Metalclad sockets

[charles]

4BA in rectangular boxes and 2BA on round ones. I just undone a 4BA screw that had been forced into a 3.5mm hole.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

Purely mechanical fixings. No danger to anyone. In any case, aren't you referring to dodgy shower installations?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Can't really see why that would be any easier than a long bush with lock nuts - one or two used as spacers between the sockets.

[Andy Dingley]

The double nipple is shorter than the bush. The bush (if close coupled) sticks into the box so far that it gets in the way of cabling, and possibly even the socket (MKs with the outboard switches).

[Dave Plowman (News)]

TLC list two lengths of bush. If I remember the double variety correctly it had thread lengths the same as a single bush.

But if the bush is too long, how much work is it to saw a bit off? It's only brass.

[Andy Dingley]

The brass male bushes? They list a long one, which might do the trick, but they've never had stock of them that I've seen.

The best ones are like that, but double-ended and extra-short.

The conduit couplers are ferrous, not brass. It's a lot of work to saw them down because it also involves chucking them in the lathe to deburr the inner corner too - otherwise you might as well use the box knockouts bare!

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Never yet caught TLC out in advertizing something they don't stock. They may not have it at a branch, but will usually get it in next day from their central stores.

You use a bush - long or short - and nuts or rings between it and the socket boxes, if you want them close coupled. One nut would likely space them enough. If the bush protrudes beyond the ring enough to be a problem. cut it down. Being an external thread, no problem to file a chamfer on it so the nut goes on easily.

No need for a coupler. Although I'd use one as it looks very neat, and do you ever want a number of sockets as close as possible in a workshop anyway?

[Andy Dingley]

It's 30 miles to my nearest TLC. Stuff ordered for collection there is "unreliable".

Since I moved to 30 miles away, I now spend very little with TLC. It's not unrelated.

Funnily enough, I tried this and it doesn't fecking well work, which is why I'm asking here. Please remember that not everyone posting here is Drivel.

One nut: faceplates won't go on.

Two nuts: a short bush is too short.

Filing an internal chamfer? It's not about the nut, it's about the cable inside.

Yes, because otherwise I can't fit so many in the gap I have available, but mostly because sockets with gaps between them are a PITA for catching cables down the gaps.

[John Rumm]

In the grand scheme of things, what are you actually trying to achieve? If the sockets are abutted next to each other, but you don't require a metal conduit connection to use as a CPC, then I can't actually see much need for any "join" as such. If they were a row of plastic sockets on normal surface back boxes, one would simply run T&E between the boxes. In this case, covering the box edge with a grommet, and bridging the gap with T&E sounds more than adequate

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I've found stuff ordered via the net unreliable for collection, but that either ordered on the premises or by phone not.

It's worked here. Can you explain why it wouldn't?

Ah. Long bush, then. I've got lots. Have you got a decent wholesaler near?

Just removing any sharp edges would be fine for this job as you're not forcing cable through as in conduit. But I have a nice taper drill designed for sheet metal holes which would do nicely.

You might do better getting a pukka MDU then. With frame 13 amps sockets let into a face plate.

[The Other Mike]

Conduit box (cover) threads changed from 2BA to 4mm iirc

[Andy Dingley]

If I wasn't expecting to hit them with 8x4s of plywood from time to time, I wouldn't be needing metalclads.

Done now. Boxes screwed to the brick wall, rather than the narrow timber framework alongside where I was planning. This way I can use more screws to hold the boxes on (and not just in one line), so unlike the workbench sockets, I'm not relying on the conduit couplers for strength.

[newshound]

I think plastic conduit will clear standard grommets, so a length of an inch or so would provide a sort of "bridge" and extra "alignment"

[Dave Liquorice]

I was wondering why Andy needs to bung it in the lathe. It doesn't need a perfect champer or 1mm radiused corner. It just needs any burrs removed and the edge taken off. Tip of a half round file will do it in 30 seconds or less. Or the deburring "spike" that some large copper pipe cutters have.

[Frank Erskine]

But it'd look naff...

[Andy Dingley]

Because it's steel (or some crappy grade of bog-iron at least) and it's now too short to hold. I'm never far from my big handheld countersink bit (favourite tool), but it won't deburr steel if I can't hold it.

[charles]

correct

[Dave Plowman (News)]

We seem to be at cross purposes. I was suggesting using a long male brass bush with backing nuts - perhaps two between the boxes - and no conduit coupler. That would provide a strong mechanical join.

[John Rumm]

If they are butted up close so that the faceplates are almost touching you won't even see the cable.

Having said that, metal clad looks naff anyway ;-)

(I used flush mounted normal sockets in my workshop - not as robust, but less chance of hitting them in the first place)