Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to doing
this instead.

"autonut843" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to doing
this instead.


I have used the romex scrap, washers, toothpicks, matchsticks or whatever
ever did the job. Next time I do one I will do whatever fits.


Colbyt

"autonut843" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to doing
this instead.

I would refrain from using anything that can burn.

Caddy makes something that will support a wiring device and compensate for
large openings:
http://www.erico.com/products/CADDYcfcDvcLvlrRetnr.asp They are probably
only available at an electrical supply house.



"autonut843" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to doing
this instead.

Strip a piece of copper wire. Wrap it tightly around a Phillips
screwdriver. Pull it off. Cut the appropriate number of coils to
space the switch/recep out the proper distance. Materials and
tools that you always have when doing plugging and switching.
Economical, solid, fireproof, professional.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"autonut843" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I
saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To
fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface
of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting
screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and
keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the
wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a
bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to
doing
this instead.

"Colbyt" wrote in message
news:P3y9f.530346$xm3.183397@attbi_s21...

"autonut843" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,
The other day I was working in a house about 5 years old and I saw
something I thought was neat, wondering how prevalent it is. To fill
the gap between the front of the electrical box and the surface of the
sheet rock, the electrician threaded the outlet/switch mounting screw
through a short scrap of romex sheath that could squish down and keep
the switch/outlet forced out away from the box, flush with the wall.
Is that common? new? good idea? bad idea?

Whenever I've had that problem in the past I would just put a bunch of
small washers on the screw. I didn't know if I should switch to doing
this instead.


I have used the romex scrap, washers, toothpicks, matchsticks or whatever
ever did the job. Next time I do one I will do whatever fits.


Doesn't code require a non-combustible box extender when the box is too deep
in the wall? So that in theory any sparking from the device won't get lodged
in combustible material in the crevice behind the wall surface?

aem sends...

Good point. The situation I was referring to was where the box was
less than 1/2 inch behind the face of the wall so there really wasn't a
gap with an opening into the wall cavity, but the face of the sheetrock
was not square enough against the edge of the box to cleanly hold the
metal ears on the outlet.

Thanks for all the great input on this topic!