The socket box (or any other product of this type) is designed for mounting sockets and switches in drywall sheets. First of all, this product serves for fire safety purposes due to the fact that the bare ends of the wires are hidden in the plastic housing of the socket box. In addition, they are very convenient in terms of repairing a faulty outlet or switch.
Drywall sockets must be selected carefully. In this article, you will learn how to install a box in drywall, what features of installation and installation exist, as well as what sizes of box to choose.
Preparing the walls
Plasterboard walls became popular in the early 90s due to the fact that they significantly reduce the repair time and material cost when renovating old houses with uneven walls without the ability to level them well with bulk materials.
Drywall can be installed on profiles that are 5 centimeters wide, which leaves free space behind them for other necessary materials (for example, insulation, sound insulation, etc.), as well as free space for wiring. Mounting boxes (socket boxes) and a crown have become an integral part of such repairs.
If we talk about the laying of electrical cables, then (in case you are poorly versed in electrics) it is best to invite a specialist, since due to poor-quality cable laying, a short circuit may occur, which will lead to a fire.
You should buy socket boxes together with the purchase of drywall - this way, you can save time and immediately select the mounting boxes necessary for construction work.
Plasterboard is a highly flammable material. The only exceptions are special sheets of drywall, which are fire resistant (they usually differ in color in pink or red, and also have special markings). Therefore, the socket must comply with all necessary fire safety regulations.
When choosing an outlet for the entire structure, it is worth considering only those options in which the rim of the outlet itself is metal. At a critically high voltage, the current will pass through the metal, the fuse protection in the shield will trip and power outage will occur, which will avoid undesirable consequences.
Mounting boxes fall into two categories:
- distribution;
- installation.
Junction boxes are used to connect wires, since the connections must be insulated not only with electrical tape, but also with a box.
The junction boxes are the ones to which the sockets and switches are attached. But due to their properties, they can act as junction boxes. It is advisable to put deep products.
If the profile is not metal, but wooden (or you have a wooden house), then you need to use not plastic boxes, but metal ones (with an appropriate level of protection).
Dimensions (edit)
The main difference between the socket box under the GKP from similar products for concrete or brick is the way it is fastened. The diameter of such a socket is standard -68 mm, and the depth is 45 mm. Sometimes there are other size options, which you need to know about in advance. They are written on the back of the product, the marking includes the size and type of material from which the product is made.
Design
On the front of the box there are 4 connectors for self-tapping screws, 2 of which serve as additional ones, preventing the box from being pulled out of the sheet. It is important to note that it is better not to mount such boxes in drywall sheets of less than eight due to their low strength.
The main connectors are for screws. The depth of this connector is equal to the depth of the box. At the end of the technological recess for the screws, there are two metal "legs" that move apart. Also in the product itself there is a special connector for mounting the grounding cable, which many ignore, which is not recommended: it avoids short circuits from voltage surges.
Installation methods
The steps necessary for the successful installation of the socket into a drywall wall are extremely simple, but do not forget that it is necessary to follow the prescribed order, otherwise the installation may result in the loss of a drywall sheet, and its replacement is a costly procedure (financially and in relation to time).
The first action that needs to be taken when installing any products (electrical - especially) is marking. First of all, this is necessary in order to bring wires or other communications to this place, as well as for the convenience of installation and calculation of the material.
We need logic, knowledge of the location of communications, a pencil, a tape measure and a level (to save money, you can use a ruler, the main thing is to catch a point). It is worth noting that it is necessary to apply markings taking into account what type of outlet or switch will be (for how many consumers).
In SNiP there are no restrictions on the height of the outlet, but there is a restriction on its distance from doorways (at least 20 cm), as well as on its distance from the table top (20 cm). It is also recommended not to make the sockets too low (at least 20 cm from the floor) due to the risk of a short circuit from moisture ingress. In turn, a short circuit can lead to fire.
The distance from a gas pipe or other gas distribution systems should be at least 50 cm. It is also forbidden to make socket outlets in rooms with high humidity.
Next, we proceed directly to the manufacture of a technological hole. Drywall is soft, so you can use a regular painting knife, but it is best, nevertheless, to use a drill with a special round nozzle. This must be done to avoid unnecessary chips or damage to the sheet.
Drilling with a ballerina must be done extremely carefully, since there is a possibility of breaking a sheet of drywall with strong pressure on the tool. This is due to the fact that we press on a certain point with a sharp object with a large area, which can lead to breakage.
In cases where it is necessary to make a lot of holes, you need to use a specialized nozzle, since the connectors can be paired, triple, and so on.
Drilling is another way. It consists in the fact that (instead of a special ballerina nozzle) a conventional drill is used. The material is drilled along the contour indicated in the previous paragraph, then it needs to be drilled out so that the hole is perfectly even and of high quality. When the connector is ready, we throw the wires into it. Drill carefully at minimum speed.
Now we go directly to the installation of the socket itself. We bring the wires into the holes of the socket box, specially provided for by the design on the back of the product, after removing the plugs. After the wire plant, we begin the installation of the socket box. To do this, we press the box tightly, tightening the screws clockwise (each evenly) until it is completely fixed, but do not pinch it, because this can also destroy the sheet and form a chip or crack.
The feet of the mounting screws should be inside the drywall sheet.
For better fixation, you can drive two additional self-tapping screws into special holes. There are already no legs, so you need to use ordinary drywall screws (wide thread pitch).
If you are not going to proceed to the next step right away, it is better to tape the ends of the cable or put special caps on them to protect the cable from corrosion, which can negatively affect the quality of the wiring.
This completes the installation of the socket in the gypsum board. The next step is to install a socket, a switch. The principle is no different from how electrical devices are installed in an ordinary socket. The only special condition is that you should not hammer the socket with a hammer, as you can break the sheet, and this will lead to its replacement and installation of a new socket.
Everyone will be able to mount correctly a double or a socket for 3 posts, if you follow our advice. You just need to insert and secure it correctly.
Useful Tips
The materials from which the products can be made differ depending on the price and on the required thermal loads caused by short circuits.
The most common and cheapest is polystyrene (aka ABS), the melting point is 180 degrees, it will melt at the first short circuit, it is combustible, and emits toxic fumes when it burns.
Slightly more expensive - polyvinyl chloride, melts at 220 degrees, does not burn well, partial melting of the material is possible from a short circuit, it will survive 2-3 node fires (not from an open fire, but from a short circuit).
Polypropylene is more expensive, it is not flammable, it melts at 650 degrees, ignition from a short circuit is possible, but provided it is used not at 220, but at 380 volts (however, such systems are rarely carried out by electricians in residential premises).
The most expensive is polyamide, it is also not flammable, but it melts at temperatures above 1000 degrees, which makes it the strongest and most fire resistant (220 and 380 volts), it is used, for the most part, in commercial facilities, as it is being tested fire inspector and complies with fire safety requirements.
Do not forget about the socket connectors. The set usually comes with 2 pieces. The set of expensive socket boxes (which is described above) includes 4 pieces, but two additional ones are slightly longer. They are mounted in special connectors on the products themselves: rectangular plugs are designed specifically for them. Some manufacturers have integrated connectors, but they cannot be removed (just saw off or cut off).
The wires are led directly into the socket box, but the factory insulation must end directly inside the box - this is a fire safety requirement.
Failure to comply with it will not be fined, but because of such a trifle, you can get a fire in the wall space. And compliance with the rule can save the life of the owner.
Usually the socket box protrudes slightly (by a few millimeters) from the wall. If this is critical, then before installing the product, you can make a bevel cut of 2 - 3 mm. This is done with circular movements of the knife: the upper extreme layer is cut diagonally to a depth of 2-3 mm, with an angle of about 35-0 degrees.
Before installing the back box, it is worth priming the wall (even drywall walls are primed) so as not to flood the ends of the wires and to simplify further repair work.
An important point when calculating and measuring is that many people make holes directly on the profiles or near them. Due to the fact that the profiles are metal, and the metal has a high electrical conductivity, it is worth making the connectors as far as possible from the profiles and their intersections.
For greater fire safety, it is worthwhile to run the cables in a special corrugation, which protects both the cable itself from external influences and reduces the risks of unwanted fires. Usually, such corrugations are attached to the profiles - this simplifies further repairs.
When installing three or more sockets in one row (one section using connectors), it is recommended to call the masters, if you are not an expert. The fact is that it is very easy to get confused in the branching and extension of the cable, which will definitely lead to malfunctions and other negative consequences.
The socket boxes can be not only round, but also square or oval. Square is used for additional cabling, combining both a transfer case and a junction box. Oval boxes are needed to install two sockets or switches that are vertically positioned.
Multiboxes should be noted separately. Multibox is a type of box designed for open installation on skirting boards. There are two types of multiboxes: up to the baseboard and up to the floor. Such boxes look very original, but they are far from the first in fire safety.
For information on how to properly install the socket into a drywall wall, see the next video.