how to finish out a 50A outlet

[v7guy]

So I finally got around to doing this...
cut the sheetrock, removed the old box put the new one in, took the clamp that was on the old box and put it on the new box, fished the wires back through and then put in the mud ring

I couldn't find a mud ring that was 3/4 so I ended up picking up an adjustable metal one. It'll go out to an inch and a half. It cost about $6 but I figure I'll forget about it after it's all together.
I put it on the box, adj it to height and tightened it down.

I cut out the patch and have it ready to go, probably finish it up this evening assuming nobody goes, "you did that totally wrong!" lol

 

[MrMark]

Looks great! Don't forget to ground the box.

Where did you find that adjustable mud ring? That looks very useful to me. I like how you used all four screws with the double gang ring. I think that is the best way to go. Gives a little more room vs. a single gang ring and very solid connection of the plug to the box.

 

[MrMark]

What's your method for stripping the big wires?

I like to use a utility knife and make an initial peel at an extreme angle, peeling away until copper shows and then I ring the knife all the way around the wire, scoring around its circumference. Then I peel the insulation away.

I go to some length to not ever nick the copper. Same with strippers. I like to 'snap" the insulation off rather than cut all the way through with the stripper. The Klein strippers I use always slightly nick the wire around the circumference when you squeeze all the way down. Thus, I always go by feel a little less than full compression of the handles.

I have seen lineman use a linoleum looking knife and they just peel, like you would sharpen a pencil with the knife, but I don't like that method as well.

 

[mrb]

What's your method for stripping the big wires?

I like to use a utility knife and make an initial peel at an extreme angle, peeling away until copper shows and then I ring the knife all the way around the wire, scoring around its circumference. Then I peel the insulation away.

I go to some length to not ever nick the copper. Same with strippers. I like to 'snap" the insulation off rather than cut all the way through with the stripper. The Klein strippers I use always slightly nick the wire around the circumference when you squeeze all the way down. Thus, I always go by feel a little less than full compression of the handles.

I have seen lineman use a linoleum looking knife and they just peel, like you would sharpen a pencil with the knife, but I don't like that method as well.

this http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1363&groupID=1394

 

[MrMark]

this http://www.knipex.com/index.php?id=1216&L=1&page=group_detail&parentID=1363&groupID=1394

DAMN!

That is the way to go!

I've never seen that before. I'll have to check the price.

 

[mrb]

DAMN!

That is the way to go!

I've never seen that before. I'll have to check the price.

theyre nice because you can adjust the depth of cut so they work well with larger conductors as well as things like SO cord. many companies make this sort of stripper so look around if the knipex is $300 or something

 

[v7guy]

forgot to ground the box, thanks for mentioning it... there was no screw present on the back of the box, just the hole. Any idea what screw it needs?

I've tried to stay away from the copper while wiring. Occasionally I knick it, but 90% of the time I score the sheath then grab the plastic and give it a good pull and it separates at the score.
When I cut out a section in the middle I make two score marks then score down the middle in between them. I cut the sheath in the middle till I bump the paper and can get a hold of the sheathing and then just peel it all off.
I go through quite a few blades this way and it wears out the old hands but it's the only way I've come up with to do it without any expensive strippers.

that tool mrb posted looks pretty snazzy

that adj mud ring I found at the local Lowes it's made by Steel City you can find a pdf for it here.

 

[MrMark]

With that 6 gauge romex it probably has a 8 or 10 gauge ground. If it's only 10 you can just use one of the green self-tapping machine screws sold in Home Depot for the ground. If it is 8 gauge, which I think it is, you are going to need a lug to receive the wire. The lug attaches to the box with the green self tapper.

On the stripping, I was talking about the wire, not the jacket. On the jacket, I have the Klein strippers that work ok, and the Ideal little ripper tool that works ok too. They don't work on the heavy jacket you have there obviously. I can score and strip either lengthwise or across, but don't like doing it. If I were in the business, different story.

Why would you ever need to remove a middle section of the romex jacket?

 

[MrMark]

That ring is so useful I can't even believe it. I wish I had known about that earlier. I used some plastic adjustable boxes where I wasn't sure what the finished wall depth would be, and I would MUCH rather have used those rings you linked.

Thanks.

 

[Steevo]

I like it! Much nicer, and you will have a much cleaner finished look to enjoy.

 

[v7guy]

Why would you ever need to remove a middle section of the romex jacket?

I had a buddy working with me in the garage, he damaged one of the lengths I'd ran. I separated the damaged section and spliced it in a junction box... could have cut it and done it the no rmal way but I stripped the sheathing then cut it. I recalled doing it once when I first started.
Beyond overthinking it and doing it the hardest way possible I can't think of a reason.


the boxes I've grounded in the past I ran the ground to a wire nut and then ran a wire from the wire nut to the box and wire to the outlet... is there a better way to do this?

 

[padronanniversary]

With that 6 gauge romex it probably has a 8 or 10 gauge ground. If it's only 10 you can just use one of the green self-tapping machine screws sold in Home Depot for the ground. If it is 8 gauge, which I think it is, you are going to need a lug to receive the wire. The lug attaches to the box with the green self tapper.

On the stripping, I was talking about the wire, not the jacket. On the jacket, I have the Klein strippers that work ok, and the Ideal little ripper tool that works ok too. They don't work on the heavy jacket you have there obviously. I can score and strip either lengthwise or across, but don't like doing it. If I were in the business, different story.

Why would you ever need to remove a middle section of the romex jacket?

Doesn't most of the ground wires at HM and Blowes come with 10g ground ? I don't ever think I've seen a 8g at the big box stores.

 

[oleguy]

a green 10-32 ground screw.

 

[MrMark]

No, you have the right way to do the grounding. Well, OK, there is a better way but not for that heavy of a wire. For 12 gauge wire you can leave one ground wire really long. Cut the conductors off at about 8 inches sticking out the box and take that long ground wire and wrap it around the green screw and bring that out the box. Now you can proceed normally to splice that ground to the other grounds (if present) or just connect it to the device if at the end of a run. Make sense?

 

[v7guy]

MrMark... completely makes sense.

Appreciate all the help guys... to everyone. I'll post up pics so they are easily followed by others. Always interested in any other input.

Once again, thanks for all the help

 

[v7guy]

worked on the plug more tonight... what else could anyone do on christmas eve lol

got some 10/32 ground screws and a twist tie that was made for grounding.
I picked all this stuff up at the local Lowes.
After I grounded the box I installed the sheetrock patch... sanded down the surrounding sheetrock to ensure the patch would be virtually invisible and then taped and laid down the initial mud. If this was my career I would lose money. I understand why electricians say the previous install was good enough.


I'll update with the final mud patch and install.

this is where I'm at...

with patches, I pack the gaps with spackle to provide a base. I use fibre tape for the joints. I've had mixed results with the traditional tape, the fibre tape I get consistent and smooth results.

this last pic is my initial coat of spackle.

this is where i'm at now

 

[Norcal]

One comment, the 50A receptacle needs to be turned 180 degrees so the ground is "up" that will have a right angle cord cap hang correctly.

This is not a ground UP / DOWN post for regular devices as there is no "correct" way to mount then & code committees have refused to touch that issue, but 30 & 50A right angle cord caps are ground up & receptacles mounted w/ ground down will not hang correctly resulting in unnecessary strain on the cord.

 

[danski0224]

The fiber tape works best with what is called "hot mud". Hot mud is the powdered stuff that you mix with water and is typically labeled "Easy Sand 5, 20 or 90". It hardens through a chemical reaction, not evaporation.

The wet premixed joint compound in boxes or buckets is used with the paper tape. It does not work well with the fiber tape.

I've never used spackle as a joint compound. Not saying it won't work, but not something I'd try.

 

[mrb]

One comment, the 50A receptacle needs to be turned 180 degrees so the ground is "up" that will have a right angle cord cap hang correctly.

This is not a ground UP / DOWN post for regular devices as there is no "correct" way to mount then & code committees have refused to touch that issue, but 30 & 50A right angle cord caps are ground up & receptacles mounted w/ ground down will not hang correctly resulting in unnecessary strain on the cord.

actually, some of these plugs are ground up and some are ground down. I forget which is which but for example the industrial grade ($50+ from supply house) go one way and the consumer grade ($10 from home depot) go the other way.

 

[MrMark]

The fiber tape works best with what is called "hot mud". Hot mud is the powdered stuff that you mix with water and is typically labeled "Easy Sand 5, 20 or 90". It hardens through a chemical reaction, not evaporation.

The wet premixed joint compound in boxes or buckets is used with the paper tape. It does not work well with the fiber tape.

I've never used spackle as a joint compound. Not saying it won't work, but not something I'd try.

People back East call joint compound spackle.

 

[csp]

Regardless of what it's called, the premix stuff will have a higher failure when used with the mesh tape. If you're using premix, it should be used with paper tape.

 

[v7guy]

Just to clear it up, "spackle" was used generically to describe a product, much like bondo, is used to refer to all automotive style fillers. spackle is an inaccurate description of the product. Sorry for the confusion.

One comment, the 50A receptacle needs to be turned 180 degrees so the ground is "up" that will have a right angle cord cap hang correctly.

This didn't occur to me before you mentioned it, but my welder plugs in with the ground on the top. I rotated it accordingly. thanks for mentioning it.

It's come to a conclusion... need to clean off the joint compound I got on the outlet, also need to roll on a coat of paint (instead of brush) so the texture is an exact match up close.
Can't tell I ever did anything after I did a bit more sanding, some pva primer and paint. I now have a finished outlet to match all the others. I'm pretty happy and I'd probably still be scratching my head if it weren't for you guys.

I really appreciate the help and advice everyone gave. Hope this thread helps someone else out in the future.