Blue Carlon box toggle problem

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dhalleron

dhalleron

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, KY
Occupation
Master Electrician/Senior Fire Alarm Technician
I only do this part time now so I don't use them much.

A couple years ago I had problem with a batch of 1 and 2 gang blue old work boxes. The screws fit the plastic toggle so tight that the toggles ended up breaking. I ended up lubing the screws with bar soap.

Fast forward to this year and I have the same problem. I tried the thin plastic boxes and the heavy duty model BH118R ones with no luck.

Am I doing something wrong besides buying them at Lowes and Home Depot?

Any other tricks to this?

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Not sure whether it's the same issue, but I've noticed batches where the screws are really tight and the slots in the head strip out when I use my cordless to drive them. I've found that backing them out completely and restarting them usually helps.
 
Yeah. I found backing them out helps but they are hard to screw in with screw gun or straight or Phillips screw driver.

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Impact screw gun may help a lot, since it reduces the tendency for the bit to ride out
It may still break the plastic though....

Tapatalk!
 
I just had the same problem with these in a class. I just though the students had been playing around with the screws too much.

Looks like I may need to apologize.
 
mjf said:
I always run the screw in and out once before I actually put any wires in them or install them in the wall. Seems to eliminate the problem.
Click to expand...

I agree, had a job installing 1 receptacle in garages for the elect. door opener. All 250 houses. Did the same thing after about the first two or three houses. I would run the screws in then back out before I put them in and had no problems.
 
The ones linked earlier on the Legrand website are the same whether they are labelled Pass & Seymour or Slater. They work well, the screws are longer so they can be installed in a deeper wall, and the screws don't get stuck in the wings.

FWIW, I always use my impact gun on these. Impact guns don't have the tendency to cam out of phillips head screws like hand screwdrivers do, so you won't get that stripped phillips head.
 
To expand on my earlier comment:

15 or so years ago in trying to tighten a toggle screw, I found myself pushing so hard on it that I pushed the box itself through the sheetrock. Ever since then, I have always run the screw in and backed it out prior to installation. I have never had a problem in hundreds of installations when following this routine no matter what brand of box or what type of screwdriver I used.
 
We use nothing but Allied with no issues. Blue's I've always found flimsy and cheap not to mention the problem with the device screws.

I've been wondering about the tamper resistant outlets being required and using a old work on sheet rock....if the hole isn't cut tight boxes are going to be sent into the wall. I've had a few people actually call and say the outlet I put in doesn't work cause they didn't want to push it in hard. :slaphead:
 
I dislike blue Carlon boxes for the reasons stated. That is why I use Allied Moulding products...I have no interest in Allied other than satisfied.
 

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RLyons said:
We use nothing but Allied with no issues. Blue's I've always found flimsy and cheap not to mention the problem with the device screws.

I've been wondering about the tamper resistant outlets being required and using a old work on sheet rock....if the hole isn't cut tight boxes are going to be sent into the wall. I've had a few people actually call and say the outlet I put in doesn't work cause they didn't want to push it in hard. :slaphead:
Click to expand...

If you always locate them right next to a stud...like I was taught to do....makes them pretty secure.
 
Carlon blue boxes should be drug out to the plastic heap in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The nail on type have the worlds weakest nails, so if your studs are pressure treated half the time the nail will bend before you can hammer it all the way in. I have tried those old work blue ones - they stink for all the reasons stated. I go to the ace stores around here cause they still have 1 and 2 gang bakalite brown old work boxes on the shelves. It is worth the extra couple of bucks they charge for them just to avoid the frustration with the blue garbage.
 
Thanks all. I will use some of the suggestions and look for a local source for a different brand such as the Allied ones.
 
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