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what scews needed to attach mounting strap to electrical box?

what scews needed to attach mounting strap to electrical box?


  #1  
Old 08-22-19, 06:06 PM
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what scews needed to attach mounting strap to electrical box?

I have two CARLON Carlon 1-Gang Blue Plastic Interior New Work Standard Round Ceiling Electrical Box. I don't know what screws are needed to attach the mounting strap to the box. I don't know whether the holes for mounting a strap are threaded. Can someone shed some light on this?

If the holes are threaded and I damage the threading in it, could I use a generic screw, such as general purpose metal or wood screws and force them in?
 
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Old 08-22-19, 06:44 PM
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That should have come as a single assembled part. But any screw should work.
 
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Old 08-22-19, 06:57 PM
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Round boxes use 8-32 screws.
 
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Old 08-22-19, 07:13 PM
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Round boxes use 8-32 screws.
They are asking about the screws to mount the box to the mounting strap, not a fixture tot he box.
 
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Old 08-23-19, 05:05 PM
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Thanks for the replies. I went to the local hardware and bought four 8-32 screws, 1/2" long, and got the job done. They were not easy to screw into the holes on the box but I got them in.
 
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Old 08-23-19, 07:41 PM
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That is just shelf tapping metal screw. Not sure what size to use, probably #8.

8-32 is a bolt and the strap is not threaded. If you get it in without stripping the threads, you are probably ok. But if the threads are stripped in the process, it will be very weak.
 
  #7  
Old 08-24-19, 10:01 AM
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The "strap" in this case is a circular strap. And, it has many holes, both threaded and not threaded. 8-32 screws work in the threaded holes in the strap.

Edit: Regarding the screw holes in the ceiling electrical box, I believe they are designed for 8-32 size screws but I believe, in the case the plastic boxes, the holes are not threaded. So, you're basically threading the hole as you put the screw in. This would explain why the resistance to getting the screw tightened rapidly increases as the screw is being screwed further in.
 

Last edited by dderolph; 08-24-19 at 10:41 AM. Reason: Added paragraph
 

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