Which electrical box is best

J187 said:

I have this



To install in my bathroom. Walls are gutted to the studs. The light is going over my new vanity mirror, the box that is there now, is this....



The box feels a little flimsy up back and forth. Is this box sufficient for the new light or should I change it for something else?

Click to expand...

I would put some screws in the bracket into the stud to reinforce it. The box itself is fine. The cable clamps look a little suspect to me, though. I can't really tell from the pic, but it appears to me those clamps are for metal flex cable, not non-metallic cable.

Also, in the lower left hand corner, there's a hole with threads tapped into it. This is for connecting the bare ground wire to the box. Please use it. A 10-32 machine screw is all you need to secure the wire.

In addition to inphase's comments, you could put a piece of 2x4 behind it and nail or screw the 2x4 to the studs on each end, then run a couple screws through the box into the 2x4. Since the wall is open.

Thanks the bracket has 4 screws in total. The up/down motion is sturdy. The back and forth is a little unstable. Seems ok to you though? Do you think just getting an octagonal box and screwing it to the stud without a bracket is better?The clamps are pretty flat, so I don't THINK they are for BX, but I can't be certain. I always ground my metal boxes. Thanks!

You should be fine, but those clamps are for bx cable. Because of those strain relief holes. The fabric wire you have looks like its from the late 50s or early 60s, same time bx was used.

Use a plastic or fiberglass box? They have nails and seem pretty sturdy.

The box is fine. Put a couple of drywall screws in it for more stability.

Make sure that ground wire is attached to the box as well as the fixture.

Check the height.

Check the mounting bracket that comes with the fixture for conflicts.

Make sure the fixtrure will completely cover the box opening.