From past experience I have always fitted & advised others to fit, 25mm & 32mm back boxes for flat plate fittings. My B.I.L asked me to fit some polished chrome ones that he had got from screwfix & when I told him I could not do it without changing the boxes he produced the screwfix catologue that clearly states that they will fit 16 & 25mm boxes. As luck would have it the small print in the instalation instructions said that for 2 gang 2-way switches a 25mm box was required, which was what he had bought, but even when I tried to fit the sockets for him I could not get them back to the wall with hand pressure only & I told him I was not prepared to screw them hard up as he wanted me to, as I did not consider sqashing the cables that much, to be safe. Reading through previous posts I see that several people are of the same opinion as me & I wondered if anyone had managed to instal them successfully on smaller boxes & felt happy doing it? Or do others think screwfix or manufacturers are giving bad advice.
Flat plate fittings
- Thread starter jj4091
- Start date
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Flat plates have more internals sit to inside the back box.
When you attempt retro replacement of fittings on to cavities of less than 25mm they are a complete pain.
I also find it prudent to make sure the back box is set in from the wall a couple of mm's. Flat Plates internal mouldings sometime foul when you attempt to fix it square and pushing on the back box face edges.
Same with certain makes and dry lining boxes. When you hold a fitting against the box face some don't make correct contact with the box due to edge points of the moulding fouling.
Dremels have some use
When you attempt retro replacement of fittings on to cavities of less than 25mm they are a complete pain.
I also find it prudent to make sure the back box is set in from the wall a couple of mm's. Flat Plates internal mouldings sometime foul when you attempt to fix it square and pushing on the back box face edges.
Same with certain makes and dry lining boxes. When you hold a fitting against the box face some don't make correct contact with the box due to edge points of the moulding fouling.
Dremels have some use
I have managed to fit sockets to a 25mm box by dressing the cables very carefully, but certainly wouldn't do it by choice.
I don't think I'd fancy fitting a switch to a 16mm box, but I don't like those boxes for any switches.
I don't think I'd fancy fitting a switch to a 16mm box, but I don't like those boxes for any switches.
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16mm back boxes - The Devils Work.
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