stripped threads in 2 gang electrical box

[Martin Evans]

I've just finished rewiring my lounge and dining room and fitted new

2gang boxes into the wall (from screwfix). Every one of the tabs taking the screws seemed to be too small for conventional socket screws and needed tapping out (never had this problem before). All was fine, screwed up the sockets OK until my wife undid them all to paint and on screwing them back up stripped the threads in two sockets. Try as I might I cannot screw up the sockets to the boxes now. I don't want to replace the boxes because it is all plastered and painted now.

Any useful solutions?

Martin

-- Martin J. Evans Wetherby, UK

[Grunff]

The tabs on many (most?) boxes can be removed with the box in-situ. Just takes a little careful fiddling. Replace with new tab.

[Chris J Dixon]

If they are metal boxes, use a slightly larger self-tapper.

Had to do it myself this afternoon, having, with no little difficulty, removed the remains of the original screw which had sheared off. :-(

Chris

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Glue M 3.5 nuts to the back of the tabs.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Perhaps I buy cheap rubbish, but all of mine have only one adjustable tab. The fixed one wouldn't be easy to change. ;-)

[Robert Irwin]

I've used small bit of tinfil carefully wrapped into hole in network cabling before - might just have been lucky that it held.

Like someone said earlier - probably easier to yank backbox out.

Robert

[Lobster]

[Dave Plowman (News)]

[Martin Evans]

Chris,

Nice idea, what size did you use? can I get these from screwfix?

Martin

-- Martin J. Evans Wetherby, UK

[Martin Evans]

Thanks, I'd thought of that but couldn't find any 3.5 nuts anywhere. M4 not a problem, but M3.5 - no :-(

Martin

-- Martin J. Evans Wetherby, UK

[Brian Reay]

You can get a re-threading tool for about £3 at a local electrical factors- it is a tap with a plastic srewdriver style handle..

I 'peen' the old hole area with a hammer- supporting the tab with a bit of metal- to close up the orginal hole a bit, then re-thread with the tool.

Used it several times without problems.

[Steve]

Try a spare back box that will have two spare 3.5 nuts just hacksaw the lugs off then glue in place Or if you have a 3.5 tap make some, try a back box knockout you could even bend it double then slip/glue over the lug

Steve

[Chris J Dixon]

I just rummaged in the collection in my garage until found one that would do, sorry I can't be more specific.

Chris

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Local fixings supplier - or model shop - from Yellow pages?

RS Components etc stock them.

[Lobster]

Yup. But I've read it *thoroughly* now. ;-)

[Martin Pentreath]

OK, I give up. I was thinking of buying this thing myself. What does it actually do, and why isn't it suitable for the problem described?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's simply a 3.5mm tap. Fine for cleaning up threads - but if the tread has stripped as in this case, it can't make a new one, as the hole is too large.