Help with ceiling boxes for lights

[adrenalinejeeper]

We used 4" square metal boxes for a 4x4 grid of lights, but since the ceiling had to be double 5/8" drywall we put 1-1/4" mud rings so it would sit flush with the face of the drywall. I ordered 16 Bees Lighting 2-lamp T8 fixtures, expecting to hang these directly to the drywall over the 2-gang opening, utilizing the knockout in the center of the fixture for the wires.

Unfortunately, the 2-lamp fixtures aren't wide enough to fully cover the opening in the drywall, leaving about 1/2" on either side open. I thought I could just add a flat 4" cover plate with a knockout in the middle, but the mud rings have 4 screw holes intended for a normal 2-gang wall plate. All the 2-gang blank metal wall plates I can find have too much depth to them to allow the fixture to sit flat against the ceiling.

Short of buying flat stocks of metal and setting up a jig to make my own cover plates, does anyone have any ideas?

Photo of the type of mud ring used:

 

[u2slow]

Return those and put in single-gang mud rings instead?

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

Return those and put in single-gang mud rings instead?

Sadly, the drywall work is already done. In hindsight, that is what should have been done.

 

[bamawildcat]

2 gang metal plate with KO in the middle. Paint to match.

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

2 gang metal plate with KO in the middle. Paint to match.

I've been looking everywhere, can you link to this? From what I can tell, it doesn't exist.

 

[bamawildcat]

I've been looking everywhere, can you link to this? From what I can tell, it doesn't exist.

It says single gang on the website, but is correct for a 4" sq. box.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/STEEL-CITY-1-Gang-Square-Metal-Electrical-Box-Cover/1001844982

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

It says single gang on the website, but is correct for a 4" sq. box.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/STEEL-CITY-1-Gang-Square-Metal-Electrical-Box-Cover/1001844982

I tried this. That screw pattern does not line up with the 4 screw holes on the mud ring(intended for a switch plate cover). This would go directly on the 4" metal box, not the mud ring.

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

I need something like this but two gang, and ideally not convex.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Single-Gang-Handy-Box-Cover-with-1-2-in-Knockouts-25-Pack-861/202058330

 

[u2slow]

Sadly, the drywall work is already done. In hindsight, that is what should have been done.

Patch it. I use synko 'concrete-fill' for voids too big to plug with std drywall mud.

 

[bamawildcat]

I tried this. That screw pattern does not line up with the 4 screw holes on the mud ring(intended for a switch plate cover). This would go directly on the 4" metal box, not the mud ring.

Sorry misunderstood.

About the closest you'll get, not code compliant at all, and you'll still need the "fake switch" style mounting bracket to get it to attach. And expensive.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...-1-Blank-Wall-Plate-1-Pack-84085-40/301701261

 

[Bert_]

The right thing to do would be to remove the boxes altogether and run the wires directly into the light.

The box behind the light needs to remain accessible once the light is up. A 1/2" knockout in the center doesn't cut it.

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

The right thing to do would be to remove the boxes altogether and run the wires directly into the light.

The box behind the light needs to remain accessible once the light is up. A 1/2" knockout in the center doesn't cut it.

That doesn't seem right... I can't have romex just penetrating the drywall straight into a fixture.

From my understanding, accessibility with hand tools is still considered accessible, unscrew the fixture from the ceiling, the cover from the box, and there it is.

 

[Bert_]

That doesn't seem right... I can't have romex just penetrating the drywall straight into a fixture.

From my understanding, accessibility with hand tools is still considered accessible, unscrew the fixture from the ceiling, the cover from the box, and there it is.

If the light is attached to anything other than the box then the box needs to remain accessible.

Romex into the back of the light is the simplest way to do it. The box serves no purpose. The splice can be made in the light. The light IS a box.

 

[sparky 1971]

Is there any slack above the box that can get pulled in? If so, my suggestion is mount the fixture so that it covers one side of the box, but leave the screw holes on the other side exposed. Pull the wires into the fixture, the fixture is now the junction box. Get a single gang nylon plate and cut it so that it covers the exposed side of the box and butts up to the side of the light.

 

[yatg]

If its a direct wire fixture, it should have a big knockout in the top to allow access into the box. Get a 2 gang blank wall plate and cut a hole in it to match the fixture knockout.

 

[klassenl]

You could cut out the plaster ring and replace it with something like this.

https://www.lowes.ca/product/electr...tension-ring-with-concentric-knockouts-264131

 

[cybrdyke]

The right thing to do would be to remove the boxes altogether and run the wires directly into the light.

The box behind the light needs to remain accessible once the light is up. A 1/2" knockout in the center doesn't cut it.

^^^ This.
Boxes in the ceiling are dumb, in my opinion.
Do you realize they need to be GFCI protected? How are you gonna do that?
CED

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

Is there any slack above the box that can get pulled in?

Yes, we left enough slack to make the connections in the lights, not in the box. I like your idea, if I can’t figure out a way to have the lights directly lined up I’ll do that.

If its a direct wire fixture, it should have a big knockout in the top to allow access into the box. Get a 2 gang blank wall plate and cut a hole in it to match the fixture knockout.

This is my first thought as well, I’m just hoping the blank wall plate doesn’t protrude enough to keep the light from sitting flush to the drywall.

^^^ This.
Boxes in the ceiling are dumb, in my opinion.
Do you realize they need to be GFCI protected? How are you gonna do that?
CED

I’m not sure how to penetrate drywall with romex in a fire ceiling other than through a box, this was what the inspector wanted and my electrician went along with. They’ll be GFCI protected at the panel. Every circuit will be combo arc fault and GFCI protected as required.

 

[Toomanytools?]

I’m not sure how to penetrate drywall with romex in a fire ceiling other than through a box, this was what the inspector wanted and my electrician went along with. They’ll be GFCI protected at the panel. Every circuit will be combo arc fault and GFCI protected as required.

You can use fire block caulking (orange) to seal wire penetrations through sheetrock.

 

[Jim greengo]

How about 1 of these?