Imperial screws needed for wall sockets

[Matthew]

It's a typical "It was a good idea at the time" story I'm afraid.

When we decorated the lounge, we loosened all the old double sockets and light switches, to make life easier.

We then decided that the brass effect ones did not match the new colour scheme, and that white ones would look better.

I carefully replaced all the sockets and switches, and now that we have finished decorating, decided to fix them all back to the wall boxes.

This is where I found a problem. The wall boxes, I guess, where expecting imperial threads, and the nice clean white boxes were supplied with metric threads. We did not keep the old screws that came out with the brass sockets etc.

Can you still by the imperial threads required?

Any ideas where?

Next time I'll make sure that I keep the old screws in one of the many jam jars in the garage!

Hope someone can help,

Many thanks,

Matthew

[vivienne wykes]

Hi Mathew,

[Dave Plowman (News)]

They're 4 BA and you can still buy screws - but you'd find it difficult to get the correct raised head chrome types.

You could re-tap the boxes to 3.5mm metric. Or drill out the holes to give clearance and glue a 3.5mm nut on the back - Maplin sell them.

[Lurch]

On Mon, 23 Aug 2004 22:29:21 GMT, "vivienne wykes" strung together this:

No you won't, the metric screws are smaller than the imperial.

[Christian McArdle]

I'd be a bit worried if the glue slips and you can't get the faceplate off any more, though...

Christian.

[stuart noble]

IME the threads in the galvanised boxes often won't work a second time. I've lost count of the number of sockets I've loosened to wallpaper round, only to find the buggers won't re-tighten. I don't think dried plaster on the threads helps. A self adhesive or clip-on nut would help. What do the pros do I wonder?

[:::Jerry::::]

"stuart noble"

[RichardS]

Only point I'd make about this is if a solution involving glueing nuts or other fixings to the lugs is employed, then the OP ought to pay _particular_ attention to make sure that earthing matters are adequately addressed.

i.e. make sure that there's a supplementary earth conductor connected between the box and the earthing terminal on the faceplate (properly sheathed in yellow/green sleeving, of course).

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[chris French]

In message , RichardS writes

And this will require being creative, as if the boxes are like my old imperial boxes were there was no earth terminal

[Dave Plowman (News)]

There should be regardless.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Self tapper into the back?

However, I doubt old screws make a decent earth connection to the box anyway so you're unlikely to be any worse off.

[Homeowner434]

Not necessarily smaller. Just use (for instance) M3.5 instead of imperial (which is smaller) and tap the rhread out (or drill out and glue nut on back). Will work just fine. Electrician would tap the thread. A cheap tap tool can be bought for a few pounds and will last a home owner just fine for infrequent use.

[Owain Lastname]

I've still got jobs from 1985 to finish.

Owain

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Well must be before that 1970s if the threads are imperial, mine are all metric. Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Hence my comment about how old the installation must be. If you are trying to fit new screws in old boxes they have to be from the 1960s!

Brian

[charles]

In my box of M3.5 screws I also have an M3.5 tap. Useful when working in our village hall; and also for sortingb our threads that have got damaged.