On Monday, September 28, 2015 at 12:40:27 PM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 28, 2015 at 12:26:59 PM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Monday, September 28, 2015 at 9:47:23 AM UTC-4, trader_4 wrote:
On Monday, September 28, 2015 at 8:36:00 AM UTC-4, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I spent the weekend helping my Dad prepare his house to be put on the market.
One of the tasks was to remove the light fixtures from a bathroom. After
removing the fixtures themselves, I was left with the mounting plates shown
in the following picture.
http://i440.photobucket.com/albums/q...pssjkqsr1x.jpg
When I removed the plates I found that the electrical boxes were not attached
to the studs, instead they were attached directly to the back of mounting
plates using a threaded tube and strap, similar to this setup:
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n...j/DSC03039.jpg
The threaded tube came through a hole in the center of the mounting plate
and was secured with a nut. The mounting plates themselves were screwed
through the wallboard into a stud. Obviously, when I removed the plates, the
electrical boxes came out with them.
Is this an acceptable method of installation?
It looks like the fixtures were intended to
be installed that way, they had knockouts to accept the cable or
conduit connector and space for the wiring junction to be made.
If it was not acceptable, seems odd the fixture would have been
designed and listed that way.
The holes where the wires came through were actually rimmed with a brass
ring to prevent the steel from damaging the insulation.
I was going by the second pic that shows the backside nut of what looks
like a normal conduit connector fastened to a metal box.
I don't recall that
that there were knockouts for conduit connectors. Romex connectors were used
in the box itself.
Either type fits in the same 1/2" hole. The point was that if the
fixture has knockouts then it sure looks like it must have been
designed and listed for use that way.
The hole for the threaded tube was dead center, but we don't know that that
meant the box did not need to be secured.
You;ve lost me now. What I thought you had was a mounting bracket
that also served as a junction box, it was secured to the wall.
I said:
"When I removed the plates I found that the electrical boxes were not
attached to the studs, instead *they* were attached directly to the back of
mounting plates using a threaded tube and strap".
Note the words "electrical boxes...attached directly to the back of
mounting plates using a threaded tube and strap".
I then included a picture of an electrical box with a threaded tube and a strap.
Insert the tube through the mounting bracket, secure it with a nut, and you
have an "electrical box...attached directly to the back of mounting plates
using a threaded tube and strap".
2 separate objects attached together, not a mounting plate that serves as
a junction box.
It would seem the main issue now is not what was there, but what
are you replacing it with?
If what was there is what I am replacing it with, then it's still an issue.
Everything was removed so that the wallpaper could be stripped, the walls
repaired and painted. We may very well replace all of the same fixtures. If
that is the choice, then I want to know if the original installation method
is acceptable so I just put it back in.
If you're replacing it with the typical
light fixture that mounts to a box, then as others have suggested,
put in one of the round old work boxes that use ears behind the
drywall. Unless the new fixture is too heavy for that.
We have not reached that decision point yet. That is why my post was not a
"How I do I mount an electrical box for a light" question. My question was
(and still is) is whether or not the original installation method was
acceptable.
If it's not, I have no problem coming up with a way to secure the box to
the wall and then the plate to the box. However, there is no need for me
even to think about that if the original method is OK.