| Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179335] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 07:33  |
 |
RF_Burns
Messages: 2277
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Are the wall electrical boxes in the GMC an odd size? or is it just my coach?
I wanted to install a GFI outlet at the kitchen counter but when I went to install the cover I noticed the box was about 50% wider than standard so the cover leaves about 1/4" on either side exposed.
The boxes are not as wide as a double-wide box and have only one set of mounting holes for the receptacle so I can't just add a second receptacle and a double plate.
All the receptacle boxes in my coach are like this. Is this normal in the GMC? Is it an RV standard? or is my GMC an odd duck?
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179346 is a reply to message #179341] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 09:00  |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I used the larger size box covers to cover the odd size GMC OEM electrical box. I think you could use a standard box, if you could find one that is a bit shallower than OEM. You will have to deal with an odd sized OEM hole in the wall. My front outlet hangs on the kitchen top drawer, real PITA. The box is okay, but the power lines exiting the back of the box will hit the drawer. There are shallower boxes available, but I don't think they are designed for 110v outlets. I've used them for cable and telephone boxes, when I've added them to an existing wall.
Post what you find.
Tom Phipps, MS II
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179348 is a reply to message #179346] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 09:08 |
bukzin
Messages: 840
Registered: April 2004
Location: North California
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Home Depot (and others) carry shallow A/C boxes
from a company called Wiremold.
They have several sizes, some designed for surface mounting.
Depot also has 3 different width cover plates. They
are not very well labeled; you may have to dig around
to figure out which is large, medium and small (which is
the standard size)
Bukzin
1977 Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179351 is a reply to message #179335] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 09:15 |
|
RF_Burns
Messages: 2277
Registered: June 2008
Location: S. Ontario, Canada
Karma: 3
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Steve,
I saw they were a shallow box, but its the width that seems to be non-standard.
Robert,
Those adapters look interesting. Use a double-wide and be able to install 2 receptacles and a double cover.
Tom,
I was hoping to leave the OEM boxes in place. Sounds like these are odd size, I was thinking maybe it was a box available in the USA and not in Canada.
I'm going to see what the local Electrical Distributors have like what Robert posted.
thanks!
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179355 is a reply to message #179346] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 09:46 |
powerjon
Messages: 2446
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 5
|
Senior Member |
|
|
The fixture that Bruce H talked is called a half box or shallow box
which are aprox 5/8" deep. Robert showed the box extenders and they
are available at the big box stores and most hardware stores in your
area. Boxes are available in 3 depths, 5/8", standard and deep boxes
and there are some specials available and are available in plastic or
metal. You can sometimes use a regular box in the coach depending on
the location. I added a GFI in the bath module using a regular box.
To cover up the larger opening you need to use an oversize cover plate
that you will need to buy separately as the GFI is supplied with a
standard size cover plate. The Decora style wall plates are available
in oversize and colors depending the color of GFI your purchased.
The plate that you remove should have been an overside plate that was
metal. Most of if not all of the cover plates used in the coach are
oversized. You won't get a deep box on the outside walls of the coach,
there just isn't enough room. You may need to change the original
half box out to a current half box to get extenders to fit the box.
JR Wright
GMC Great Laker MHC
GMC Eastern States
GMCMHI
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
1975 Avion (Under Reconstruction)
Michigan
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
GMC Eastern States
GMCMI
78 30' Buskirk Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179356 is a reply to message #179335] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 10:07 |
 |
Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| rf_burns wrote on Tue, 07 August 2012 08:33 |
Are the wall electrical boxes in the GMC an odd size? or is it just my coach?
I wanted to install a GFI outlet at the kitchen counter but when I went to install the cover I noticed the box was about 50% wider than standard so the cover leaves about 1/4" on either side exposed.
The boxes are not as wide as a double-wide box and have only one set of mounting holes for the receptacle so I can't just add a second receptacle and a double plate.
All the receptacle boxes in my coach are like this. Is this normal in the GMC? Is it an RV standard? or is my GMC an odd duck?
|
Bruce,
I found the cover in the decorator plate section of Lowe Despot. I can look for another one, if it will help. The nomenclature on the back makes no sense and doesn't find anything helpful. We are planning to be in Leamington in a couple of weeks, but that might not help. I could bring it to Kentuckiana or Amana.
The box is not an RV standard pre se.. At the time our coaches were built, one of the code systems had a minimum box volume. If you couldn't go that deep, you had to go wide. There were houses built with the 2x4s in the walls the wrong way that used similar boxes and have all the same problems.
I had a bad time finding a GFI that would fit in the shallow box. Finally did and then had to search for a new cover.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179357 is a reply to message #179335] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 10:07 |
GeorgeRud
Messages: 1380
Registered: February 2007
Location: Chicago, IL
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I seem to remember that you can get oversized cover plates (called "goof plates") from electrical supply companies. Ther are made to cover up "goofs", and are probably available in the size that would accommodate GFI outlets.
George Rudawsky
Chicago, IL
75 Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179435 is a reply to message #179358] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 17:03 |
|
Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Dolph Santorine wrote on Tue, 07 August 2012 11:09 |
I handled this by putting in GFCI breakers in the panel.
No muss, no fuss.
|
In my coach, that would not be possible. The receptacle circuits are in tandem bodies with the two mains.
But, I added two more tandems to isolate the water heater, the refrigerator, the air conditioner and the converter on circuits of their own. I like redundancy.
I also have a GFI outlet for extenal use in the reefer bay.
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179450 is a reply to message #179435] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 18:58 |
emerystora
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
|
Senior Member |
|
|
One thing that you could possibly do with that oversize box is to replace it with a tandem shallow box. Then put in two receptacles and a double cover plate. I haven't measured the opening but one dimension might be OK or could be trimmed and you would have to make the Other dimension larger.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO
On Aug 7, 2012, at 4:03 PM, Matt Colie <matt7323tze@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Dolph Santorine wrote on Tue, 07 August 2012 11:09
>> I handled this by putting in GFCI breakers in the panel.
>>
>> No muss, no fuss.
>
> In my coach, that would not be possible. The receptacle circuits are in tandem bodies with the two mains.
>
> But, I added two more tandems to isolate the water heater, the refrigerator, the air conditioner and the converter on circuits of their own. I like redundancy.
>
> I also have a GFI outlet for extenal use in the reefer bay.
>
> Matt
>
>
>
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie
> '73 Glacier 23 Chaumière (say show-me-air) Just about as stock as you will find
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
| Re: Electrical boxes in the GMC, Odd size [message #179454 is a reply to message #179335] |
Tue, 07 August 2012 19:40 |
1275gtsport
Messages: 272
Registered: September 2009
Location: Rothesay NB
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I think you will find the width of the boxes are a standard size for the RV world. At least the ones in the 74 dodge I had were the same as the ones in the GMC
Adam Raeburn
Rothesay, NB
1976 Austin Mini
1977 GMC Palm Beach
---------------------------------------------------
Once you replace everything that is attached to something else. It will all be fixed.
|
|
|
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
