Adjust Switches And Outlets - Help

barbie13607

I'm trying to do a tile job and am having trouble adjusting the height of the switches and outlets which are at + or - 3-4" of each other (vertical alignment). I don't know why the electrician left them this way but he is now belly up.

Had someone working on it for 4 hours today and it looks bad. Any suggestions on how to line them up so they all match a horizontal alignment?


THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

davitk

Snap a chalk line, drink a beer. Happy Friday!

barbie13607

ran a horizontal line. the boxes do not come out plumb or level - i think due to wiring being resistant to adjustment at this point.

I was hoping there would be some easy fix...

davitk

If you're tiling anyway, knock out the drywall and adjust the boxes finish early and drink another beer

mdshunk

Sounds like one guy was marking out the job, but two guys nailing up. One used that mark to the top of the box, and the other used that mark to the bottom of the box. I've had that happen a time or two, but I didn't leave it that way.

Magnettica

Keep your hands off the electrical equipment and let a professional have a look at it. The front facing of the box needs to be flush with finish tile or you run the risk of a dangerous arc triggering a fire in the wall and burning the whole place down. I wouldn't want to live with that. Do the right thing.

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Celtic

Many times - even if the same guy is doing the electrical layout or even if two different guys are doing the layout - the floor will be off ~ especially if it's a poured floor.

Other times, the guy/s is/are just 3/4" sloppy.
Nothing beats a level or laser for laying out walls where the final product matters....tiles, wood work, etc.

This dude went belly up ~ I wonder why?

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davitk

Sorry. I guess I really wasn't very helpful..... What you really need to do is open the wall so you can see the wiring, maybe just maybe your (new) electrician can jockey those boxes into position. Since you are tiling the wall anyway, the drywall then goes right back where it came from, quick tape job and on with your work.

rbsremodeling

remodeling work boxes

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Celtic

Well to the new millennium ...there are better choices than OWBs and "jumbo" plates.

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mdshunk

SmartBox, Arlington OneBox, etc.

rbsremodeling

We call them Maxi plates here. the reg plastics 50 cents maxi's 1.25 they usually are metal.

You walk on a job and see Maxi's

A. new electrician learning the trade
B. Job was f up and the changes were non stop

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Celtic

We call them "goof plates" in polite company or "FAQ-up plates" when out of ear shot of the money bags

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Chris Johnson

Isn't there a wire stretcher you can use to help out? I saw one the other day next to the wood and plumbing pipe stretcher

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Chris

rbsremodeling

ok that arlington one box is off the chain. Never seen them before I learned something new thanks guys. Call my electrician as we type the non educated, living in the 80's bastid

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Celtic

Tell him the 80's want their mullet back too, LOL

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mdshunk

They are the absolute best and most secure way to add a box in an old work situation. Good for new work too, when you're not sure what the final finish thickness is going to be (much cheaper than an adjust-a-depth box). Several companies make them in this similar style now. SmartBox was the original, Arlington copied them with their OneBox, now Allied has their version out too.

Bkessler

One of the best web sites out there, and educational too.

SonoranShocker

I believe there is. I have my leprechaun apprentice using mine daily!

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Celtic

Send that guy back WITH my tool when you are done

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