Fused Connection Unit - screws not long enough for wall!!

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Started out what should have been a simple job - to change a faulty fused switch box in the house.

I took the old box off the wall and wired up the new one.

When I came to screw the new box back on to the wall, the left screw went in fine but the right screw was too short.

The new box is an MK and is ever so slightly thicker than the old one.

What really annoyed me though was that the bits that the screws go into in the metal unit that's in the wall, the screw holes aren't the same distance - the right one is further back hence the reason that the screw won't screw in.

Presumably you can get longer screws for this sort of thing?

The screws I have are 28mm which is not long enough to get any grab on the right screw hole. The hole in the metal casing in the wall is too far back.
 
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What really annoyed me though was that the bits that the screws go into in the metal unit that's in the wall, the screw holes aren't the same distance - the right one is further back hence the reason that the screw won't screw in.
That's fairly common, especially if the person fitting them didn't bother trying to get the backbox straight in the wall.
Presumably you can get longer screws for this sort of thing?
Yes indeed, definitely up to 4" if you need them. Incidentally I did a job last year (putting some speakers up, builder's spark has installed the cabling) where even 4" screws weren't long enough :eek: The back box had been fitted before the building was lined with an insulated foam/plasterboard sandwich - and for one of the boxes, he'd had to use extensions as well as 4" screws. They were a right b***ard to get back in as well - trying to hit the hole with a 4" screw that only just reaches and you can't see where it's going (no sniggering at the back :LOL:).

EDIT: You may find you can only find screws that are far too long. If this is the case, you just need to cut them down.
Not just available from electrical shops, many good hardware shops will also have them.
 
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The screw holes in the back box were actually at differing depths by design - they are molded into position.

Frustrating that's for sure.
 
Or you could try packing the back box out from the wall a fraction with something. :idea:
 
Or you may be able to swap some screws round on some other sockets etc around the house. :idea:
 
I will get some longer screws. My dad will probably have some.

Nah, they will be Whitworth thread or something.
Socket screws are M3.5. Get the right ones or you'll strip the fixings and you'll be into changing the back box----------------and you don't want to do that!!
 
You probably only need 40mm and if you cut them down remember to clean the end of the thread otherwise you will strip the thread.
 
Nah, they will be Whitworth thread or something.
Actually I think they were something like 2BA, until fairly recently we still had some left in our house.

Still have jars of BA screws and nuts on the shelf in the garage :)

Prompt long debate on what the thread actually was :rolleyes:
 

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