what to do about a stripped electrical box
Electrical Box Spiral Repairs
How to fix a stripped electrical outlet or switch box mounting spiral or stripped electrical box screw receiver
- Post a QUESTION or Annotate nearly means to supervene upon an electrical outlet or switch mounting screw when threads are stripped on the screw or in the mounting box.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of involvement. We accept no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
Repair an electrical box:
This article describes how to repair the mounting spiral or screw opening at an electrical box used to mount a receptacle, switch, or other device.
A stripped spiral or screw opening at an electrical box is more annoying, it's unsafe every bit the device will not exist mounted safely and securely to the wall, ceiling or other location.
But if the problem is an over-stripped spiral hole on the electrical box, we sure don't want to have to tear out the whole box: well we don't.
Hither nosotros draw what to exercise if the mounting screw itself is stripped and we explain how to tap the electrical box opening if the problem is that that component has become stripped or enlarged.
Our folio pinnacle photo shows two common screw locations in a metal junction box; Beneath we illustrate the screw and screw mounting opening or "ear" at a receptacle box.
Nosotros also provide an ARTICLE Index for this topic, or you can effort the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX equally a quick way to discover information you need.
How to fix a stripped electrical outlet or switch box mounting screw or spiral opening
Watch out: an electrical box at which the device mounting screw openings are stripped are unsafe. A stripped screw or stripped spiral opening volition not concur the device (in our photo an electric receptacle or "outlet" or "wall plug" in mutual speech) securely in identify.
When the device is non held securely and someone is attempting to "un-plug" whatsoever electrical appliance was connected there, information technology is possible to pull the whole receptacle, confront plate, and wires right out of the edifice wall.
The take a chance is a broken electrical connectedness, a brusque circuit, or even a dangerous electrical shock or fire.
This is specially true when the "device" is a comparatively new receptacle that makes a tight grip on a wall plug that has been inserted into information technology.
If the problem is stripped threads on the device mounting spiral itself (see photograph) and so you can simply supercede the screw.
But if the problem is that the device mounting screw opening on the metallic or plastic electric box has been stripped, other steps must be taken.
We will explicate those repair steps here.
Article Series Contents
- ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR
- ELECTRICAL BOX STRIPPED Spiral REPAIR
- Electric BOX STRIPPED Spiral RECEIVER REPAIR
- PLASTIC Electric BOX Screw REPAIR
- ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR WITH SPEED CLIPS?
- ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR WITH SHEET METAL SCREWS
- METAL Electrical BOX SCREW REPAIR, Metal BOX MENDER
- ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR PART SOURCES
- Metal Electrical BOX SCREW REPAIR, Metallic BOX MENDER
- PLASTIC ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR
Replace the Damaged Electrical Box?
One damaged electrical box option is to supplant the entire electrical box, a step that'south appropriate if the existing box is damaged across safe use, such as by having been cracked, cleaved, or if metallic, if it's quite rusted.
Replacing an electrical box entirely can be hard as you'll demand to turn off electrical power, remove the device(s) from the box, loosen any strain reliefs or clips holding the wires to the box, remove the box from the wires without damaging the wire insulation, and and so install a new-old-piece of work electrical box designed for retrofit application.
If the available wire lengths are short this tin can be a very difficult procedure.
Photo: a "new old work" metallic electric box designed to fit into a wall opening without having to cut the whole wall apart to secure the box to a stud.
However if the body of the electrical box is not actually broken, and if the trouble is simply a stripped device mounting screw opening, you can avoid that effort.
Approaches are provided for repairing a stripped or damaged spiral receiver in a plastic electrical box are described here.
How to Supercede or Repair a Stripped Electrical Device Screw
I the problem is just the device-mounting screw itself is stripped, simply purchase a replacement screw or a handful of them from your electric supplier. These screws are a standard thread and length, but longer versions are available at any hardware store.
Lookout man out: if any electrical box repair method cannot provide a very secure mount or screw receiver for the screws that hold an electric receptacle ("wall outlet" or "wall plug" or "wall socket") in place there is a risk that the whole receptacle may be pulled out of the wall when someone is but trying to un-plug a ability cord that has been plugged in to the receptacle. The result would be dangerous, risking electrical stupor, short excursion, or fire.
For this reason, when you lot are evaluating whatsoever approach to repairing an electrical box or stripped screw or stripped screw receiver y'all must be sure that the repair is of acceptable strength to resist pulling on an electrical receptacle secured to that box. Light switches and electric box covers are non subjected to the same outwards force equally is an electrical receptacle.
Typical Electrical Box Screw Size Table | |
| Electrical outlet or "receptacle" or "wall plug" box | half dozen 10 32 in lengths from 1/four" and upwardly |
| Electrical wall switch box | six x 32 in lengths from ane/iv" and up |
| Electrical fixture boxes (to which a ceiling or wall fixture is attached) | 8 10 32 or 10 x 32 in lengths from one/4" and up |
Notes to the tabular array above
Most wall outlet & electrical box cover or device screws
These are standard U.S. spiral sizes. The offset number is the diameter of the spiral (not the head of the screw) and the second number is the thread count - in threads per inch. 6 x 32 = a No. half-dozen bore spiral with 32 threads per inch.
Screws used to mount a wall receptacle or switch have a flat, slotted head
Screws used to mount a cover to a junction box or to secure a fixture to a box are larger (extra strength needed) and typically have a circular slotted head.
In new products often the screws have a head design that tin take a apartment screwdriver blade, a phillips type driver, and in some cases a foursquare or even a Torx bit.
Extra-length screws are available and are typically needed when y'all are installing a box extender, for instance to suit installing a switch or electric receptacle through tile or through a kitchen counter dorsum splash board.
How to Fix a Stripped Receptacle or Switch Box Screw Opening: Drill & Tap for a Larger Screw
If the stripped problem is that the electric box mounting hole for a receptacle, calorie-free fixture or other device has become stripped, you'll demand to enlarge and tap the hole for the next size larger screw and tap threads for the new screw.
It'south really easier and cheaper than y'all might think to fix a stripped mounting pigsty in an electric box.
Our photo (above left) shows an viii/32 tapping tool ready to cutting threads into that stripped electrical receptacle or switch box mounting screw pigsty.ger screw size, or supersede the box if you tin.
You may be able to become away with just drilling out the spiral-receiving tab in the electrical box and using a self-tapping screw for the repair.
Drill & tap electric box repair
Photo: a closer look at a thread-cutting or "tapping" fleck that is turned by hand in a drilled-opening to cut the proper threads for a larger screw to replaced an existing stripped spiral opening.
Steps in Drill and Tap Electrical Box Screw Repair
ane. Drill the larger screw opening. Taking care to move electrical wires out of the way of your drill bit, in a metal electrical box you tin drill out the vi/32 screw opening
ii. Use a thread tapping bit and T-wrench (shown above) to paw-turn the scrap in the drilled opening to cut threads that volition accept an 8/32 screw.
In sum you merely drill out the existing but stripped screw receiver in the (metal or plastic) electrical box to receive a larger spiral, taking intendance to avoid sharp tipped screws and pierced electric wiring.
This sounds like a bit of piece of work, and in that location's the extra cost to buy the right sized tapping drill bit (Tap drill No. 29, Torso drill, No. nineteen for an 8/32 or eight/36 spiral) along with the actual tapping tool.
On the other mitt, if you tin't borrow these little parts from someone, I'd argue that the toll of buying them is less than the trouble of violent out and replacing the whole electrical box in a finished wall.
If the screw receiver "ear" in a plastic or steel electrical box has broken off completely this arroyo won't work and you'll demand to apply electric box repair method #ii below.
How to Use a Repair Clip to Repair Damaged Spiral Opening in Plastic Electrical Boxes
Plastic electric boxes of a great range of sizes and applications are produced in several colors, most-often blue or gray, by a range of manufacturers including Carlon, or Lamson-Carlon, Thomas & Betts, and Uxcell (bluish plastic) and by Cantex or Taymac, or Sigma Electric, Ogmar, Nineleaf, Greenfield, LeMotech, Altelix, BestTong, AWclub, or even Carlon who produce grey plastic boxes.
Information technology is possible to strip the spiral opening in these electrical boxes, in our stance, probably due to use of a power-drill operated or other powered spiral-driver that over-drives the electrical component mounting screw during installation.
Over-Torquing or over-tightening the screws using a powerful drill-operated screwdriver gear up to too-high torque is discussed separately
at Old WORK BOX TORQUE FAILURE
Insert Metal Repair Clips for electrical box repair
Use a patented plastic electrical box screw connector metallic repair clip such as the G-Clip shown above.
Photograph: repairing a stripped plastic electric box screw opening using Michael Walton's patented G-Prune™ discussed below.
From a review of the manufacturer'south website it looks every bit if this metal leap clip is designed for the thickness of plastic electric boxes in which the original plastic screw receiver or "ear" remains in place but has been stripped or damaged.
Other photos at Mr. Walton's G-prune website suggest that this clip may also work to repair some stripped-screw-opening at metal electric boxes as well, provided it pinches sufficiently tightly onto the edge of the box as to remain in place.
This device is a steel spring-clip that slips over and onto the edge of the plastic electrical box to provide a connector that accepts OEM standard electrical device screws such equally those used in electrical switches or receptacles.
- Watch out: risk of expiry by electrocution: Plough off electrical power and ostend that it is off at the electrical box to be worked-on
- Remove the electrical receptacle, switch, or junction box encompass
- Remover the electric device such every bit electrical receptacle or switch
- Center the Grand-clip repair device in position over the proper screw mounting pigsty location and push it into place.
When installing the G-clip screw retainer you'll see that in that location is an "up" and "down" side: the upper side of the clip includes a slot that will accept a flat-bladed spiral commuter to pry the clip open should you need to remove or re-position it, and the thinner portion of the screw opening in the clip will be pointing to your left if you are installing the clip in the top of an electric box.
- Push the device (receptacle or switch) back in position for fastening to the electrical box, taking care not to crimp, nick, damage or loosen any of the wires.
- The prune is pressed into place as y'all start threading the replacement screw
- Complete installing the spiral that holds the receptacle or switch in place, replace any remaining screws and replace the device cover.
- Restore electric power and check that your circuit is performance properly and safely.
- Picket out: the Thousand-clip manufacturer shared with united states of america these additional warnings and installation advice for using that production:
The G-Clip should never be used to ceiling mount a light fixture on a plastic box on a horizontal plane. The weight of the fixture could overcome the holding grip of the G-Clip on the plastic box itself, resulting in an installation failure.
...
In reference to plastic ceiling fixture boxes. Never use a plastic ceiling fixture box to install a ceiling fan unless the mounting box is rated for use as a fan mounting box.
...
In reference to the G-Clip repairing metallic boxes. The Thousand-Clip was designed and engineered to repair and or supplant damaged, stripped or missing mounting points used in PVC (plastic) electrical boxes.While some customers have reported that they take been able to repair a metal box using a G-Clip, it was not intended for that utilize.
- Contact: Yard-Clip Plastic Electric Box, G-Prune REPAIR of stripped, broken plastic electric boxes:
Website: www.g-prune.united states of america.html Email: gclipsales@gmail.com
- Contact: Metal Box Mender: for repairing metal electrical boxes in the U.Yard.
Note: this repair clip might piece of work on electrical boxes in some other countries as well. However nosotros found that variations in electrical box design and dimensions may give some aggravation when trying to use this plastic-insert screw holder.
Encounter METAL ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR, Metallic BOX MENDER
Spotter out: As far every bit we've been able to decide, none of the electrical box repair methods described in this article has been listed by an accrediting bureau in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, the E.U., Republic of india, or other electric safety, code or compliance testing and certifying bodies.
That'due south no surprise as about building codes ready standards for new piece of work rather than repairs of damaged equipment.
Metallic Repair Clips Won't Fit on Some Models of Plastic Electrical Boxes
Information technology is apparent that not all plastic electric boxes will accept a K-clip type electrical box repair device. Both the rectangular plastic electrical box at below left and the round retrofit-type plastic electrical box shown at beneath-right are constructed with screw receivers cast into a box rib (cherry-red arrows).
The blue plastic box at below left is a new-work electrical box with nails intended for driving into a wall stud or ceiling joist, while at below right is an old work electric box intended for retrofit box installation through a drywall or plaster ceiling or wall.
Besides see this Zippo BOX for another example of an one-time piece of work retrofit electrical box in a rectangular mode.
The rectangular box at below left has screw receivers only at the box corners: not a location where a metal repair prune will fit.
The round plastic old work electrical box at beneath right, produced by Carlon provides xviii cubic inches of wiring infinite and enjoys a broad surface-mounting flange (orange arrow).
That flange is not a surface over which the G-clip would fit unless the box itself were modified by cut abroad portions of its material.The recessed location of the screw receiving opening on this circular box leaves u.s. doubtful that a repair clip repair is possible for these electric boxes.
These circular plastic electric boxes practice sport a nice feature if yous are worried almost piercing an electrical wire while using a make-shift repair screw. The cerise arrow in the photos show that the device mounting screw receiver on these plastic boxes is manufactured with a deep rib running the full depth of the box.
At no point would a wire within the electrical box exist exposed to damage from the fixture mounting screw, as the screw passes through the hole above the ruddy arrow tip continues inside of the raised rib.
What if I Broke Off Completely the Little Metal Ears Whose Holes Accept the Outlet or Switch Mounting Screw?
Sentinel out in one case more than: don't try bending that metallic ear on the electrical box or junction box - if you break information technology off and so you're most likely going to have to tear out and supercede the whole matter.
But before tearing out an electrical box, receptacle, or switch assembly and wiring because this horrible problem has happened to yous, look for one of several patented outlet box cover products that include bendable mounting clips that are intended to secure the embrace and in some applications the outlet in the box.
Both Michael Walton PLASTIC ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR and Pimentel, Demetrio (Atlanta, GA) have patented devices that might work in this case. [ii]
Metallic Box Mender Repairs for Stripped Spiral Holes in Metallic Electric Boxes
In the U.K. inventor David Sexton provides his invention, "Metallic Box Mender" a kit that "mends threadbare screw holes in electrical metal boxes without replacing the box and without damaging surrounding area of the box."
This product uses a plastic screw retainer, a pin to agree the servant in place during assembly, and a manufacturer-provided screw.
Details are at Metallic ELECTRICAL BOX Spiral REPAIR, Metal BOX MENDER
U.One thousand. readers who need to repair a stripped screw mounting hole on an electrical box should contact the Metal Box Mender inventor, David Sexton at the addresses given below.
- Metallic Box Mender, 3 Wakering Road, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS39SY UK, Tel: 074692 12318 Email: metalboxmender@outlook.com, Website: http://www.metalboxmender.com/
Quoting the visitor'southward website: "Repair the stripped thread screw pigsty in electric metal boxes. The new "Mender" has been developed to exist fitted in seconds without compromising the safe of the box."
My agreement is that the MBM or Metal Box Mender, sold directly from the producer and also sold in Ebay (£2.88 postage paid (VAT included) for Single packs of 2 Menders), has not been tested nor listed for apply in the United states of america nor Canada.
For Northward American, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian or other applications, look for a production listing and approval that applies in your land.
Utilise a Speed Clip or Sheet Metal Nut or Clip for Stripped Electrical Box Spiral Opening Repairs?
Can I just Use a Canvass Metal Screw or a Little Clip to Hold the Switch or Outlet Mounting Spiral?
Lookout out: Do non effort using the little retainer that you lot find on the ear or dorsum of an electrical receptacle or switch (photograph at left) to substitute for a secure mountain in the electric box.
Shown in our photo (left) is a simple retainer intended to forestall loss of the mounting screw prior to installation of the receptacle or switch into the electrical box.
This footling clip may be made of metal or merely cardboard or plastic.
But in whatsoever example it is not designed to be removed and then used over the electric box mounting tab to hold the receptacle or switch in place. This little clip lacks the strength, is not intended for device mounting, and would be an improper and unsafe installation.
Watch Out: don't utilize a pointed screw like a drywall screw (photo at left) or a sheet metal screw to secure a receptacle or switch to the box. Depending on wire positions in the wall or the length of the screw you could cause an ugly short excursion at present or in the future. If the electrical mounting screws are stripped, replace the screw, tap the mounting pigsty for the next larger screw.
Patented Support Prune Secures Electric Devices in a Junction Box
Since Larry Mears patented a support prune intended for supporting electrical fixtures in a junction box in 1987, [1] it may indeed as well be possible to purchase a bound-metal prune-on adapter that slips over the stripped ear through which the original hole passed. We're looking for a retail outlet and accepted use of the Mears clip, and similar or related devices take been patented past Spousal relationship Insulating Company and by TRW, Inc.
A similar solution to stripped plastic electrical box screw connectors, the G-Clip, has been patented past Michael Walton and is discussed below
at PLASTIC Electrical BOX SCREW REPAIR and illustrations at the company's website suggest that the One thousand-Clip might work on some metal electrical boxes as well.
Like back up clip type devices, used more widely in automobiles and other components are basically a piddling clip made of spring steel that slips over the existing metal "ear" on the electric box. The clip is stamped and cut to accept threads of a particular screw size.
Sentinel out: I don't recommend this repair because I'thousand not sure this repair would be lawmaking-approved and I don't like adding little parts that get lost by the adjacent repair person.
Also without testing and certification we don't know if the strength of the metal prune is sufficient to withstand the withdrawal force of a tightly-gripped wall receptacle plug.
Separately we've already warned about using any screw or clip repair on ceiling electric boxes from which fans or heavy low-cal fixtures are suspended as the entire assembly could fall.
Using a Canvass Metal Screw or Drywall Spiral to Repair a Stripped Electrical Box Screw or Spiral Receiver
Lookout out: Opinion: I practice not recommend using a sheet metal screw to "set" stripped electrical box screws or screw receivers even though information technology'south tempting. Similarly, do non use drywall screws - also tempting.
The sharp point on the canvass metallic screw or drywall screw tin pierce and short a wire inside the junction box. You or someone else later on will be lamentable. However since many people have asked about this repair procedure we describe information technology here.
The post-obit procedure describes what your licensed electrician will probably do:
- Plough off electrical ability - Lookout man out: danger of expiry past electrocution: plough off all electrical power and ostend that it is safely off. Do not touch, handle, open or mess with electrical wiring if you are non properly trained, experienced, equipped. A error can be fatal.
- Remove the switch plate or electrical receptacle embrace or junction box cover
- Remove or move out of the manner whatsoever electrical devices such as a light switch or receptacle, wiring or spices
- Adjust the screw receiver opening diameter: If necessary drill out the stripped spiral receiving tab or "ear" in the electrical box to a diameter sufficient to accept your replacement screw
- Select an electrical box repair screw of the proper length and bore and be sure that y'all've clipped and filed its betoken off to a blunt end to reduce the chances of a fire or electrocution hazard that can occur if your screw pierces an electrical wire.
For older electrical boxes using armored cable you lot'll need to be sure that the spiral is curt enough that it won't bang into the BX or armored cable prune mounted in the side of the electrical box. And your screw will demand to exist long plenty to pass through the mounted electrical device or box cover as well every bit through the jump clip or sheet metallic nut.
- Install a spiral servant if needed: for screw receivers that are so stripped every bit to no longer take a spiral, or where the new screw would be too large in diameter to fit the opening in the mounting ears of the device (switch or receptacle or box comprehend) being secured,
select a jump clip or speed prune to match the electrical box repair screw diameter and be certain that the speed clip'due south dimension "A" (shown in blue and yellowish above) will let the clip to be pushed far enough onto the electrical box screw receiver that the hole in the clip will line up over the hole in the screw receiver.
Obligatory alert: for safer results select an electrical box screw repair product designed and sold and listed for electric box repair.
Watch out: The spring clips shown at above left may exist besides long in dimension "A" and in add-on the residue of the clip is likewise unnecessarily long and may interfere with mounting an electrical switch or receptacle.
Use shorter clips such as those shown at above correct and labelled with the yellow "A". The clips shown at higher up right use a "total back" that provides a more secure grip on the screw than some other versions of speed clips that may use a fiddling leap instead.
Watch out: Be sure that your speed clip or sheet metal clip is able to handle the thickness of the metallic ear or screw receiver of your electrical box. U.Due south. electrical box metallic walls are generally around i/16" thick (0.0625")
- this is much thicker than a typical automobile sheet metal console. Most speed clips operate on panel thicknesses betwixt 0.10" and 0.232" and some of these may break if bent open too much on a thicker mounting location.
However "thick panel speed clips" are bachelor in thicknesses up to two-3 mm thick, that is, thicknesses up to 0.12".
Note: every bit long as yous're going the Speed Clip / Nut route, some of these products are designed to take machine-thread screws.
That means that if you select the properly-sized sail metal speed prune or nut it volition take OEM electric device screws and you lot can avert the effect of not-standard screw sized and dangerous precipitous spiral points.
- Double check wire locations: When replacing the electric switch, receptacle or splice be sure that you're not pushing any wires into a spot where they'll be pierced or damaged by the electrical box repair screw.
- Restore electric power, bank check electrical circuit operation and rubber.
Sources of Steel U-Nuts, Leap Clips, Sheet Metal Nuts, Spring Steel Nuts that some people utilize for repairing a stripped electrical box spiral mounting opening
The synonyms for these fastener clips are several: Steel U-basics, Spring clips, Fairing Nut Clips, Spring Steel Basics, Canvas Metallic Nuts, or just "metal fasteners: which can make finding the proper blazon of clip to have and agree a screw in place a bit of a challenge.
- Acco Klix Metal Fasteners
- Automobile parts repair or supply stores such as Auto Zone
- BM Approved Manufacturing, Website: world wide web.belmetric.com Tel: 978-649-6201
- Bolt Products, Inc., Website: www.boltproducts.com TEl: 800-423-6503 - this company's product line includes thick panel speed clips
- Fender clips and molding clips from some auto manufacturer suppliers may also work in this awarding
- G-Prune, Website: world wide web.thousand-clip.US.html Electronic mail: gclipsales@gmail.com - this U.S. visitor sells metal clips specifically designed for repairing broken-off or stripped screw receivers in plastic electrical boxes.
- see PLASTIC ELECTRICAL BOX Spiral REPAIR - Hardware Stores & some lumber suppliers who accept large hardware departments such as Loews or Home Depot
- Metal Box mender, for U.K. electrical box repairs, Metal Box Mender, 3 Wakering Route, Shoeburyness, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS39SY United kingdom, Tel: 074692 12318 Email: metalboxmender@outlook.com, Website: http://www.metalboxmender.com/
-
see Metallic ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR, METAL BOX MENDER
Technical notation on the illustrations in this commodity: the metal electrical boxes used in this article were selected to allow illustration of the electrical box screw repair parts and installation procedures.
The boxes themselves may non be of adequate size in cubic inches and certainly practise not include the hardware that would be needed to mount these boxes in a building wall.
Watch out: nosotros have found no code blessing nor listing bureau listings or approvals for any electrical box repair methods, hardware or approaches. Cheque with your local electrical inspector nearly the acceptability of your repair arroyo.
E lectrical box replacement rather than screw or screw receiver repairs will be required in some situations such as ceiling boxes carrying weight also equally by local electric lawmaking inspectors.
Reader Q&A - also meet the FAQs series linked-to below
Question: I'm installing a box extension merely the acme screw won't hold - it's stripped
I started installing a box-extender on a receptacle in my kitchen because I'chiliad tiling my backsplash and need to heighten the outlet above the tile.
However, the top spiral connecting the outlet and box wouldn't concord. I spent way too much fourth dimension bent double under my cabinets trying to become information technology to bite, but when I finally gave up and pulled it out it was stripped at the tip (which was as far as it'd go in).
I'm pitiful to bother you with triviality, merely I'1000 new to home renovations and don't know what to do. Communication? - Julia 1/29/13
Reply: tips for replacing a stripped electrical receptacle or switch box mounting spiral or spiral opening
Julia,
Don't experience bad, this stripped receptacle mounting spiral trouble has confronted countless electricians and electrical workers.
Information technology'due south always comforting to realize that for merely nigh whatsoever problem we encounter, someone else has met it before, and there is almost always a known solution. In fact this trouble has been effectually at least in the U.Due south. since we figure most 1918 when the offset outlet box support device was patented. [one]
At carve up articles on HOW TO Add together an ELECTRICAL OUTLET and
about OLD HOUSE Electric SYSTEMS people have asked more than one time how to fix a stripped screw or stripped mounting spiral at an electrical box for an outlet (properly a receptacle), switch, or to append a light fixture or just to concur a box comprehend in place.
Carolyn,
Electrical suppliers sell a reducing bushing that can adapt the existing i-inch opening to 3/4-inch.
Two widely-distributors, Thomas and Betts, and Halex, sell a 1-inch to iii/four-inch reducer bushing that volition work perfectly for you lot. An illustration of one of these products is beneath.
Incidentally as your name is an unusual one, are yous related to my much-missed erstwhile friend Elaine Luthy?
I have a i inch hole in my fuse box only want to adhere a 3/4 inch connector there - what exercise I do.
Steve
Delight find your question repeated along with a detailed respond explaining the repair options at this new page:
EXTERIOR Electric BOX REPAIR
Have a await and ask me for further details or help as needed.
Thank you for asking about repairing an electric box mounted in an exterior masonry wall.
It would as well be useful to know if this wall is a solid brick or masonry wall or if information technology is a brick veneer wall, since the attachment procedures will differ.
I have a porch light that was damaged during a tempest. Fortunately the light was undamaged, but the junction box that'due south in the brick bankrupt in one-half where the screw holes are. To me, it looks as if I need to replace the junction box.
My question is, "How"? The box has mortar all effectually information technology and obviously won't just pull out. Only non sure how to become about doing this myself. Any input would be appreciated.
IMAGE LOST past older version of Clark Van Oyen's useful Comments code - at present fixed. Please re-post the prototype if you lot tin can. Sorry. Modernistic.
...
Proceed reading at METAL ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR, Metallic BOX MENDER or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or run into the consummate Article Index.
Or see ELECTRICAL BOX Screw REPAIR FAQs - questions and answers posted originally on this page.
Or see these
Recommended Articles
- Electric BOX TYPES
- CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE INSTALLATION
- ELECTRICAL BOX SCREW REPAIR
- Electrical BOX Spiral REPAIR, Metal BOX MENDER
- EXTERIOR ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR
- METAL ELECTRICAL BOX Screw REPAIR
- OLD Work ELECTRICAL BOXES for RETROFIT
- PLASTIC ELECTRICAL BOX REPAIR
- ELECTRICAL BOX GROUND WIRING
- Electric JUNCTION BOX TYPES
- Electric OUTLET, HOW TO ADD & WIRE
- PLASTIC Electrical BOX REPAIR - repair a broken plastic electrical box using an "old piece of work" box: wiring, sealing, grounding.
Suggested commendation for this web folio
Electrical BOX SCREW REPAIR at AuditApedia.com - online encyclopedia of edifice & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.
Or see this
Index to RELATED Articles: ARTICLE Index to Electric INSPECTION & TESTING
Or use the SEARCH BOX found beneath to Enquire a Question or Search InspectApedia
...
Enquire a Question or Search InspectApedia
Questions & answers or comments about ways to replace an electric outlet or switch mounting screw when threads are stripped on the screw or in the mounting box.
Try the search box just below, or if yous prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box beneath and we will reply promptly.
Search the InspectApedia website
Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an prototype, web link, or text that looks to the software as if information technology might exist a web link, your posting volition announced later on it has been approved past a moderator. Apologies for the delay.
Technical Reviewers & References
Click to Evidence or Hibernate Citations & References
Publisher InspectApedia.com - Daniel Friedman
Source: https://inspectapedia.com/electric/Electrical_Box_Repair.php#:~:text=If%20the%20stripped%20problem%20is,threads%20for%20the%20new%20screw.
0 Response to "what to do about a stripped electrical box"
Post a Comment