Watch for This!

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jmellc

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Durham, NC
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Facility Maintenance Tech. Licensed Electrician
Saw this at Big Orange. Could be good sometimes but usually would be a headache to me. Boxes are often full of wire already & I nearly always need the extra space the “RS” gives. Careful what you grab off the shelf & warn helpers about it when you send them on supply runs.
 

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That is a "nut" for holding the duplex outlet in place by the ends rather than just the middle screw.

Only reason I can think of for that is for a self grounding duplex outlet??
 
Gaah I hate those 'twist off nuts'. Clever for those making the covers; instead of having to buy and package a couple of nuts, you just use some material that you were going to throw away anyway.

But these stamped almost rectangular nuts are not as good as separately manufactured ones, the break out tab leaves a sharp edge, and breaking the thing out takes more time.

Jon
 
retirede said:
I like the fact that they’re “pre-galvanized”! That must be way better than just “galvanized.”
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Do they mean made from galvanized steel as opposed to being galvanized after fabrication?

Most sheet metal is galvanized before fabrication because the galvanizing process can distort thin pieces as well as leave a rough or coarse finish.
 
jim dungar said:
Do they mean made from galvanized steel as opposed to being galvanized after fabrication?

Most sheet metal is galvanized before fabrication because the galvanizing process can distort thin pieces as well as leave a rough or coarse finish.
Click to expand...

I did’t think of that, but punching after galvanization would leave exposed edges.
 
tthh said:
That is a "nut" for holding the duplex outlet in place by the ends rather than just the middle screw.

Only reason I can think of for that is for a self grounding duplex outlet??
Click to expand...
I thought when they changed the code to not allow a receptacle to be held in place by the cover screw only was because the cover screw was not designed to take the stress of someone plugging in a cord.
 
hbiss said:
That's what I thought but looking at the weird shape how would they fit in the space behind the plate on top of the device tab in place of a regular nut?

-Hal
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You grab them with pliers and wiggle them back and forth like a knockout until the tab breaks and they come free. Then they are just a rectangular shaped nut. They are narrow enough to fit between the device body and the top of the plate.

-Jon
 
retirede said:
I did’t think of that, but punching after galvanization would leave exposed edges.
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Absolutely, but it is the industry norm for electrical boxes. I think galvaneal(?) steel self heals over the sheared edges and punched holes in thin metals.
Hot-Dipped Galvanized after Fabrication tends to distort or twist thin non-round shapes so HDGF items are usually fairly thick and bulky.
 
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hbiss said:
That's what I thought but looking at the weird shape how would they fit in the space behind the plate on top of the device tab in place of a regular nut?

-Hal
Click to expand...
They typically slip onto the device ears and then they don't need to be held with a wrench.
 
winnie said:
Gaah I hate those 'twist off nuts'. Clever for those making the covers; instead of having to buy and package a couple of nuts, you just use some material that you were going to throw away anyway.

But these stamped almost rectangular nuts are not as good as separately manufactured ones, the break out tab leaves a sharp edge, and breaking the thing out takes more time.

Jon
Click to expand...
But it is a good way to keep the nuts from dropping out & getting lost.
 
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