Installing exterior outlets questions...

[Innovate1]

Getting ready to install electrical boxes. On the house (15 years ago) we did hardie board and boxes for faucets and electrical for vinyl siding. I used metal boxes as I recall. The mounting surface was recessed and almost flush with the OSB. Now looking at LP smartside and the mounting blocks are 1" thick (or perhaps 3/4" not sure which). Which means the outlet box needs to stick out quite a bit farther. All the boxes I looked at (mostly plastic) don't stick out that far past the mounting tabs. I few of the nail on boxes with the angled nails top and bottom would be close if I cut the opening a bit over height to clear the nails and put the nail heads final position just flush with the added block.

There are some boxes that have screws that go from inside the box at an angle that might give me enough room. Or I could drill a standard box with holes deep in the box. Or an extension ring.

This has got to be a common issue. What do people do for this?

 

[Terry D]

Getting ready to install electrical boxes. On the house (15 years ago) we did hardie board and boxes for faucets and electrical for vinyl siding. I used metal boxes as I recall. The mounting surface was recessed and almost flush with the OSB. Now looking at LP smartside and the mounting blocks are 1" thick (or perhaps 3/4" not sure which). Which means the outlet box needs to stick out quite a bit farther. All the boxes I looked at (mostly plastic) don't stick out that far past the mounting tabs. I few of the nail on boxes with the angled nails top and bottom would be close if I cut the opening a bit over height to clear the nails and put the nail heads final position just flush with the added block.

There are some boxes that have screws that go from inside the box at an angle that might give me enough room. Or I could drill a standard box with holes deep in the box. Or an extension ring.

This has got to be a common issue. What do people do for this?

They make a plastic adjustable box. Made by Carlon, Home depot and Lowes has them. They make them in one, two and three gang

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-...with-Adjustable-Bracket-B121ADJ-40R/202077339

 

[Innovate1]

Interesting but I don't see how that would work in my situation. The exterior sheeting (but not the siding) is already on so the face of the stud where the bracket goes isn't open. I suppose I could get creative and fasten that box to a short piece of 2 x 4 and then nail that to the existing 2 x 6 stud. I could reverse the bracket so I could nail from the inside but doubt it is long enough for 2 x 6 wall so would still need to do a short 2 x 4 block nailed to the stud.

I need something with just a bracket on the side of the stud. I could put a block horizontally between studs and attach a box to that through the back but that means a block for every box too.

 

[Terry D]

Is the studs open inside. The box comes off the bracket. Cut the hole in the sheathing the same size as the box, make sure it is next to a stud for mounting, The bracket has little prongs that stick in a stud, break these off . You can either put the bracket in from the inside or outside. The outside L shape of the bracket will mount on top of the Sheathing. You can screw it in there and through the stud. Install the box back on the bracket. Any siding or Blocks will cover the exposed bracket. The box will adjust out about 1 1/4. I use these all the time in your exact application. once you see one you will understand

 

[Innovate1]

Awesome! Didn't consider putting the bracket on top of the sheathing but that should work fine. And the local stores have them. Adjustable depth is nice. Only other thing that looked reasonable was a metal box and extension. Yes, studs are open inside - just have framing with outside sheathing. Thanks!

 

[Moosefire]

Not sure if this helps but they have this, which also comes with a metal box to mount

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Red-Dot...llic-Electrical-Box-Cover-Kit-S355P/204193191

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Toolfool]

I've been using the InBox for several years.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002W6ZOPQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[pbon]

A Madison box is screwed to the stud and adjustable in that you decide how far in or out to screw it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Madison...Vg4nICh1a2AOiEAQYAiABEgL0efD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Zeke]

A Madison box is screwed to the stud and adjustable in that you decide how far in or out to screw it.

That's what he was asking about. Don't know if the box fill is restricted or if a GFCI will fit in there w/o a lot of stuffing and pushing. I'd go for a 2-gang box and duplex in-use cover with either a center mount or blanked off on one side. Could always put a 2nd recep in there but wire fill is still a concern to me. Not just code, practicability. If the outlet is protected elsewhere — never mind.

 

[u2slow]

This are a cheap/easy way to extend a box that's recessed too far: Often used them for kitchen backsplashes where tile or stone gets put on as an afterthought.

https://www.gescan.com/products/boxes-covers/arlington-be1-3933

 

[dave*99]

I've been using the InBox for several years.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002W6ZOPQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have used alot of these, they work well, Arlington makes several types for all kinds of siding types.

Here is another example:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K1G0PE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

And

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K1G0UY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[pbon]

That's what he was asking about. Don't know if the box fill is restricted or if a GFCI will fit in there w/o a lot of stuffing and pushing. I'd go for a 2-gang box and duplex in-use cover with either a center mount or blanked off on one side. Could always put a 2nd recep in there but wire fill is still a concern to me. Not just code, practicability. If the outlet is protected elsewhere — never mind.

The madison box is available in different depths I think. I know I have some with GFCI. Also have them in double, triple, quad. I am not an electrician, but when I do outside I use weather proof style with a gasket. Not sure that style is compatible with a plastic box. Might need the box that comes with a weather proof kit.

 

[Innovate1]

That's what he was asking about. Don't know if the box fill is restricted or if a GFCI will fit in there w/o a lot of stuffing and pushing. I'd go for a 2-gang box and duplex in-use cover with either a center mount or blanked off on one side. Could always put a 2nd recep in there but wire fill is still a concern to me. Not just code, practicability. If the outlet is protected elsewhere — never mind.

Thinking these will be protected by a GFCI installed inside. So won't have the larger GFCI making it more difficult to get everything in the box. Still have box fill of course. Only downside is if it does trip then it's a walk inside and finding the proper one to reset.