RBM wrote:
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
. ..
RBM wrote:
"Jeff Wisnia" wrote in message
news
wrote:
I'm swapping an electrical outlet for one of a different color. It
turned out that the old metal box is missing one of the tabs that an
outlet screws into. It's behind tile, so I really can't replace the
box.
That end of the old outlet had been wire-tied in -- wire through two
holes in the top of the outlet box, out around the outlet mounting
tab, twist tight. The old wire came apart when I untwisted it to
remove the outlet.
I've tried to replicate this with various types of wire. Most were
too soft and broke as I twisted it down. The only one that didn't was
16 gauge baling wire, but that left a big fat twist of wire above the
outlet that kept the cover from mounting nicely. I also tried zip
ties, but had issues getting them tight while keeping the fat part off
the front.
Any bright ideas? Keep looking for a stronger small gauge wire?
-troy
If you completely remove the outlet from the box you should have plenty
of room to drill a hole into the side wall of the box onto which you
could then fasten a tiny homemade angle bracket with a self tapping screw
driven into that hole.
Drill a hole in the exposed end of the newly fastened bracket and use
another self tapping screw to fasten the outlet's end onto it.
QED
Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*10^14 fathoms per fortnight.
The tab with the 6/32" tapped threads is above the box opening on a
typical 2x3 steel box
This may well be a situation where "You are right from your side and I am
right from mine."
When I read your reponse I thought that my age related CRS* had kicked in
and caused me to write something totally useless.
So, out came the kitchen drawer screwdriver and I popped off two single
outlet cover plates and one single switch plate. (On boxes installed when
we had our home built23 years ago.)
Those boxes all that their tabs pointing inward.
Then I looked in my hell box of electrical junk and found three different
style metal boxes all with the tabs pointing inward, and none pointing
outward.
Checking a few web pages with lots of different electrical boxes pictured
on them didn't pull up any with the tabs "outside" the boxes, but maybe
some of the metal "old work" boxes had 'em there.
Peace,
Jeff
* CRS: Can't remember ****e.
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.98*10^14 fathoms per fortnight.
Typical steel new construction (bang on) 2x3 switch box has the tab outside
the box. Reducing covers and surface mounted boxes have the tabs on the
inside, as do steel concrete tight boxes. See link for typical switch box:
https://www.hardwareworld.com/25in-D...a-pGJXLRX.aspx
How is the box you linked to attached secured on typical new construction?
I'm not disagreeing that the tabs are bent out on that kind of box, but
as you sort of refered to it as a "bang on" box, just what does that
description mean?
I've got a feeling all the wall mounted boxes in our home are similar to
this design:
https://www.hardwareworld.com/1-78dp...t-pKZR3W9.aspx
with the mounting strip nailed onto the side of a wall stud.
From what I can see looking at my home's boxes, they all have the tabs
bent in and look like they have rounded corners, save for the few "old
work" boxes I've added myself.
Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.