terminating 3/4" conduit - at end of rope :-(

[miamicanes]

My frustration at the moment is off the scale. I know what I want to buy, but can't find it *anywhere*.

I ran a 3/4" and 1/2" conduit behind the kitchen cabinets (well, more like *through* them). The ends are poking out of the wall in the laundry room.

Inside the wall, above them, are 4 more cables poking out of a third hole.

All 3 are about 6" above the floor.

I'm trying to find a decent-looking surface-mount double-gang box. It needs to either have at least 3 knockouts on the back (at least one of which must be 3/4"), or be suitable for mounting over a metal 4x4 box inside the wall being held on with a Raco old-work retrofit adapter (think: mudring with drywall clamps).

Now, the fatal blow: it also has to have a 3/4" knockout on a side, because I have a 3/4" run of smurf tube running along the baseboard behind the washer & dryer (wall is concrete w/furring strips + polyurethane insulation, so conduit can't go inside).

I'm totally frustrated at the moment. Wiremold makes surface-mount box extenders, but none with 3/4" knockouts. Others make surface-mount boxes, but only with a single 3/4" knockout in back. I found one with open back, but only 1/2" knockouts on the side. I almost broke down & settled for a 4x4 handy box, then realized they didn't have blank double-gang faceplates for them.

Jesus. Every single thing at Lowe's & HD *almost* does it, then reveals one fatal flaw to keep it from working (mostly lack of/insufficient 3/4" KOs). It's almost like there's a grand conspiracy to force us to try and pull 8 cat5e cables through 1/2" conduit by making 3/4" conduit impossible to terminate into anything old-work or surface-mounted :-(

 

[tmbrown97]

Just a couple of thoughts...

1. Put a small can surface mounted that goes over the 3 holes, and bring the smurf tube into the side - maybe even something small like this.

2. Grab your hole saw or some punches and modify something to fit.

I'm not sure why you need a double-gang box specifically; is that to use some sort of faceplate on it?

It sounds like you're not going to find the perfect product off the shelf but there's no reason you can't make something work; Even those 4x4 handy boxes work fine - drill your 3 holes in the back, drill a hole in the side; put the cover on it and be done; or if you need to have some jacks on the front, you can always cut a section out with a dremel or similar and screw in a decora insert then put a faceplate on it.

I recently did some projects where I had to make a variety of custom boxes, and the use of a hole saw and one of those tapered drill bits allowed me to modify each one to suit my needs.

 

[jpmargis]

Meet my friend the step drill . .

View attachment 4379.​

 

[Neurorad]

Your local electric supply warehouse has ten times the choices of HD/Lowes. I've found most salesmen at the counter to be super helpful.

 

[jdk972003]

I agree with the step drill...make your part. I do that for almost all my projects as you never find exactly what you need.

 

[Del91574]

As suggested, wiremold box, standard depth or those designed to mount to existing electrical boxes or a plastic panduit box will work.

Step drill or slugbuster is key.

Assuming this is also for line voltage items and not LV?

 

[miamicanes]

Thanks! I bought the step drill, and I'll be putting it to good use this afternoon

I've tried drilling in the past, but I used a bit from a set meant for drilling through wood and drywall (kind of like a half-dozen dedicated hole saws for 1/2" through 1-1/2" holes). The box's plastic melted into the tip, and the moment the big part of the cutting blade hit the box, it seized the drill's motor. It's probably a good thing I had it in a vise and was using a drill press, or I might have ended up with broken fingers (or worse). A step drill never even occurred to me.

It's for low-voltage items, not line voltage.

 

[Del91574]

Sounds like something was amiss with the type of hole saw or it was dull, because we use hole saws for KO's all the time as well, plastic and steel.

 

[tmbrown97]

Same here - I just did a dozen boxes a couple weeks ago - step-drill for the smaller holes, and everything larger used hole saws.

You've piqued my curiosity enough that I'd love to see pictures of the completed project!

 

[N49atv]

EMT/DB2 is pretty true to size, all conduit is ID, but rigid/PVC has 3/16" walls, so its just shy of 3/8" larger (ie, you use a 7/8 holesaw for 1/2").

Id just buy a plastic box, and knock/drill the holes you need, its not being inspected, and im sure an inspector wouldnt bother you.

Or build a small box around it from wood. Paint it.