Switch & Recepticle Cover question

[Junkman]

I picked up this cover at Lowes today, and it has these tabs that can be broken off. This is the first time that I have experienced this. What are they for?

 

[tonyprovo723]

The tabs are used as nuts to secure the ends of the receptacle to the cover. These were new about 20 years ago. At the time I believe code required the ends of the receptacle to be supported on commercial & and industrial applications. Residential did not require it. Some brands shipped a baggie with screws and nuts. Now sure if any still do. I think this style looks to have a sloppy fit to the plastic of the receptacle, but this were never intended to be used in a designer kitchen either.

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[Norcal]

Those device covers are no longer allowed to be secured by the center screw anymore, that is just that manufacturers way of complying with the current listing requirements, some manufacturers supply 2-nuts, & 2-screws per receptacle to secure them to the cover, when it was allowed to attach the receptacle to the cover with 1 screw, they frequently came loose which is never good.

 

[sberry]

Yes, I had old covers with a single screw and it never did seem right. I drilled them, 3 screws in them is really tight, ha