Surface Mounting Weatherproof Outlet Boxes on the Outside of a Home?

[SigmaElec]

Is it allowed by the NEC code to mount weatherproof outlet boxes on the outside of your home? Or do you need to cut into the wall and flush mount the box?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

There is nothing in the NEC that states it must be cut in. Personally I think it looks better cut in but surface mount is fine. :thumbsup:

 

[mjf]

Is it allowed by the NEC code to mount weatherproof outlet boxes on the outside of your home? Or do you need to cut into the wall and flush mount the box?

Thanks for the help!

There is nothing in the NEC that states it must be cut in. Personally I think it looks better cut in but surface mount is fine. :thumbsup:

Would you use a weatherproof box if it was mounted flush? Or just a weatherproof cover?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Would you use a weatherproof box if it was mounted flush? Or just a weatherproof cover?

If it is flush then the box does not need to be wp.

 

[James S.]

There is nothing in the NEC that states it must be cut in. Personally I think it looks better cut in but surface mount is fine. :thumbsup:

Especially if it is an outlet cover. The in use covers on a wp box stick WAY out there.

 

[Ponchik]

I have installed these from Arlington and they turn out very nice.



http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/weatherproof-products/

 

[kwired]

If it is flush then the box does not need to be wp.

I think he was just trying to get the OP to think about it a little more and then come to one of those "duh:slaphead:" conclusions.:happyyes:

 

[mjf]

I think he was just trying to get the OP to think about it a little more and then come to one of those "duh:slaphead:" conclusions.:happyyes:

That basically covers it.

 

[mopowr steve]

I to use the arlington IN-Box sure looks a lot better. I try to run a single cable to these boxes as much as possible because there tends to not be much space in them especially when installing a gfci receptacle in them.

 

[kwired]

I to use the arlington IN-Box sure looks a lot better. I try to run a single cable to these boxes as much as possible because there tends to not be much space in them especially when installing a gfci receptacle in them.

They say they have 18 cu inches, which is same as typical plastic one gang box designed for NM cables, but that is the wiring space capacity, and reaching through the hole to get to that space just makes them a little harder to manage conductors IMO.

 

[GoldDigger]

They say they have 18 cu inches, which is same as typical plastic one gang box designed for NM cables, but that is the wiring space capacity, and reaching through the hole to get to that space just makes them a little harder to manage conductors IMO.

I can't tell whether you can take the whole cover off to get at the wiring in the box more easily or not. A device and yoke should probably fit through the hole.
If you are really concerned, you could use the two gang In-box.

 

[guschash]

I agree they look good but my big hand has a hard time reaching in. I leave a lot of wire so I can pull it out to wire it up ,I find its still hard to screw into the back of the box.

 

[kwired]

I can't tell whether you can take the whole cover off to get at the wiring in the box more easily or not. A device and yoke should probably fit through the hole.
If you are really concerned, you could use the two gang In-box.

The device fits fine in the box and there is plenty of cubic inches, but the actual volume used by the "wiring and device" portion is recessed enough that it is a little difficult to reach in and bend the conductors to get the device to push back - especially GFCI's that take a little more space.

There is plenty of volume for incoming and outgoing set of conductors but the depth of this volume is not all that deep, but is wider than a typical interior NM box and getting them conductors folded right so the device will mount can be a little tricky.