"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
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Yep, they come in 3 and 4 inch


Yeah that'll work, the fixture is 1/2" deep, the wire's will be a tight fit
with the wirenuts and all that but otherwise it should work. I can cut the
siding with a knife (its cedar) and caulk around the fixture. Damn, this
might actually work out.



"Eigenvector" wrote in message
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"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
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If you have boards or plywood sheeting behind the siding, you could use
a three of four inch hole saw . Just cut through the siding then screw
the pancake box to the sheeting.


Just to be clear, when you say "pancake box" you are referring to the
circular 1/2" and 5/8" metal boxes?



"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..

"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
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PS, there is no box behind the siding


Damn. Well I can try using one of those 1/2" high boxes and see if I
can inset it into the sheathing beneath it. In some ways I wish I
hadn't uncovered that little mess - but on the other hand it was an
absolute fire waiting to happen.



"RBM" rbm2(remove wrote in message
...
Three options: You can use a siding box, which would probably look
silly on the wood, You can cut in a gem box, right around the
existing cable, which would work fine, or you can mound a pancake box
right on the surface and get new fixtures with deep canopies to
accommodate the pancake box. You need new fixtures anyway




"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
Secretly in the back of my mind I think I know what I'm gonna have
to do, but I'm hoping for an out.

The porch lights on my house are firetraps and have to go. So I get
some new ones and begin the process of unmounting one of them - big
mistake.

http://photos.imageevent.com/eigenve...e/P5050111.JPG
As you can see its simply screwed onto the siding.
http://photos.imageevent.com/eigenve...e/P5050112.JPG
And the romex is fed to it through a hole in the house.

Dare I cut the siding and hope that there's an electical box behind
it? I really really hope there is, otherwise I have quite a task
ahead of me - ripping out the drywall and installing an box to mount
the new fixture.

So staring at that mess I look at the old fixture - bigger mistake

http://photos.imageevent.com/eigenve...e/P5050113.JPG
No that isn't green insulation - that's exposed hot and neutral
wires that are almost corroded through. In fact the Romex wires
that it was connected to were corroded as well - not terribly but
there was a definite green film on the wires.

So what am I looking at here - completely removing the old Romex,
installing an exterior box, then cutting my siding to install the
new fixture?

For now I've clipped the connection, wirenutted both the hot and
neutral wires and wrapped them with electricians tape and put the
old fixture back on the siding to keep it moderately covered from
the elements. Should I be safe until I can do a permanent install or
would it be a good idea to unhook the wires from the actual switch
inside the house too?