Fiber Boxes?

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beav

Member
Location
KY
What ever happened to fiber boxes in new construction? Why is it that all I see now at the home improv stores is plastic? I loved the fiber boxes!!! :happysad:
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
What ever happened to fiber boxes in new construction? Why is it that all I see now at the home improv stores is plastic? I loved the fiber boxes!!! :happysad:

If I had to guess, cost. A Carlon 2-gang nail-on box is $0.98 at Big Orange, whereas an Allied molded box I found on line is $1.87; twice the price.
 

beav

Member
Location
KY
They still make them. Check your local supply house.

http://alliedmoulded.com/go/fiberglassbox/
Yeah, i saw their site, but figured they may not be cost effective any longer...as much as I'd like to use them.

I took a while for people to accept that plastic boxes could be fire rated.
Yeah, I may have to put that to the test. Maybe i'll drop each in the fire at the same time and see which goes quicker. Problem is, I think that test would be illegal. Shhh... don't tell anyone.:cool:
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I would just look at the fire rating stamped inside the box and save some ozone. Besides, the fiber box will be broken the instant it hits the ground if you drop it.

You just have to make sure you have a nice bed of coals for it to land on.
 

beav

Member
Location
KY
I would just look at the fire rating stamped inside the box and save some ozone. Besides, the fiber box will be broken the instant it hits the ground if you drop it.
Well, I guess I could always glue it back together, but it may lose its UL rating.

In any event, I really just wanted to get some thoughts out there. I just really hate the plastic boxes. The plastic/fiber compound boxes (or whatever they are made of) are not bad, but I hate how flexible the plastics are. :weeping: I'll get over it! ;-)

Thanks guys and I'll be sure to save the ozone layer today. ;-)
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Well, I guess I could always glue it back together, but it may lose its UL rating.

In any event, I really just wanted to get some thoughts out there. I just really hate the plastic boxes. The plastic/fiber compound boxes (or whatever they are made of) are not bad, but I hate how flexible the plastics are. :weeping: I'll get over it! ;-)

Thanks guys and I'll be sure to save the ozone layer today. ;-)

The Carlon Blue can be a pain in the butt as the 6-32 screw holes are either not pre threaded or poorly done.

Fiber boxes break too easily.
 

Ponchik

Senior Member
Location
CA
Occupation
Electronologist
Well, I guess I could always glue it back together, but it may lose its UL rating.

In any event, I really just wanted to get some thoughts out there. I just really hate the plastic boxes. The plastic/fiber compound boxes (or whatever they are made of) are not bad, but I hate how
flexible the plastics are
. :weeping: I'll get over it! ;-)

Thanks guys and I'll be sure to save the ozone layer today. ;-)

Install the Carlon super blue they are NOT flexible like the thin wall Carlon boxes.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Over 2 gang is almost necessary to use fiberglass or the mentioned super blue or something more rigid then some of the standard plastic boxes if you want to be assured the drywallers don't leave you with a twisted box.

Some plastic boxes are very brittle if installing them in extreme cold conditions.
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
I don't have a problem with most of the plastic boxes. The fiberglass/bakelite boxes would often crack where the screws went in if they were old and brittle.

What I do like about the bakelite is when having to remove one from a finished wall just a few licks with a screwdriver and hammer and it's gone! Plastic, not so easy!
 

James L

Senior Member
Location
Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
Occupation
Electrician
The clamps in a blue Carlon box suck. That alone keeps me from using them. Fiberglass boxes from Allied are much more user friendly.

But Pass & Seymour makes a gray plastic box with much easier to use clamps.

As an fyi, Home Depots in the Kansas City area stock blue plastic and fiberglass boxes.

Not the best selection on the shelf, but enough to get by in most cases. But if you talk with the department manager and ask him to stock some fiberglass, he just might. They are allowed to cater to the customers' needs.
 
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