Wall packs on alum. siding

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DOA_Kilovolt

Member
Location
Upstate NY
Installing heavy wall packs on corrugated aluminum siding? What is your ideal installation method ?

siding_low_res.jpg


Structure is steal beam with horizontal girts @ 4', 8' and 12' at header beam.

I usually go the long way and install 2 upright struts from the 8' high girt (sheeting rail) up to the header beam. Then 1 cross strut at the height of the top hole in the wall pack. 3/8 rod through siding at the 3 attachment points with backer nuts behind the siding so you dont wrinkle the aluminum.
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
We were just going over some ways to do the same thing Friday. We have a steel building also with regular corrugated sheetmetal on the outside. We're going to take a 2x10 vertically between the z channels(flat against the outside wall), bore a hole through the center for the wire to pass through into the back of the fixture. Then run four 3" screws through the back of the fixture, through the sheetmetal and into the 2x10.

The only tricky part is having an exposed MC connector showing in that inch gap between the back of the fixture and the tin.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
We were just going over some ways to do the same thing Friday. We have a steel building also with regular corrugated sheetmetal on the outside. We're going to take a 2x10 vertically between the z channels(flat against the outside wall), bore a hole through the center for the wire to pass through into the back of the fixture. Then run four 3" screws through the back of the fixture, through the sheetmetal and into the 2x10.

The only tricky part is having an exposed MC connector showing in that inch gap between the back of the fixture and the tin.

I have dealt with that before by attaching a rigid coupling to the fixture and thread the MC connector into the coupling where it is behind the sheetmetal siding.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
It would have to be a damn heavy wall pack before I would do anymore than nut and bolt it to the siding, often using 4" square blanks as the washers on the inside of the siding.
 

DOA_Kilovolt

Member
Location
Upstate NY
It would have to be a damn heavy wall pack before I would do anymore than nut and bolt it to the siding, often using 4" square blanks as the washers on the inside of the siding.

If the insulation is in the way, cut a square out, install your fixture, repair

/replace the insulation as needed, charge accordingly.

This is what the professionals do.....

http://www.electrical-photos.com/showphoto.php/photo/1418/title/wall-pack-support/cat/500
 

defears

Senior Member
Location
NJ
A professional would use 1 stick of strut.

(Unless it's T&M. Then by all means go for the 5/8 inch thick angle iron and weld it on.)
 

TNBaer

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
I'm not an electrician but lemme take a stab at this:

  • Drill 1/4" hole in side of building.
  • Pull some sort of wire through (M/C, Romex, old coffee maker cord, etc).
  • Knock out knock-out in fixture. use a screw driver or something. using your own fingers seems risky.
  • Wire (Black to black. Red to red. plaid to plaid. whatever. it can't be that hard.)
  • Duct tape new fixture to side of building.
  • use chalk to further adhere fixture to building.
  • admire your handy work
  • done

Do I pass?
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I'm not an electrician but lemme take a stab at this:

  • Drill 1/4" hole in side of building.
  • Pull some sort of wire through (M/C, Romex, old coffee maker cord, etc).
  • Knock out knock-out in fixture. use a screw driver or something. using your own fingers seems risky.
  • Wire (Black to black. Red to red. plaid to plaid. whatever. it can't be that hard.)
  • Duct tape new fixture to side of building.
  • use chalk to further adhere fixture to building.
  • admire your handy work
  • done
Do I pass?

None of those wires fit through the 1/4" hole. You must use 18-2 lamp cord.
 
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