Putting electrical outlets in stone/masonry walls
I am planning a complete rewiring of a house that I own,. and I am
trying to figure out how to place the new interior outlets in the
existing exterior walls that are made of stone/masonry.
*There are metal electrical boxes made for masonry which you should
be able to get at an electrical supply house. Raco has the #690 one
gang which is 2.5" deep or the 695 which is 3.5" deep. Steel City
numbers are
GW-125-G for the one gang 2.5" and GW-135-G for the 3.5" depth. The
masonry boxes are also available in multiple gangs. Don't use
plastic boxes for this. I am not sure they are approved for this
type of installation.
Thanks. I just did a search for them online and that looks like exactly
what I should be using. I didn't know that there was something called a
masonry box -- duh, I guess I could have tried a Google search for that.
But, again, thank you.
It sounds as though you have terracotta block. You can fish wires
through that if there isn't too much residual cement and debris
inside. You would have to cut holes for the boxes and then cement
them in place. The terracotta block can be hard. You may need an
angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut through it neatly. Instead
of cable, you could use flexible conduit to feed the box so that you
can add or replace wires down the road without having to remove the
box.
It does look like terracotta blocks to me. If I get a chance, I'll try to
get a good picture of it and post it. It is very easy to cut and/or break
out, partly because the blocks are hollow. I already had to do that in a
few areas for other work I was doing
You are also required to have an outlet outside in the front and in
the back.
I do know about that code requirement, so that will be part of the plan.
I will also be adding and outside outlet on the side wall next to a
driveway.
If there is an outside air conditioning condenser you will
also need an outlet for servicing purposes near that unless the front
or back outlets are close.
There is no central air at this point -- just hot water cast iron radiator
heat. That may mean that I'll want to include lines to each bedroom that
can accomodate window AC units.
*Since it is going to be a rental unit you should expect the worst from your
tenants. You don't want them running extension cords or blowing breakers
from electric heaters or air conditioners. Put each bedroom's outlets on a
separate 20 amp circuit and make some of them double duplexes (Quads). You
can go the extra mile and install one quad on a separate 20 amp circuit near
a window for an A/C, but the one 20 amp circuit for all of the outlets will
probably suffice with today's energy efficient air conditioners unless they
are very large rooms. Pigtail the receptacles instead of feeding through
each device for less maintenance down the road.
Current code calls for all bedroom outlets (As well as other areas) to be
tamper resistant. Even if they are not required in your area I would still
put them in. They prevent children from sticking things into the outlets.
How about posting pictures of the whole job and during different stages of
the project?
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