Metal flush boxes

C

chocolate

Does anyone know a tried and tested way of fixing a metal flush back box into a brick wall that has been completely mashed ( rather than a tidy bit of knocking out ) by a non-electrical tradesman ??????

Unfortunately, what remains of the surrounding brickwork is in no way secure enough to be drilled for a fixing.

I have a disheartened customer at the moment . . . . :(
 
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chocolate said:
Does anyone know a tried and tested way of fixing a metal flush back box into a brick wall that has been completely mashed ( rather than a tidy bit of knocking out ) by a non-electrical tradesman ??????

Unfortunately, what remains of the surrounding brickwork is in no way secure enough to be drilled for a fixing.

I have a disheartened customer at the moment . . . . :(
Click to expand...


GRIPFILL...........:eek:
 
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For a few quid i would purchase a bag of bonding plaster or readymix quick set sand and cement and fill the hole, then push the box into it.

There really isnt any other option TBH.
 
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Hi Chocolate
How many bricks have been damaged ? id say for neatness it shouldnt be to hard to scrap and replace neat cut bricks ! for the cost do a brick & plastering course saves lots of hassle.
Regards
Kung.
 
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When i was doing houses we ofter had to put a few boxes side by side for various accessories, we used to nail a batten to the brick at the correct height then put some muck in and then push the boxes in, just makes it easier to get them level etc
 
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Thanks for all the sound words of advice. A trip to B&Q for some bonding plaster as a first attempt to win the customer's confidence over to my side.

It's a old house - 1930s. The bricks ( no fault to the builder ) are brittle. One tap with a scutch chisel, and its biscuits crumbs. The mortar between beds is no better. In many places, its soft enough to push a finger into. I feel bad as I passed the repsonsibility over to someone else to do the hard labour on the walls.

Will try the bonding plaster - this sunday - and let you know the outcome !!!!
 
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I have always been brought up to earth the backbox as well, something I dont like to see though is some sparks bring the earth to the backbox and then a lead to the plate, Always done it the other way round myself
 
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Get some fast set for drain repair go's rock hard in 5mins or less the more water you add the quicker it go's off. in is good if you want to plaster is up when gone off. I get mine off council drainage lads. Dry wall adhesive is good and fast and on cinder block with the holes i use a combination of batten and bonding plaster. Nothing worse than getting call back to a job where the box your apprentis has done that fell off when the customer pulled a plug out.
 
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The Truth said:
i use 10mm earth cable and solder it to the back box. and then supp bond it to the kitchen sink
Click to expand...

You'r taking risks cutting corners like that Truth, if anything goes wrong you could be in big trouble.

I use 16mm earth, supp bond the kitchen sink plus every bath or shower in the house, then take each one back to the MET,

I find this good practice.
 
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andyb said:
You'r taking risks cutting corners like that Truth, if anything goes wrong you could be in big trouble.

I use 16mm earth, supp bond the kitchen sink plus every bath or shower in the house, then take each one back to the MET,

I find this good practice.
Click to expand...

Cutting corners maybe 5 years ago, but who bonds the kitchen sink theses days????
 
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sparks1234 said:
I have always been brought up to earth the backbox as well, something I dont like to see though is some sparks bring the earth to the backbox and then a lead to the plate, Always done it the other way round myself
Click to expand...


Aye hate that to, or 1 leg of the ring to the back box a the other to the socket, then a link in between
 
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andyb said:
You'r taking risks cutting corners like that Truth, if anything goes wrong you could be in big trouble.

I use 16mm earth, supp bond the kitchen sink plus every bath or shower in the house, then take each one back to the MET,

I find this good practice.
Click to expand...

How dare you......there is no risk because i run my supp bonding conductors as a Ring Main!
 
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10mm and 16mm bit small dont you think gents. IMHO i do find 25mm by 3 mm copper tape run round the house and all exposed conductive parts as well as extranious conductive parts tagged on by means of a 16mm. just about covers if its a long run (over 25m) i have been known to put in some rods just in case.
 
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Pfft. Amateurs the lot of you. I don't trust bonding at all. On each and every job I install fully insulated floors throughout the whole building.


























Haven't had much work lately though.:confused:
 
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I know I'm too late now but in this predicament, as Jason said, I have gone for readymix quick set sand and cement . full strength in 1/2 hr vv 12hrs for bonding

Incidently, expanding foam will give an excelent bond, but again you need to wait for 12hrs for complete curing and may not (nay I'll go further and say probably wont) find the box in the same position you left it in!
 
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well if you insulate the floors why didnt you double insulate everything??

I mean for goodness sake man what you thinking about!!! No double insulation with all equipment placed out of reach behind barriers and IPX9 with tamperproof screws and all cuircuits protected by 10ma RCBOS with monitoring systems in place with a fully trained competent person ready 24-7. Its the way forward mark my words!.








The above statement only true if i am not paying!!!
 
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scotsparky said:
well if you insulate the floors why didnt you double insulate everything??

I mean for goodness sake man what you thinking about!!! No double insulation with all equipment placed out of reach behind barriers and IPX9 with tamperproof screws and all cuircuits protected by 10ma RCBOS with monitoring systems in place with a fully trained competent person ready 24-7. Its the way forward mark my words!.


i make sure my clients wear steel toe cap insulating wellies....

good practice in my opinion...



btw..should i bond those?
Click to expand...
 
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Sorry to interrupt the 'bonding of back boxes' discussion, I found the quick-drying sand/cement . . . . too fast in setting to get a good job done. I tried normal sand/cement mix . . . loads of time to do the filling in well enough to please the customer, and even more time to leave it standing in the bucket for the next socket box to be refixed.

Didn't try the plaster bonding . . . bought a bag though just in case.

Oh . . . I thought it wasn't good practice to take a cpc to the box first before the socket.
 
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Once you realise you only mix a little at a time and use it quickly it's allright. Mind you, if you have a lot to do waiting for the stuff to set, may not be an issue.
 
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top tip ,buy a bag of bonding adhesive ,the stuff they use to bond plaster board to block walls.
i use "lafarge" its white & sticks like **** to a blanket.:eek:
rip open top of bag and dump in yer shed/garage.
when its matured enough ie had a bit of damp it will go off solid in about half an hour which is ideal for setting boxes in crappy walls & hollow blocks.
to think i ****ed about for years with sand and cement waiting forever for it to dry.:rolleyes:

earth tail from socket to box lug good practice
.
elfyn
 
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