Square holes in the ceiling

[TheClaw]

Having some issues with my new shops ceiling

Looks like the electrician and the drywall guys didn't coordinate well. After light we're installed I'm left with this.

Any ideas to block off some spare boxes and the four with wires?

 

[The Cobbler]

you need to keep access to the junction boxes so you can't do anything that permanently covers them . probably many ways to skin the cat but I would look in the boxes to see if they can be lowered to be flush with the drywall then patch around them & reinstall the covers .I am also wondering if that lampcord is kosher being connected like it is

 

[sparky 1971]

Take the 4X4 blank off and replace it with a 5/8" raised, maybe even a 3/4" raised, two gang mudring. Then you can use a regular two gang blank plate in weatherproof or stainless steel, drill a 7/8 hole in it for the connector.

www.menards.com/main/electrical/electrical-boxes-covers/extenders-covers-mud-rings/raco-2-gang-galvanized-steel-5-8-raised-4-square-electrical-box-mud-ring/8769/p-1444451778202-c-6427

www.menards.com/main/electrical/electrical-boxes-covers/extenders-covers-mud-rings/sigma-engineered-solutions-reg-2-gang-metal-blank-weatherproof-cover/14340wh/p-1444430904397-c-6427

 

[mm08822]

The box should have had a mud ring to accept a cover after the drywall was installed and painted. Not sure why a single gang new work box wasn't used in the first place.

The electrician should have never installed that cover or the zip cord. The zip cord raises BIG FLAGS.

 

[wssix99]

I don't see a way to get out of a little drywall repair. I would do just as @sparky 1971 sugests and put a proper mud ring in. For these, I use metal finish plates and drill a hole for flex conduit to make the wires clean:

 

[Snap-on_rich]

What a terrible install. What concerns me the most is that lamp cord. Is that really what came with those fixtures? I'd like to see some sjtw cord from the manufacturer or some field supplied 3/8" FMC... and they forgot the mudring!!!!

 

[gatewaysysop]

Having some issues with my new shops ceiling

Looks like the electrician and the drywall guys didn't coordinate well. After light we're installed I'm left with this.

Why put up with shoddy work from people that you're paying for professional installation? I wouldn't waste my time fixing their @#$% up, much less more of my own money. Don't these folks stand behind their work and have some sort of standards they're accountable for, as licensed professionals?

 

[sparky 1971]

I don't see a way to get out of a little drywall repair. I would do just as @sparky 1971 sugests and put a proper mud ring in. For these, I use metal finish plates and drill a hole for flex conduit to make the wires clean:

As long as the hole is cut tight to the box, and it appears to be that way, a two gang blank should cover the entire hole w/o any drywall patching. I've cut out many single gang rings and replaced them with two gangs and the plate hid everything.

 

[mm08822]

So was it a licensed electrician who did this?
There are 2 electrical code violations shown.

Was it inspected?

 

[mm08822]

As long as the hole is cut tight to the box, and it appears to be that way, a two gang blank should cover the entire hole w/o any drywall patching. I've cut out many single gang rings and replaced them with two gangs and the plate hid everything.

Can always buy the goof plates.

 

[sparky 1971]

Can always buy the goof plates.

Whatza goof plate?

Nevermind. I googled it and I have seen them installed but haven't needed one...yet. They look like ****.

 

[mm08822]

Whatza goof plate?

Nevermind. I googled it and I have seen them installed but haven't needed one...yet. They look like ****.

They look terrible! I would do a drywall repair before I walked away from a job with them installed by me. (And I have gotten good at drywall repairs over the years. It's a selling point when you can tell a customer that you can fix any opening required.)

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Why put up with shoddy work from people that you're paying for professional installation? I wouldn't waste my time fixing their @#$% up, much less more of my own money. Don't these folks stand behind their work and have some sort of standards they're accountable for, as licensed professionals?

Nowadays MOST people accept substandard work as a standard.…… OP should have contacted the GJ peeps BEFORE he paid these hack contractors in full.

 

[mm08822]

Can't blame the drywaller/taper for this. Sparky should have been ready for drywall.

 

[mm08822]

More q's for the OP.........
Why are there 2 pieces of zip cord used?
Does the zip run box to box behind the sheetrock?

 

[TheClaw]

The box should have had a mud ring to accept a cover after the drywall was installed and painted. Not sure why a single gang new work box wasn't used in the first place.

The electrician should have never installed that cover or the zip cord. The zip cord raises BIG FLAGS.

What kind of flags?

What a terrible install. What concerns me the most is that lamp cord. Is that really what came with those fixtures? I'd like to see some sjtw cord from the manufacturer or some field supplied 3/9" FMC... and they forgot the mudring!!!!

That is the chord that came with the fixture.

So was it a licensed electrician who did this?
There are 2 electrical code violations shown.

Was it inspected?

What violations? Yet to be inspected.

More q's for the OP.........
Why are there 2 pieces of zip cord used?
Does the zip run box to box behind the sheetrock?

That is the chord that came with the fixture. There is a connector one the chord into the fixture. The second wire is for the dimmer.

 

[mm08822]

 

[TheClaw]

They look terrible! I would do a drywall repair before I walked away from a job with them installed by me. (And I have gotten good at drywall repairs over the years. It's a selling point when you can tell a customer that you can fix any opening required.)

Absolutely a good selling point. I owned a painting franchise for 9 years (not a good move) and as painters I told customers we could repair most anything inside or outside. That way customers did not have to deal with multiple contractors.

 

[mm08822]

What kind of flags?

That is the chord that came with the fixture.

What violations? Yet to be inspected.

That is the chord that came with the fixture. There is a connector one the chord into the fixture. The second wire is for the dimmer.

Red flags.....big uns, neon.

I doubt the zip cord was approved as part of the fixture wiring running in free air. Have a link to the fixture?
Does the fixture require a ground wire?
Use of Nm-b squeeze connectors are not approved for zip cord. They are listed for various sizes of NM cable only.
The box should be within 1/4 of finished surface. NEC 314.20
Any gaps in surface finish > 1/8" should be closed. NEC 314.21 Possibly not an issue here, depends upon how NEC 314.20 is accomplished.

How many of these boxes are there?

 

[TheClaw]

How many of these boxes are there?

There are 6 holes, I have changed things around and only using 4. The rest have to be covered.

 

[TheClaw]

I doubt the zip cord was approved as part of the fixture wiring running in free air. Have a link to the fixture?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KS49KBM?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[reader2580]

The pictures on the Amazon listing seem to show flexible conduit used for the wire. I have no idea if the zip cord would be legal in conduit.

 

[mm08822]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KS49KBM?tag=atomicindus08-20

I see it states ETL listed and shows the zip cord flying in free air. Is my understanding correct, that the entire frame is aluminum?

Better have the installation instructions handy during inspection. Not sure that will fly with and inspector.

The box/sheetrock is an entirely separate issue.

 

[BurtEggley]

I handled that by having boxes with receptacles set properly. Then plugged in the ceiling lights. Electrician and Inspector were totally Ok with that. The UL and NY approved chandeliers we have in the house use lamp cord weaved thru chain. There might be applications where it is allowed. I don't know.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

How is this fixture grounded?…….. Am I missing something?

 

[mm08822]

How is this fixture grounded?…….. Am I missing something?

I think it's going to need a 5 wire SJ cord to replace the 2 -pairs of zip cord.

 

[TheClaw]

Those are the wires that came with it. Each one of them had a connector on one end where it plugged into the fixture itself

 

[35Ford]

That could have been done better in so many ways.

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

I handled that by having boxes with receptacles set properly. Then plugged in the ceiling lights. Electrician and Inspector were totally Ok with that. The UL and NY approved chandeliers we have in the house use lamp cord weaved thru chain. There might be applications where it is allowed. I don't know.

TRUE…….. But they also have a bare copper ground wire that gets "weaved" into the chain.

 

[BurtEggley]

TRUE…….. But they also have a bare copper ground wire that gets "weaved" into the chain.

yes

 

[wyliesdiesels]

wow theres no way that fixture got listed with the 2 conductor zip cord and no grnd wire seeing as how the fixture is metallic.... yikes

 

[allinon72]

Simple fix.....I'd get the drywaller and the electrician in the same room, point up at the fixture, and exclaim calmly but forcefully, "what the **** is this?"

 

[wyliesdiesels]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KS49KBM?tag=atomicindus08-20

I think it's going to need a 5 wire SJ cord to replace the 2 -pairs of zip cord.

I just looked at the item page on amazon

one zip cord is supposed to be for 0-10v dimming. did the electrician connect the 0-10v dimming terminal to 120v? if so, he probably burned up the controller.

 

[Snap-on_rich]

wow theres no way that fixture got listed with the 2 conductor zip cord and no grnd wire seeing as how the fixture is metallic.... yikes

I thought the same thing. Or the got it listed without supplying wiring and sone guy in china thought it would sell better showing sone cheap scrap on wire in there amazon listing. Alot of products on Amazon claim to be etl and ul listed and its just fake labels..