Junction box retrofit

[Paladin306]

Hindsight being 20/20 I kind of wish I had went to the time and trouble to replace my junction boxes during my shop renovation. But, alas, I did not. To see how my renovation is going just click here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256595

But, I digress. Since I didn't go to that trouble I'm wondering if there is an extra part that I can install onto my existing boxes which would allow me to change my receptacle and switch plates out. For instance, here's a pic of what my current box looks like: View media item 53550(Okay so they are not quite that shiny and new but, the construction is the same.)

So, the receptacles and switches in the boxes are screwed onto the wall plates rather than the normal residential method of screwing them to the junction boxes and then screwing the wall plates on. (Note on the pic above there are no screw holes that would allow this.)

So, my question is do they make a bracket or something that would retrofit these? The bottom line is I would like to change out the wall plates to different colors of materials from the metal ones that I now have.

Thanks in advance.

Mark

 

[theoldwizard1]

That's an octagon ceiling box. It also looks it has special mounts for a fan. Your using then for switches and receptacles on walls ?

 

[Paladin306]

Actually, I think mine are square. (I'll have to recheck tomorrow.) But, they have the two screw holes on diagonal sides to attach the wall plate as in the pic. The switches and receptacles attach to the metal wall plates rather than the boxes themselves.

Whether square or octagon they were what came with my shop when we purchased our property and, yes, they contain the wall receptacles and switches.

Does that make sense?

 

[Mustang51js]

If they look like the picture there's not a lot of options besides what you have, if they are square they make rings that you can install so then the outlets and switches install like normal,then you can use a regular plate cover. Look up 1900 box mud rings.

 

[Paladin306]

If they look like the picture there's not a lot of options besides what you have, if they are square they make rings that you can install so then the outlets and switches install like normal,then you can use a regular plate cover. Look up 1900 box mud rings.

Wow, you're da Man Mustang51js

As you'll see in the pic below my boxes are square and the 1900 box mud rings look exactly like what I need to retrofit them into other plates. Thank you

View media item 53551
Mark
who wouldn't have figured out that the part in question would be called a mud ring even if he lived 10,000 years.

 

[Norcal]

What is pictured above is raised cover it is not a " mud ring ".

 

[rockwithjason]

Those are industrial raised covers. They do make flat plates with the mud ring style mounts on them but a standard cover wont cover them. You would have to get oversize cover plates and see if they will be acceptable to you

 

[Stuff]

Flat mud ring: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQQWIC/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Oversized switch plate cover: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U3HZJ6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Since the wall is flush with the box it will stick out a bit.

 

[theoldwizard1]

If the last picture is exactly what you have, it is a 4" "work" box. They make dozens of different cover as shown in the attachment

Is this what you are looking for (made by Raco-Hubbell) ?

 

[Paladin306]

What is pictured above is raised cover it is not a " mud ring ".

Sorry if I wasn't clear. The photo above, (showing the square box), is what I currently have. I'm going to convert it to a standard wall plate through the use of a mud ring.

Those are industrial raised covers. They do make flat plates with the mud ring style mounts on them but a standard cover wont cover them. You would have to get oversize cover plates and see if they will be acceptable to you

Thanks RockwithJason! That's what I'm going to try to do.

Flat mud ring: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BQQWIC/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Oversized switch plate cover: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000U3HZJ6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Since the wall is flush with the box it will stick out a bit.

Thanks Stuff! I think the flat plate that you found on Amazon will work best. I'll see if I find it locally and, if not, will get some via mail order.

If the last picture is exactly what you have, it is a 4" "work" box. They make dozens of different cover as shown in the attachment

Is this what you are looking for (made by Raco-Hubbell) ?

Thanks theoldwizard! I think Stuff hit it on the head with the Amazon link above showing the "square flat box cover".

You guys are awesome. Now that I know what to ask for I'll do a little investigating and see if I can find it locally or order online.

Mark
See how my 40x60 Renovation is going here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256595

 

[Mustang51js]

If you have a Home Depot or lowes around they carry them. Just make sure you get the flat ones,because the raised ones will push your devices away from the wall with the room you have

 

[Norcal]

There is 1970's subdivision locally that was all prefab homes, they built all the walls with flat 2X4's so they used 4 sq boxes with flat rings & 2 gang plates w/ one side blank & the other being a duplex receptacle, or switch, looked strange to have all 2 gang plates, plus was wired with aluminum NM cable.

 

[Shiftless]

There is 1970's subdivision locally that was all prefab homes, they built all the walls with flat 2X4's so they used 4 sq boxes with flat rings & 2 gang plates w/ one side blank & the other being a duplex receptacle, or switch, looked strange to have all 2 gang plates, plus was wired with aluminum NM cable.

Must have been a bit tricky to accurately drill sideways through 3 1/2 inches of wall stud to run the cables horizontally through the framing.
The need to pass multiple wires through the same hole would require drilling a hole about half the thickness of the stud. Sounds to me structurally unsound.
I wonder how they handled the top and bottom plates and the attachment of drywall?

 

[Norcal]

I do not know, never got a chance to look too closely, but the walls were built in a factory & think that wiring was fished from above.