Light fixture mounting bracket doesn't fit electrical box

I have a 4x4 square electrical box in the ceiling. The screw holds are between 4.25" and 5" apart but the light fixture plate are only 3.5" apart. I can't seem to find a mounting bracket to fit this 4.25" or 5" inch apart electrical box. The standard crossbar mounting brackets seem to be only 2.75" and 3.5". Should I be able to find a crossbar at Homedepot that will fit my electrical box?

 

Any access from above to change it?
Most ceiling fixtures use a round, not a square box.

 

As Joe said that isn't a ceiling box. You may be able to use a plaster ring. While they are normally installed with the raised ring pointing out it should work with the ring pointing in. You might need to use slightly longer screws for the fixture bracket.

 

Oh, I see. That is the face plate I took out to replace the light fixture but the new light fixture plate has a rectangular "motor" box which would not fit through that round hole. Any other options?

 

Interesting..... can you take a picture and post it for us. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

I really just need to attach the new light fixture base plate to this square box to make it work. Any problems with using this square box if I can figure out how to secure the fixture to it?

 

Here is a picture of the fixture face plate.

 

Does that fixture plate mount with the power supply facing inside the box or outside the box ?

 

Power supply is suppose to go inside the box.

 

Show us a picture of the other side of the mounting plate. My first thought is to remove the module and insert in the box first.

 

Wow... that'll be a tough fit with those wires and large wirenuts.

They make adapter plates that are flat to go from a 4" square box to a 4" round fixture but the center hole would not be large enough to fit the power supply thru.

I think in your case I'd drill holes in that plate to match the box. You may only have to drill one.

 

this is the side facing down towards the fixture.

 

I don't think drilling a hole will work since the closest holes on the box are 4.5" and the diameter of the fixture faceplate is 4.5".

 

Ok... so there's going to be an issue here. No matter what you do.... the canopy of the fixture isn't going to cover that 4" box.

You could bolt on a mending plate..... or two smaller ones that will pickup the ears of the box but the canopy won't cover them.

 

If the mending plate will secure the fixture to the box is that good enough or is there a problem if the fixture plate doesn't cover the whole box?

 

I see it might not look good if the fixture doesn't conceal the mending plate unless I can have the mending plate flush with the sheetrock and then cover it up. You don't see any dangers with doing this do you?

 

If the fixture plate won't cover the box.... neither will the fixture. How will you repair the hole ?

Are you talking about plastering over the mending bar and up to the ring ?

 

Yes plastering over the mending bar and gaps which shouldn't be too much??

 

Are you replacing a previous fixture?

If so, how was the previous fixture mounted to the box?

 

I think there was some confusion on my previous suggestion. Assuming you mean a plaster ring was there. My suggestion was to:

• Remove module from the plate
• Place the module in the box.
• Install the old plaster ring to the box
• Install plate to ears on plaster ring.
• If necessary plaster over the plaster ring up to the opening if the fixture doesn't cover it.

The biggest issue would be removing the module. Not sure of what tools you have or ability to use them. My plan "B" would be to mount a standard octagon 4" box in the 4x4 box if it will fit and plaster around it between the square box and octagon box. I'm not sure it would fit though.

Do you have conduit? If so that makes replacing the box more complicated so I haven't suggested that yet.

Bottom line I'm not there to experiment so none of my ideas may be any good. The real problem here is the manufacturer of this light. Tell us about the light. Maybe someone can suggest a similar one, maybe line voltage, that didn't have this problem.

 

This should work:

Shop Portfolio Silver Metal Ceiling Light Mount at Lowes.com

 

He has to use the mounting bracket that came with the light because it has tabs on the side for the lightand a transformer mounted to it that has to go up into the box.

 

That's a good idea but when I put the plaster ring back on I need to do it backwards (facing in the box) to connect the module and there isn't enough room. Is it easy to just replace the box with the correct round style? I do have a conduit. I ordered the light online and it may be difficult to return.

 

The conduit would make it difficult to get the old box out and would be too short to reach the new box.

Actually what everyone here has called round usually isn't. It is octagon.


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I think if you turned it just right it would fit in the square box. You could screw it to the back of the existing box. Wires would have to be rerouted through the knock outs in the new box. I would not want to bury the wires in plaster but you could partially fill the box with the foam backer rods they sell for caulking and then a ¼" of plaster on top to fill in the space. You'd be brushing the outer limits of code acceptable but I think it would pass or you could just use a medallion to hide the gap and be closer to code.



The one gotcha other then mentioned is if you would have enough room even if you switched to yellow wire nuts (not sure their large enough) or a different type of wire connector. That transformer takes up a lot of space and you can't use a deep box.

To fasten the boxes I would use self tapping 10-32 screws. This is the same size as ground screws. If you have a green wire it will go to one of these screws.

 

Thanks for all you help on this. I may throw in the towel and return the light fixture. Hardest part is finding a decent looking kitchen ceiling light, at least that my wife will accept.

 

I was finally able to install the light fixture. I just separated the power supply box from the fixture plate (so I could put in the plaster ring) and left it dangling separate inside the electrical box as suggested. Hardest part was to fit the power supply box in the electrical box with all the other wires. They're all pretty much shoved up into the electric box. Hope my house doesn't burn down. Again thanks for all your help.

 

Good! Thanks for letting us know what worked. It may help someone else.

 

About this topic: can someone confirm if is allowed to place a UR (UL recognized) led driver inside a jbox?
thanks