Pancake extension

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malty

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I have to install six lighting fixtures in six rooms. The existing ceilings were gone over with 1/2" drywall witch set the octagon boxes in 1/2"+. With multiple wires and the box connectors the box's won't shim down with out surgery to the ceiling. I never saw a 1/2" box extension for an octagon box so my bright idea is to use a pancake box as a box extension with a rubber bushing for the conductors to pass through. Also the house wiring is NMB and if I splice on 90 DEG NM conductors in the octagon box it might comply with the 90 deg requirement for new fixtures. Most of the inspectors in my area tend to ignore the 90 deg conductor requirement. As far as I can see in the articles in 314 (2005 NEC) this idea might be OK.
Would welcome some pros and cons on this. Thanks
 
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wireguy8169

Senior Member
Location
Southern Maine
Can you

Can you

No chance in removing the old box and putting in a deeper one? Sure you thought of this, but figure I would ask. If your gentle the canopy or fixture should cover any minor damage....
 
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curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I'll probably be banned from the forum for stating this but I have been know to make my own box extensions for some situations. I'll cut the depth needed off a 4/0 plastic box then drill out the holes so the 8-32 screws pass through. Definitely not UL listed but in my opinion safer than not using an extension and better that many of the other extension options.
 
russ

russ

Senior Member
Location
Burbank IL
There are round to round drywall rings also. They change an octagon to the narrower round ring just like the square to round does for 4" squares (1900).
 
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malty

Member
Dennis Alwon said:
Arlington has been making those rings (called box extenders) for years. They also make box extenders for 1 gang (BE1), 2 gang (BE2), 3 gang (BE3) and 4 gang (BE4)boxes. It's worth it to view there web site.

Here is the PDF of their products
Click to expand...

Yes I've seen them for years like most of us have but I didn't think they made them for octagons. And getting back to my original problem on this post I don't think they make them for the 3 inch octagon box which is what is in the house I'm working on and would still like to know if anyone knows if it would be a violation to use a pancake box for a 1/2" extension and if 90 degree C tails described in my original post would be OK for the new fixtures.
 
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JES2727

Senior Member
Location
NJ
malty said:
Yes I've seen them for years like most of us have but I didn't think they made them for octagons. And getting back to my original problem on this post I don't think they make them for the 3 inch octagon box which is what is in the house I'm working on and would still like to know if anyone knows if it would be a violation to use a pancake box for a 1/2" extension and if 90 degree C tails described in my original post would be OK for the new fixtures.
Click to expand...

The box extender that Dennis linked to in his first post works for both 3 1/2" and 4" boxes. It says so right there on the page. If you really think it won't work then your solution should do the trick, though I'm not so sure it's code compliant. I've never put a box over another box in the way you're describing. How about knocking out the bottom of the pancake box with a 2 1/2" punch, thereby making an extension ring out of it?
 
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