all. Look at the pics and you can see how one side of the punch out is flat and the opposite, where the tab is, is rounded and will have part of the tab in the middle. These will be exposed and IMHUO, will look hideous.

 

[iwire]

Inside the place punched out for the receptacle to be accessed are clips with threaded holes. You are supposed to break the clips off and slide them over the un-threaded holes if you need to use the threaded holes.

Not so new and you are supposed to slide the clips over the yokes of the device so that you can thread a 6-32 through the plate and into the clip on the yoke.

My guess as to why has to do with the fact the nuts and bolts always get lost.

 

[iwire]

And what has that got to do with the 1996 NEC??

Since the 1996 NEC it has been a requirement to fasten the device to the plate with the yoke screws, it is now a violation to use just the center screw.

 

[chris kennedy]

Not so new and you are supposed to slide the clips over the yokes of the device so that you can thread a 6-32 through the plate and into the clip on the yoke.

Bingo

My guess as to why has to do with the fact the nuts and bolts always get lost.

I would be hard pressed to think of anything that pisses me off more than the above.

 

[Strife]

That's what you're talking about?
They've been around for a while. In fact I think there were one of the first to come out to allow to secure the receptacle on the yoke.
I liked them, no lost 6/32 hex nuts.
Untill I ran into a few of them that were not properly cut and when I broke the tab it left me an indent so the receptacle wouldn't fit in untill I filed the indent.

Finally, I found a pic!!

 

[Little Bill]

I thought this sounded familiar so I searched and found this. I had the same question once and that's when I saw the thread.

 

[K8MHZ]

That's what you're talking about?
They've been around for a while. In fact I think there were one of the first to come out to allow to secure the receptacle on the yoke.
I liked them, no lost 6/32 hex nuts.
Untill I ran into a few of them that were not properly cut and when I broke the tab it left me an indent so the receptacle wouldn't fit in untill I filed the indent.

That's what it looked like would happen on the one's I saw. My luck would be that every tab would break to the inside and I would have to spend half the day trying to pry them back enough so that the receptacles would fit flush.

 

[fishin' electrician]

I hate the T&B/Steel City covers as well, horrid design. The stupid slide-over-the-yoke strap nuts never line up properly and you're left with the little nib that remains.

I only remember this because CT was on the '93 for almost 10 years:roll::

1993 NEC

410-56

(i) Receptacles in Raised Covers. Receptacles installed in raised covers
shall not be secured solely by a single screw.

Exception: Devices or assemblies listed and identified for such use.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

They are a stock item in my supply house for years. They are a bit of a hassle but they do avoid the need for 6/32 nuts.

 

[chris kennedy]

They are a stock item in my supply house for years. They are a bit of a hassle but they do avoid the need for 6/32 nuts.

They aren't that bad IMO unless your using self-grounding recs.

 

[renosteinke]

I don't believe any version of the NEC 'prohibited' the use of the center hole, or the use of an ordinary screw to hold the receptacle in place.

They did, however, add a requirement that at least two screws be used for each device.

The most recent 'tweaking' of the language pretty much mandates the covers have the flattened corners you see in the cover pictured.

 

[iwire]

Here is the wording from the 2008 NEC

406.4(C) Receptacles Mounted on Covers. Receptacles
mounted to and supported by a cover shall be held rigidly
against the cover by more than one screw or shall be a
device assembly or box cover listed and identified for securing
by a single screw.

 

[Strife]

And we can thank for this requirement to the IT and maintenance people.
In case anyone wonders, back in the days when everything had a little transformer that attached to the middle screw of the receptacle, the low voltage people used to put them in and when they took them out they never bothered to put back the center screw.

I don't believe any version of the NEC 'prohibited' the use of the center hole, or the use of an ordinary screw to hold the receptacle in place.

They did, however, add a requirement that at least two screws be used for each device.

The most recent 'tweaking' of the language pretty much mandates the covers have the flattened corners you see in the cover pictured.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

And we can thank for this requirement to the IT and maintenance people.
In case anyone wonders, back in the days when everything had a little transformer that attached to the middle screw of the receptacle, the low voltage people used to put them in and when they took them out they never bothered to put back the center screw.

That is not correct. I was the original submitter of the proposal that resulted in this rule. The substantiation was the fact that I would often see the receptacles in raised covers so loose that when you would try to plug something in the receptacle could move enough that the prong of the plug would touch the cover and cause a short.

18- 51 - (410-56(h)-(New)): Accept in Principle
SUBMITTER: Donald A. Ganiere, Ottawa, IL
RECOMMENDATION: Add:
All receptacles shall be securely fastened by a minimum of two 6-32 screws. SUBSTANTIATION: I have observed many cases where receptacles installed in raised covers and secured by only one screw have become loose allowing the receptacle to move. This often results in a short circuit when a person attempts to insert a plug. It
can also cause the persons hand to slip and contact the hot blade before the plug is fully inserted resulting in a shock. It would be a simple matter for the manufactures of raised covers to punch two holes in the cover and provide two screws and nuts to attach the receptacle to the cover.
PANEL ACTION: Accept in Principle.
Add a new (e) as follows:
410-56(e) Receptacle Mounting. Receptacles shall be securely mounted and shall not depend on the tapped hole intended for the attachment of a wall plate as the sole mounting means.
Renumber existing (e), (f) and (g) appropriately.
PANEL COMMENT: The Panel recognizes the problem but does not want to prohibit snap-in or other types of mounting. The problem is the result of reliance on the plate assembly hole for mounting. Directly prohobiting this should correct the problem.​

VOTE ON PANEL ACTION: Unanimously Affirmative.

Note that this proposal was unanimously rejected at the comment stage and 3 or 4 people submitted very similar proposals for the 1993 code cycle one of which was accepted.