Question about boxes?

[Nosty]

Hi Everyone,

I was just curious whether everyone, or most everyone, has used boxes, (switch, receptical, etc.), for their lights and switches? I used them, but having only a 1 1/2 inch space between the inside wall and the skin, you have to use those thin boxes. They're fine for just one receptical or one switch, but if you need to junction for, say, two outside lights, (one on either side of the trailer), it gets a bit dicey.

I'm managing, but I was wondering whether anyone has come up with a workaround, or whether you're just sticking the wire through the wall and making the connection under the lamp bases.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

[wannabefree]

They are required for residential wiring, but a trailer isn't residential. I used them where I could fit them, and didn't where they wouldn't fit.

[Nosty]

Thanks Wannabefree. That's what I thought, but I was curious about how everyone else did it. Those narrow boxes are just too small to make any connections other than in and out of a receptacle. I've been pondering a few daring workarounds.

If you read anything about a large SC guy frying to death in his back yard, and they're sifting through the ashes, looking for teeth or some identification, please let them know it was me.

Have a great weekend!
Brian

[bobhenry]

I used the much smaller rotary and toggle switches rated for 120 volts.

I ran toggles for 120 volt and rotary for 12 volt DC so even in the dark I could decern the different switches. I used the 1/2 depth Carlon Boxes and purchased a blank cover which I drilled to fit the 2 switches. I wired with 12 - 3 extention cord for 120 volts and 14 -2 appliance cord for the 12 volt DC ( Old vacuum sweeper cord ) My duplex outlets were standard house fare and worked well with the 1/2 depth boxes.





The galley pic left to right shows a 120 volt ac duplex ~the center is the ac and dc gally light switches on the right is a switched 12 volt dc power port.





The outside lights were mounted with only the smallest hole I could get the wire thru. With the wiring being extention cord I had insulated conductors inside an additional insulating jacket so accidental contact was not a concern.

[toypusher]

I just used 12VDC rocker switches and made a couple of 'buildup' wooden boxes for them. I am not sure if I have any good pics or not.

OK, found a couple pics

[Woodbutcher]

I used these little 1" deep plastic boxes and conduit. I wanted to be able to pull all my wiring out if needed. The only wire that is trapped is in the ceiling for the fan.



This one is 1 1/2" deep. I used the 1" in the walls. But you are right it's very tight. But using them gave me piece of mind mostly because I didn't know any better.

[BPFox]

A couple of helpful hints:

Use stranded wire, it's more flexable than romex and works better in tight spaces.

Locate boxes for switches and receptacles where you have more room such as the galley wall or the front wall where the cabinets might be.

When all else fails, the plastic boxes and flexable conduit that "Woodbutcher" showed is a great way to go.

[tk]

RV makers use switches and receptacles that have integrated boxes, but they require a special clamping type pliers to close the back. Don't know how pricey the pliers are, but you can probably get outlets and switches from a local RV dealer.

Best,
Tom

[Nosty]

Thanks everyone. Actually, I made a detour today and found myself in Lowes instead of the Home Depot. Lowes had the narrower boxes just like the ones Woodbutcher showed. Had I asked the question yesterday, I probably could have slept better last night instead of pondering the fix.

I've been doing electrical work forever and can usually find some work-around for just about anything. This one had me stumped. Nowhere, locally, (except, as I now find, Lowes), carry the narrow boxes except for the single 2x4x1/2 box. That's fine for one receptacle or one switch, but I needed to have two switches, (one for the cabin light and one for the two outside lights), in the same box.

Anyway, another conundrum averted. As always, thank you all so much for your help. It's a great feeling to know that if you get in a pinch, there's always nice folks on here who are more than happy to share their wealth of knowledge. I really do appreciate it.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Brian

[Engineer Guy]

One tip may be from the Code guano I ran across while wiring my own new House. Box 'cubic inches' has to be certain, fixed minimum volumes. These values are dependent on how many wires run in and out of a Box, thin-depth or not. A pro Electrician pal educated me on this a few years ago. The usual single 115 VAC Receptacle Box is some interesting size like 17 c.i.. It's stamped in the plastic mold of the Box to boot... A hunch is that there's multi-Switch, thin-depth Boxes out there, but they're metal.

This is why you see, at Big Box Stores, boxes labeled as 'New Build' Boxes, and others as retrofit Boxes [that need only meet prior Code requirements]. The pal of a pal got stung by this trivia, and had to rip out and redo a bunch of Boxes to pass Code. Code IS a 4 letter word sometimes...

Just a hunch, but perhaps 2+ cables in-and-out of a thin-depth Box is not possible, or typical, by Code? In any case, the wood covers above are mighty sharp!

Ya know what you get when you cross an Elephant with a Rhino? Elephino.

[bobhenry]

Just a hunch, but perhaps 2+ cables in-and-out of a thin-depth Box is not possible, or typical, by Code?

Thank God there is no teardrop trailer "CODE"

In my ac / dc porch light switch box is 2 ground connections
( one ac one dc ), a ac neutral pass thru , and two switch
leg connection , one ac and one dc that's 9 wires and 6 wire
nutted connections. If you look close at the right of my 1st
pic above you get the idea real quick.

It was kinda like putting a quart of pickles in a pint jar

[Nosty]

You're so right, Bobhenry. Those switches look beautiful, Toypusher. Nice job.

Fortunately, I solved the problem. The narrow 2x4x1/2" boxes I found everywhere were fine for one switch or one receptacle, but, in one situation, I needed to put two switches in one box with the hot wire and one wire each to the inside cabin light and one to the outside lights. I have to wire nut the power so there's a hot and neutral to both, then make the connections. Impossible in the 2x4 box. Even the two switches on a receptacle body didn't fit. All the 4x4 boxes I could find at the Home Depot were 2" deep. Not conducive to 1-1/2' framing. Luckily, Lowes had 4x4 boxes that were just a little deeper than 1-1/2", and when I recessed them into the 1/8" interior wall to make them flush with the surface, they fit perfectly. I screwed on a thin faceplate made for 2 switches/receptacles, and problem solved. Plenty of room to safely make up the connections. In all my years of doing electrical work, I don't think I've ever run up on anything so exasperating. Thankfully, the problem is resolved. Now it's on to the next adventure.

Thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate it.

Have a wonderful week.

Brian