Old work box installation
- Thread starter wmabantajr
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Yes but why would access even be needed from behind the panel?
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
yeah, what he said....
it almost looks like a hill-rom hospital wall unit,
but why on earth would you need to get to the
back side of it? what could you do when you got there?
Cavie
Senior Member
- Location
- SW Florida
Why not put the clips on the front side where they are designed for? then the ears on the device will be against the box and all is tight.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Ditto x 3.
Having access behind the surface that an "old work" box is cut into is a luxury, but definitely a non-Code issue.
I do agree that having the box mounting ears on the outside surface, just behind the coverplate, is going to make for a more durable installation by spreading the cord plug insertion forces out over the mounting surface.
Having access behind the surface that an "old work" box is cut into is a luxury, but definitely a non-Code issue.
I do agree that having the box mounting ears on the outside surface, just behind the coverplate, is going to make for a more durable installation by spreading the cord plug insertion forces out over the mounting surface.
Looks like someone put their stacked assembly together then ....oops.... how do I get the boxes in the wall now...
wmabantajr
Member
That's exactly what we did. Not my mistake but to do the final assembly faster by doing as much on the bench as possible. I have I have close to 1600 of the assemblies to do and making the stacked assembly on the bench and mounting it from behind the panel allows me a quicker final assembly.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Very logical, but any inspector looking at it could make a strong argument that the box is not being installed in conformity with manufacturer's instructions.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Loosen the plaster ear screws, slide off the ears, push the box through the hole from behind, reattach the ears to each box and then screw down the complete assembly to the pre-drilled holes.
The slots in the ears go the other way... they allow a deeper, more recessed box installation, not shallower or jutting.
Ahh! I see what you mean. You're saying detach ears completely... those are closed slots, so he can't just loosen screws and slide off. He'll have to remove screws completely.... from box and from box-mounting surface.... then re-attach to both box and box-mounting surface from front side.
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
Honestly, have you seen manufacturer's instructions on installing old work boxes? I would like to see those instructions. I don't see any issue with mounting the boxes the way the OP did it. If the surface is combustible then maybe.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
There are 1600 of these to install. Do the rest with the plaster ears on the outside of the box-mounting surface.
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
The box manufacturer's instructions will have nothing to say about the structural quality of THIS plastic box-mounting surface. If anything, the plastic manufacturer would be the source of instruction for the structural abilities of the plastic.
Frankly, I intuitively have difficulty feeling that two machine screw heads are adequate to keep the plastic from cracking / breaking from the plug insertion / removal forces.
Strathead
Senior Member
- Location
- Ocala, Florida, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
I. on the other hand think that with a nylon cover plate and the installation shown, and the likely flexibility of the plastic, it will hold up just fine. Too many people here, try to make a mountain out of a molehill.
I agree. I'm not sure who drilled the third and fourth box-mounting holes in the mounting substrate, but I suggest they be used.
I'd take apart what is shown in the picture, put the boxes in from the front like they are supposed to be. install all 4 mounting screws and use a rigid coupling and 2 chase nipples or something of the like to tie the boxes back together, not that it makes a hill of beans to me either.
JAP>
JAP>
- Status