[Liblakelady]

We are building a shop and decided to use OSB instead of drywall on the walls. We were told we need to use flash guards or flash shields on our electrical switches and outlets to meet code. I can’t find anywhere online or in the code where it mentions this. Has anyone heard of this and where do we buy them?

 

[Kevin_Essiambre]

Not sure about where you are, but where I am, if there wood rather than drywall the boxes can't be recessed. If they are, we use box extensions (Arlington makes some nice plastic ones-BE1, BE2, BE3, BE4, and BR1).

Box extensions might be what they are referring to as "flash guards".

Just my 2 cents.

Sent from my new phone. Autocorrect may have changed stuff.

 

[Missouri Bound]

Flash guards were an old method of protection on wood surfaces. They were actually made of asbestos and used to protect the surface....nothing you will find anymore.
Can you surface mount the boxes and conduit? It makes much more sense in a shop, especially if you space junction boxes around the install, allowing you to change circuitry as your needs may change.

 

[Liblakelady]

Thanks. I’m in north Idaho. I’ll look for those boxes.

 

[seharper]

We are building a shop and decided to use OSB instead of drywall on the walls. We were told we need to use flash guards or flash shields on our electrical switches and outlets to meet code.

Probably because drywall is a rated fire-stop, and OSB is not. That decision is one not to be made lightly, especially if you put Romex behind it.

I can’t find anywhere online or in the code where it mentions this. Has anyone heard of this and where do we buy them?

I'll grant you this is harder (mostly: acquiring the skill is harder; once you get the hang of it, it's smooth sailin'). But I use EMT metal conduit for virtually all my work, and I cross wood surfaces all the time. Arc flash containment is simply a non-issue. The EMT does that naturally. It is its own valid grounding path to boot, so one less wire to pull.

As a bonus, once it's installed you can throw any wires you want in the pipe. So you get an EVSE, toss two #10 or #8 THHN in the existing pipe (whatever will fit) and boom, you're running 30A or 50A. Note you can run 50A on #8, conduit has its privileges.

 

[Jim Port]

The NEC requires any box in a combustible surface to be flush or proud of the surface. Careful nailing will assure this or use adjustable depth boxes that can be made flush by turning an adjustment screw.

 

[Oldmaster]

Stone Way in Sandpoint will have them.