Cut In Boxes

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Jim W in Tampa

Jim W in Tampa

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Tampa Florida
Do others tape the devices ?This came up today and my young but very well trained helper told me some crewleaders dont want him to tape the devices in cut ins , my answer is fast ,simple and no question as to YES.Where do others stand on this,am i over kill ?
 
NOOOOOOOO...............NOT AGAIN!!!!!

I think it's time to add this one to the FAQ list. It's starting to become like the ground up or down discussion.
 
stickboy1375 said:
Are you being funny? :grin:
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Nope i am serious ,never had any one question the idea before.Had to rotate a 208 /20 amp in a cut in today that wasn,t from one wall to other side.Choices were not good,5th floor with poorly labeled panel.I made the swap live but didnt like idea.His suggestion was ----- would just short it out.We all should know why thats a very bad idea.What would others have done ?Lot of remodeling needed done fast,not that it makes anything ok.
 
I have a device and would of shorted it out unless it would of taken some offices down and lost work and got into trouble..Then I would of rescheduled it and done it on a schedule outage..tell me why you would choose not to short it out and work hot please..I have even dumped a whole panel by shorting it out atleast I had scheduled an outage just got to be bigger one than first planed..oops :smile: I do not tape devices before inserting them into a box..
 
OK, fine, I admit to taping devices in metal old work boxes. But that's the only time that I do. For regular metal boxes with p-rings, I don't bother.
 
ryan_618 said:
I taped devices in metal cut-in boxes. That is the only time, however.
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And i think its the only needed time.Add to this that i found mc 12-2 ,black and white 208.Yes i fixed it,perhaps thats my biggest problem in that i like to see things code compliant even if not my work.
 
There is nothing wrong with taping a device. It's a matter of personal choice. Had an old timer tell me once that if a receptacle was supposed to have tape on it it would come out of the box that way. I kind of saw his point but still did tape devices in certain instances.
 
infinity said:
There is nothing wrong with taping a device. It's a matter of personal choice. Had an old timer tell me once that if a receptacle was supposed to have tape on it it would come out of the box that way. I kind of saw his point but still did tape devices in certain instances.
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Makes me breath a bit easier if i need to pull it out live.The clearance is not much and if madison straps are not tight could be problem.Where i was working did not make life go easy,any wrong moves would have prompted a visit by the FBI (not joking).Will be happy to get out of this job.My helper today had a weakness over installing them.Hopefully he walked away a bit more enlightened on how easy they are.I actually think i could do them in the dark.I only use my wire strippers,never found a better one tool way.
 
If it's a metal cut-in both with Madison straps, that's perhaps the only time I tape up devices. It can sometimes be difficult to get the Madison's bent tight enough against the side of the box to suit me. Lately, I prefer the Smart Box for cut-in work, so it's a non-issue now.
 
I crimp the Madisons with my needle nose, and that gets them pretty close to the side of the box. But a metal old-work box will cause me to get out the tape...
 
No need to tape devices in cut-ins or any other box... When installed the screws can not reach the sides of either a ring or a cut-in.

Sure you can easily pull out any device with it taped. What do you do once you have it out? Try to pick the tape off while you hold the grounded yoke? Seems silly..... Even more dangerous IMO.

Sure if you have to pull a device out live, you can unless your name is "Shakey Jake". If your name is 'Shakey whoever', maybe you should just go shut the circuit off.

But if you feel you need to be 'nice to the next guy' by taping the device - why not skip that, and write the circuit number and panel on the back side of the cover plate instead. Makes more sense huh? Or maybe leave a line diagram of the building on the plans you built the place with at the panels or on site somewhere.

That said I have also seen guys who make a little C out of the thin cardboard that device boxes are made of, and slide it in between the device screws and the metal box to guard the screws as they pull it out. You might also be able to do the same with a matchbook cover?????
 
480sparky said:
I crimp the Madisons with my needle nose, and that gets them pretty close to the side of the box. But a metal old-work box will cause me to get out the tape...
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I don't own a pair of needle nose. I use these Channel Lock #718 duck-billed pliers for the battleships on a cut-in box. They work great.

718.jpg
 
e57 said:
No need to tape devices in cut-ins or any other box... When installed the screws can not reach the sides of either a ring or a cut-in.

Sure you can easily pull out any device with it taped. What do you do once you have it out? Try to pick the tape off while you hold the grounded yoke? Seems silly..... Even more dangerous IMO.

Sure if you have to pull a device out live, you can unless your name is "Shakey Jake". If your name is 'Shakey whoever', maybe you should just go shut the circuit off.

But if you feel you need to be 'nice to the next guy' by taping the device - why not skip that, and write the circuit number and panel on the back side of the cover plate instead. Makes more sense huh? Or maybe leave a line diagram of the building on the plans you built the place with at the panels or on site somewhere.

That said I have also seen guys who make a little C out of the thin cardboard that device boxes are made of, and slide it in between the device screws and the metal box to guard the screws as they pull it out. You might also be able to do the same with a matchbook cover?????
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City of Tampa now want each receptacle to be labeled with circuit # and panel #.That is a good idea but not much help in old buildings.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
City of Tampa now want each receptacle to be labeled with circuit # and panel #.That is a good idea but not much help in old buildings.
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Where are you supposed to put the label? On the outside of the plate? Inside?

I know it would be nice to see this on a service call.
 
JohnJ0906 said:
Where are you supposed to put the label? On the outside of the plate? Inside?

I know it would be nice to see this on a service call.
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On plate cover.Not sure customers would want this in offices.While handy it looks bad.Also at risk from a painter that might mix them up and that could be a disaster.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
.Also at risk from a painter that might mix them up and that could be a disaster.
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That's a good point Jim, I hadn't thought of that problem.

Of course a painter that replaces the plates is somewhat of a rarity.... :rolleyes:
 
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