Switch box for ceiling box?

[AntonLargiader]

Is this normal practice? We had some renovation work done several years ago and one of the electrical tasks was to update the 2nd floor electricals. "Put in a box for a switched light in the master."

I went to put a track light base on it and only then did it truly dawn on me that this doesn't function as a ceiling box. The tabs are in the wrong places for one; a normal ceiling box I THINK would have tabs on diagonal corners which is what would have worked with this track light base.

It's a plaster/lathe ceiling. Looks like they put an old-work metal box in.

t's not even straight, and it's not in a useful place so I may as well move it anyway.

 

[CJ7VFR]

At least they used the metal "Battleship" tabs to hold it in.

Did you specify where in the ceiling it was supposed go? Or did they just kind of wing it and put it as close to the center of the room as they could get?

Jim

 

[Git]

I think I would have gone with a ceiling fan box. Not a whole lot more - about $14. You cut the hole for the box, reach through and set the bar and then screw the box to the bar. If you consider moving it, I would think about using one of those romex splice kits and then just patch the hole for the old box

https://www.lowes.com/pd/TE-Connectivity-20-Amp-300-Volt-White-2-Wire-Connector/50205339

 

[AntonLargiader]

There's a ceiling fan in the middle of the room. They weren't given any direction and it looks like they put the box in a reasonable place for a flexible track light the same as they had installed in a different room. The location isn't right for what I'm doing but it was reasonable given what they knew.

It's just the choice of box I'm wondering about.

I am installing some classic track lighting (I have it and I'm kind of over the cheap flexible ones) and I'm not going to use a box. The live end is a box and you just run NM-B right into it through a hole in the ceiling. It seems that there should be a NM clamp there but I have searched and searched and NOBODY seems to do that, although the live end is threaded for one.

 

[Jim greengo]

The track light brackets cab be spun around to fit the box.

 

[AntonLargiader]

There are a few types. The basic "live ends" are straight and aren't really intended for any box. There are also live ends with a cover plate that DO fit over a box, and inline feed boxes that fit over a box but they are really ugly. None of them match the holes that are in this particular box, though. 90 degrees off would work, but that's not how the track goes.

I'm going to use a simple live end, because it isn't ugly.

 

[Jim greengo]

Most common bracket I see with light kits,shouldn't be a problem with that box.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Just forget about the box, remove it, patch the hole, and use 1 of these.
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/1...MIiKrgka_n4AIVkoJpCh3N0gENEAQYAiABEgLE-_D_BwE

 

[theoldwizard1]

i think i would have gone with a ceiling fan box. Not a whole lot more - about $14. You cut the hole for the box, reach through and set the bar and then screw the box to the bar. If you consider moving it, i would think about using one of those romex splice kits and then just patch the hole for the old box

https://www.lowes.com/pd/te-connectivity-20-amp-300-volt-white-2-wire-connector/50205339

excellent suggestion !

 

[alfredeneuman]

Why use that TE Connector and a fan box when both are totally unnecessary?
He's going to mount track that screws to the ceiling, not a ceiling fan, and the wires are long enough as it is. He will need a live end feed connector, and nothing more

 

[AntonLargiader]

Simple turned out to be not exactly simple. The live end is about two feet from the new box. I figured I would just pull a new cable from the j-box in the attic to the live end, replacing the one to the box. But no, the box actually has two cables in it.

Old wiring was wall switch to ceiling box with fan/light done with K&T. It seems that what they did was run new solid power from the attic box to the ceiling box, then extend the switched power from there to the new box, and add another solid power from the attic box to the new box for some reason. Bottom line is I don’t have switched power readily available in the attic because it’s under flooring. I can get to it, but it would be easier to repurpose the last cable to bring the switched power to the attic box and then connect it to the live end. Unless, of course, it is what is taking solid power to the ceiling box. That all must be super hard to follow with just my words; it’s bad enough in person. I should probably pull up the last bit of attic flooring that’s keeping me from really seeing what’s there.

Then, I will just install a cover over the new box.

 

[rburke65]

Never heard it called “Battleship tabs”.....” Hold its”....or “Madison Holders”..... Funny how different regions use different names.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Never heard it called “Battleship tabs”.....” Hold its”....or “Madison Holders”..... Funny how different regions use different names.

Old electricians around me (New Jersey) call them Battleship tabs or Battleship holders. I asked one guy why they called them that, and he said because they are shaped like a Battleship.

But like you said, different regions call the same things by different names. Case in point, the little colored sugary things you put on ice cream cones. Where I come from we call them "Jimmies". Where my wife comes from they call them "Sprinkles"!

Jim