Outside Light Wiring Questions

[Robert11]

Hello:

Want to put up an external light (flood light type) high over my Deck.

There is already a small light that is fed by wiring thru the siding at a lower height..

Will dump this light and put in its place a weathertight Aluminum Bell (the mfg., I think) type of box, and run about 6 feet of the grey electrical tubing up alongside of the siding to where the light will go to contain the wires.

Will use solvent cement fitting to join the tubing to a plastic screw type of fitting that will screw into the Bell box.

Questions:

Where the wires now go thru the siding, and will enter the Bell box:

The bell box has threads on the back, where these wires will be fed thru.

They are for a fitting of course, but I will not have any, as it will be right flush against the siding.

a. what can I use so the wires don't abrade against these threads ? Some sort of bushing, or... ?

b. Does the Code require that the wires by mechanically secured at their entrance to this box ? if so, can't imagine how I would do it. Any suggestions ? There doesn't seem to be room inside the box for the typical NM type of connector with the small clamp on it.

Thanks, Bob

[RBM]

If the box inside the wall is a "gem" type, you can get a weatherproof extension collar to screw onto it. The extension will have the same threaded female taps as the standard "bell" box.

[Robert Barr]

Those threads will accomodate a water pipe nipple. 1/2" I think, but I won't bet my life on that. You can find them in various lengths already pre-cut & threaded at both ends.

I've used these nipples to help strengthen the box's attachment to the surface -- just thread the nipple > Hello:

[mm]

I hate conduit on the outside of a house. I looked around and lo and behold, there was a receptacle below my second floor window, in the middle left to right. I went up a foot or two and to mount the switch there, mounted the light box from the inside with a hole leading to the fixture, and then mounted the double flood on the outside of the house. Did all this without a ladder, just by leaning a little bit out the window.

Oh yeah, since that is the wall I lean agaist when I'm in bed, I used a forget-the-name decorator rocker switch, the one that takes a cover plate with a big rectangular hole, and an extra layer of foam underneath, so the switch rocker fits below the surface of the wall plate, and I don't turn it on or off by accident.

Seems likely that whereever you have a light switch or outlet inside the house, you can go up or down a few feet and mount the light on the outside.

[Bustoff]

Put a bushing in the back of the box and slide the bushing into the wall, this will protect the wire. You may have to enlarge the hole to allow the bushing to slip into the wall. From the box use THWN wire in conduit to the fixture. Romex in conduit in a damp or wet location is a code violation. And yes conduit on the outside of a house is considered a damp location.