Argh, need help finding a certain electrical box

[Slowgsr]

You say the existing wall is block. ?

Depending on the walls use, if it's non structural you can knock a hole in the block behind your box. I've done this many times, I've also fished down the hollow portion of blocks where surface mounted raceways are not acceptable. This process becomes increasingly difficult when there's a large amount of excess mortor in the voids.

Even if it is load bearing, a hole in the face won't hurt anything. New construction doing schools, shopping centres we chase brick layers getting conduit/boxes in the walls as everything goes up.

If this has been mentioned, I apologize.

A box of the depth you require to be acceptable which has a UL or equivelant rating does not exist. So explore other options

 

[Rock knocker]

Off topic, but you can't chase NM in CMU, but you can use MC wire

 

[toplessHO]

Off topic, but you can't chase NM in CMU, but you can use MC wire

UF romex is approved

 

[bzinsky]

+1 on Rock knocker's reply. As you may have discovered, the best time to consult engineering is in the planning stages so that you do not end up with boxes that won't fit. And based on your comment you do understand how the 'good engineers' work:

The competent engineers don't want to waste their time on your trivial retrofit problems. As others have said before "You get what you pay for."

I did consult an engineer, and I paid the firm a lot of money to plan this system. I've already had to question their plans and make modifications several times, to the point where I'm tired of talking to them and they're tired of me.

They even spec'd copper feed cable, I needed 3k ft of it. The cable they spec'd was $7/ft. I frequently see mistakes like this. That was a $14k mistake that I luckily caught.

I know they aren't all like that, most of my experience with engineers has been with new construction, in which errors are not frequent. As I started doing more rehabs and using them for existing and older properties, I've found a lot more mistakes, almost to the point where I avoid using them unless required. I'm using reputable companies as well that handle some very large projects. I suppose things like checking out box depths is too trivial for them. Maybe I just need to find a firm that specializes in this sort of thing, not sure.

I don't mean to bash the trade, but spec'ing steel for a 1 story garage that could support a 5 story building is unacceptable, as is spec'ing copper feed cable when almost nobody uses it anymore. Maybe I was just expecting too much from them, not sure.

 

[67carl]

A single gang box is about 3 3/4 X 1 1/2 inches. At a depth of 3/4", given Newtonian science, a 12 cubic inch box would not be possible. Using quantum physics you might be able to come up with 12 cubic inches with your other dimensions with the help of Schroders cat.

Schroeder may have had a cat, but he is really known for his piano. Don't think they make a single gang box that will contain that!

 

[Rock knocker]

I did consult an engineer, and I paid the firm a lot of money to plan this system. I've already had to question their plans and make modifications several times, to the point where I'm tired of talking to them and they're tired of me.

They even spec'd copper feed cable, I needed 3k ft of it. The cable they spec'd was $7/ft. I frequently see mistakes like this. That was a $14k mistake that I luckily caught.

I know they aren't all like that, most of my experience with engineers has been with new construction, in which errors are not frequent. As I started doing more rehabs and using them for existing and older properties, I've found a lot more mistakes, almost to the point where I avoid using them unless required. I'm using reputable companies as well that handle some very large projects. I suppose things like checking out box depths is too trivial for them. Maybe I just need to find a firm that specializes in this sort of thing, not sure.

I don't mean to bash the trade, but spec'ing steel for a 1 story garage that could support a 5 story building is unacceptable, as is spec'ing copper feed cable when almost nobody uses it anymore. Maybe I was just expecting too much from them, not sure.

You hired an EE to design your electrical system?