Shallow electrical box

Hi, after my electrician wired my place there is one location I need to get creative about.

It is a square metal box on the inside of a concrete block wall. This box is the 3/4" deep shallow box with a normal mud ring. There is a 3/8" furring strip then a 3/4" sheet rock so I cannot make it too deep. However it has a three way wiring with another switch along with some wire that needs to be connected there to serve as a junction box or else I need another box somewhere else with a blank cover.

Looking at the wires there there is just no way I can fit two dimmers into it, not even regular toggle switches. It is totally jam packed.

The electrician suggest I get a raised exposed box...this is not the garage I cannot use that.

Is my only option to chip out the concrete wall and go with a deep box or extension?

Thanks for any comments.

MC

Reply to
MiamiCuse
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Hi, If I were you, 3 options. 1. chip out concrete(not easy), 2. Raised box(does not look good), 3. Another shallow box next to it if you can so all wiring in one box, whatever device you need in another box(compromise).

Reply to
Tony Hwang

one additional piece of info...the width of the wall there is very limited, like 4" total next to the door, so I cannot use a 3 gang box with a two device trim either.

Reply to
MiamiCuse

Hi, Vertical mount then? I have vertically mounted boxes in my basement bathroom.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Yeah, go ahead and chip out one block cavity for your electrical box, I believe that's the standard way to do it when the furring strips are less than 1.5" deep. It should not be that hard.

Cheers, Wayne

Reply to
Wayne Whitney

Attach another shallow box to that one for your switches.

Reply to
Claude Hopper

Not your only option, but not a difficult one. Use a masonry bit in your cordless and set it to the hammerdrill setting. Drill a bunch of holes around the perimeter and chip out the interior with a cold chisel. It'll take you twenty or thirty minutes if you stop and have a beer in the middle. I would suggest a Stoudt's Double IPA - just make sure you don't operate any heavy equipment afterwards as it's strong beer. ;)

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Let's assume that your wiring is 14gauge.

You have three wires for each 3-way switch. So that's 6 wires times 2 cu/inches per wire (12 cu/inches). Add 2 cu/in for the ground wire (you only have to count that once) and another 2 inches for 1 internal clamp (only have to count that once). Then add 9 cubic inches for two devices (4.5 cu/in each minimum unless otherwise noted on the swithc). So that's 25 cu/inches so far. If you use a standard double gang box (32 cu/inches, you'll have enough room for 3 junction wires. If the junction wires are two 14/2 romex, you're technically out of code compliance. However, there are some extra deep double gang boxes that would give you the clearance.

The only hook is that because this is an exterior wall, the box has to be weatherproof. It may be hard to find an extra deep weatherproof box.

Reply to
Rick-Meister

The box can't be wider or protrude.

That leaves up, down or deeper.

Reply to
metspitzer

Thinking "out of the box" (pun intended), could a remote control similar to those used with ceiling fans be used? Then the switch would not need to be in the box.

Reply to
CJT

I might just do that, or score the lines with a diamond blade angle grinder. I don't have a refrigerator yet at the place so cold beer might be too much to ask for. thanks.

Reply to
nmbexcuse

yes I am using now a double gang box (1900 box), the wires are 12 gauge THHN stranded, there is no romex all the wiring to that box are using 1/2" rigid EMT pipes.

I think my best bet is to somehow find room for an extension ring to double the depth. I want to use two dimmers there so it's even more space I need.

By the way this is not a box mounted on the exterior side of the exterior wall, this is a box mounting on the interior of the exterior wall.

Reply to
nmbexcuse

Angle grinder is overkill and kicks up too much dust for my taste (literally), but definitely faster. If you have a regular corded hammer drill that would be my first choice for drilling the perimeter holes and chipping out the interior. Then it's a ten minute job.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

=EF=BF=BDThis box

=EF=BF=BDHowever

put the dimmer in a new box where you dont need to be a miner to get it in place.

Reply to
hallerb

RicodJour well it took more than 10 minutes, it turns out that since it is located right next to the door, the concrete block there is solid with rebars.

I managed to drill out and chip away to face of the concrete block, but the solid concrete inside of that was too much to do, especially given the space between so limited and narrow at that angle. Removing the face of the block made it good enough to fit a deep box hopefully this would be enough. thanks.

Reply to
MiamiCuse

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