Electrical boxes -- screw size?

[Percival P. Cassidy]

I have mislaid the screws that originally held one of those old ceramic
light sockets in place on a hard plastic ("Bakelite"? Or is that a
British name?) box.

What size and thread are those screws?

Perce

[RBM]

"Percival P. Cassidy" <Nob...@NotMyISP.net> wrote in message
news:hhlgjb$mi1$1...@news.eternal-september.org...

Not sure what your asking for, but there are ceramic lampholders that screw
to 3 and 4 inch round boxes, which use 8/32 machine screws

[Nate Nagel]

Octagon (ceiling) box screws are 8-32. Wall box screws are 6-32. Fan
support box screws and ground connection screws are 10-32.

Both ceiling and wall box screws are typically about 1-1/4" long, combo
head. But if you're like me and you use the old antique pressed brass
switch/receptacle cover plates, you'll need to buy a pack of 6-32 *flat*
head screws to hold in your switches and receps.

Oddly enough I was just in the Orange Colored Store last night because
I'd used the last of my stash of ceiling box screws, and they *didn't
sell them.* When I asked the electrical guy, he said "huh, that's a
good idea, wonder why we don't carry those." I bet Dominion sells 'em
but I won't be able to get over there until next Saturday.

nate

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[Percival P. Cassidy]

On 01/01/10 02:32 pm, RBM wrote:

>> I have mislaid the screws that originally held one of those old ceramic
>> light sockets in place on a hard plastic ("Bakelite"? Or is that a British
>> name?) box.
>>
>> What size and thread are those screws?

> Not sure what your asking for, but there are ceramic lampholders that screw

> to 3 and 4 inch round boxes, which use 8/32 machine screws

8-32 was my guess, but it just pushed through the first hole. Worked
fine in the second hole, so I used a sheet-metal screw in the first
hole, which I assume had a stripped thread.

Perce

[Tyler]

replying to Percival P. Cassidy, Tyler wrote:
I’m so confused by this and have never gotten to the bottom of it. I have
run into needing a longer screw than included with ceiling boxes/junction
boxes. 6-32 is too small (threads in but is wiggly) and 8-32 is too large. I
have found in my miscellaneous screws some sort of perfect in between size
that I’m wondering if is a metric. Anytime I look into it, people just say
6-32 for wall stuff and 8-32 for ceiling stuff and that’s that. But this
simply isn’t the case in my experience. There is a metric that must be
similar to what a 7-32 screw would be.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/electrical-boxes-screw-size-416095-.htm

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sat, 02 Jun 2018 21:44:01 GMT, Tyler
<caedfaa9ed1216d60ef...@example.com> wrote:

>replying to Percival P. Cassidy, Tyler wrote:
>I’m so confused by this and have never gotten to the bottom of it. I have
>run into needing a longer screw than included with ceiling boxes/junction
>boxes. 6-32 is too small (threads in but is wiggly) and 8-32 is too large. I
>have found in my miscellaneous screws some sort of perfect in between size
>that I’m wondering if is a metric. Anytime I look into it, people just say
>6-32 for wall stuff and 8-32 for ceiling stuff and that’s that. But this
>simply isn’t the case in my experience. There is a metric that must be
>similar to what a 7-32 screw would be.

Standard device boxes use 6-32, ceiling boxes (octagons) intended for
luminaires use 8-32 and fan boxes use 10-32. There are no metric
screws in current US boxes. Some day maybe and if you are in Canada,
who knows?

[Uncle Monster]

When I was doing electrical work, I often came across stripped out threads on ceiling boxes so I had self-drilling and thread cutting screws to use. If there was enough metal, I was able to drill a larger hole and install a rivnut which had a lot more threads for a screw which held a heavy fixture much more securely. ^_^

http://www.rivet-nut.com/index.html

http://rivetnutusa.com/

[8~{} Uncle Nutty Monster

[rbowman]

My guess is RaCo or whoever makes boxes these days is using taps that
should have been replaced sometime last year.

[gfre...@aol.com]

There are also speed nuts and even T nuts that will clip over the ears
of a box but usually you can just thread it to the next bigger size.
That is why Klein sells that screwdriver style tap that starts 6-32
and ends up 10-32. Keep screwing it in until it bites ;-)

[Uncle Monster]

That Klein multi-tap screwdriver-like tool is in my toolbelt and I made a lot of use of it. Dang! I miss working! I've had so many tools stolen over the years that it really makes me angry and sad at the same time. o_O

[8~{} Uncle Tool Monster

[kgd...@gmail.com]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite

[Clare Snyder]

Most are #6-32
Some are #8-32

[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sat, 08 Dec 2018 12:47:04 -0500, Clare Snyder <cl...@snyder.on.ca>
wrote:

Yup, generally #6s hold devices like receptacles and switches, #8s
hold raised covers, canopies and fixture hangers. The spacing is
different.
Fan boxes use #10s

[Diesel]

kgd...@gmail.com
news:af080640-4923-4f01...@googlegroups.com Sat, 08

Ahh.. Don't you have to be semi careful not to cause it to crack or
something when replacing screws?


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[gfre...@aol.com]

On Sun, 9 Dec 2018 02:44:43 -0000 (UTC), Diesel <m...@privacy.net>
wrote:

>kgd...@gmail.com
>news:af080640-4923-4f01...@googlegroups.com Sat, 08
>Dec 2018 15:24:00 GMT in alt.home.repair, wrote:
>
>> On Friday, January 1, 2010 at 1:58:41 PM UTC-5, Percival P.
>> Cassidy wrote:
>>> I have mislaid the screws that originally held one of those old
>>> ceramic light sockets in place on a hard plastic ("Bakelite"? Or
>>> is that a British name?) box.
>>>
>>> What size and thread are those screws?
>>>
>>> Perce
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite
>
>Ahh.. Don't you have to be semi careful not to cause it to crack or
>something when replacing screws?

If this is a black box and old it is probably bakelite. If it is the
brown one it is similar but not exactly Bakelite and a little more
forgiving. That type of box is usually used in a fire rated assembly.

[Churchx]

Same problem...6-32 too small, 8-32 too big. I found a pair that did fit in my "variety" jar. Not 6, not 8.....right here in Pennsylvania.....box installed in 1995.

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For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/electrical-boxes-screw-size-416095-.htm

[Mark]

My octagon ceiling fan box has a label that says to use 8-24 3/4 screws.

[Clare Snyder]

On Sun, 07 Aug 2022 05:01:47 +0000, Mark
<05adf9d3c80bf311...@example.com> wrote:

>My octagon ceiling fan box has a label that says to use 8-24 3/4 screws.

The 2 common sizes are 6-32 and 8-32 - the screws that attach devices
like switches or fuplex recepticles are commonly 6-32. SOME ground
screws and cable retainer screws are 10-24 (here in Canada where those
screws are most often Roberson (aka squarehead) screws)

[TimR]

And down here some will be ECX, that weird hybrid nobody has a screwdriver for.

I just looked at a few random boxes around my house and shed and almost all were straight slot, though.