# Max weight of 10/24 screw



## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

If you are putting the 10 -24 screw into a fan rated box, I would have no worries of an 80 lb chandelier


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## Salvatoreg02 (Feb 26, 2011)

electricalwiz said:


> If you are putting the 10 -24 screw into a fan rated box, I would have no worries of an 80 lb chandelier


Threaded right in without any concerns?


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

Salvatoreg02 said:


> Threaded right in without any concerns?


 
I would put the screw in the threaded part that is rated to hold a fan or chandelier, it is already set for 10 -24, I would not tap the 8 - 32 hole to 10 -24, 
I hope this makes sense
BTW I think fan rated boxes can hold a 150 lb chandelier but I could be wrong on that


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

electricalwiz said:


> BTW I think fan rated boxes can hold a 150 lb chandelier but I could be wrong on that


Depends what your attaching the box too.....yeah?


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Boxes that are suitable for supporting over 50 pounds are marked as such on the box.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

electricalwiz said:


> I would put the screw in the threaded part that is rated to hold a fan or chandelier, it is already set for 10 -24, I would not tap the 8 - 32 hole to 10 -24,
> I hope this makes sense


Would you drill and tap the back of the box to 10-24?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Celtic said:


> Would you drill and tap the back of the box to 10-24?


No, he is saying that the box already has the "hubs" for 10-24 screws on fan rated boxes, so he is saying mount the box to a framing member, and use the included 10-24 screws that come with the box to support the chandelier and you'd be fine. I wouldn't drill and tap the back of the box, as with a 24 tpi thread pitch you aren't going to have very many threads engaging. A hickey in the box would also work, but they are designed to carry the weight.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

If the box is rated for it, install the box and fixture per instructions and sleep soundly at night.

-John


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## electricalwiz (Mar 12, 2011)

Dnkldorf said:


> Depends what your attaching the box too.....yeah?


Just looked at the Westinghouse fan rated boxes I have on the truck, a pancake, and 1 1/2" deep box mounted to framing has 150 lb rating, the old work spreader on 16" center is also rated for 150 lbs using the 10 -24 screws


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## Salvatoreg02 (Feb 26, 2011)

Big John said:


> If the box is rated for it, install the box and fixture per instructions and sleep soundly at night.
> 
> -John


I really didn't like installing the fixture directly to the box with just screws. So I took the universal bar wrapped tonsil wire thru the bar to creat a loop. Installed an I - bolt within the box as well as installing two more I-bolts outside the box. using the sane wire I hooked it to the cage of the fixture that was supporting the glass ornaments to the two I bolts .


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## Salvatoreg02 (Feb 26, 2011)

I don't need a bill for $7000 for a fallen chandelier


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Salvatoreg02 said:


> I don't need a bill for $7000 for a fallen chandelier


An ounce of prevention.... :thumbup:


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Would you drill and tap the back of the box to 10-24?





Going_Commando said:


> No, he is saying that the box already has the "hubs" for 10-24 screws on fan rated boxes, so he is saying mount the box to a framing member, and use the included 10-24 screws that come with the box to support the chandelier and you'd be fine. I wouldn't drill and tap the back of the box, as with a 24 tpi thread pitch you aren't going to have very many threads engaging. A hickey in the box would also work, but they are designed to carry the weight.



I know what he is saying..the 8/32 tabs.

I am asking about the back of the box.

Here is a Reiker Shallow CF Box I had laying around:









If you notice, the 10/24's are through the box:


















The thickness of this particular CF box is no greater than that of any off the shelf 4" octagon box.


the question is.....would you consider using the back of the box to hold the 10/24's?
Why?
Why not?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Ooohhhh. With a screw head on the top, and a nut on the bottom? Sure, as long as you utilize the screw holes directly next to where the fixture screws go, I would have no qualms against that.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Going_Commando said:


> Ooohhhh. With a screw head on the top, and a nut on the bottom? Sure, as long as you utilize the screw holes directly next to where the fixture screws go, I would have no qualms against that.



I dunno.
I've had the idea in my head for awhile....but I think 110.3(B) might put a damper on the easy way out.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

I bet the max weight of a 10/24 screw isnt even a gram. :brows:


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## cortez (Oct 23, 2011)

This is why a year of machinists training was required of me to be proficient in electrical , carpentry, and plumbing mechanics to do work in industrial maintenance (which included electrical " live" work since the power cannot be shut off in a production setting).


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## RonS1985 (May 12, 2012)

Hmm...since some mentioned screws I'd like to get some experienced feedback on the common usage of drywall screws in electrical applications. I have seen this way too many times. Electricians, experienced or not, will use drywall screws to attach a ceiling fan box to the ceiling joists. Someone did that at one company I worked for. The fan was to be placed over a breakfast nook table. About 8 months later (thankfully nobody was home) the homeowner left the fan running and went to work. When he got home he walked in to find the fan had crashed down on his $800 glass table and shattered it. He called in an inspector who immediately noticed that drywall screws had been used to secure the fan box. Our company had to pay for everything. In another example, an experienced electrician (though very lazy) had used drywall screws to secure a panel to studs in a basement of a new construction home. I was sent there about a month later to replace a 2-pole breaker. I removed the old one and when I went to put the new breaker in I had to push rather hard. The entire panel broke away from the studs and I nearly fell into it. Again drywall screws. Why do so many electricians use these? I may be wrong but aren't they illegal in some cases? If not, they certainly should be. I'm sure the real answer is cost. But I don't think safety should EVER be compromised for the sake of saving a few bucks on proper fasteners. I personally use #12 galvanized wood screws to secure panels in a basement (damp) application. I was just wondering how other electricians felt about using drywall screws. As I said, I think that should be added to the NEC as illegal.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

RonS1985 said:


> I may be wrong but aren't they illegal in some cases? If not, they certainly should be.
> 
> As I said, I think that should be added to the NEC as illegal.


You are free to submit a proposal to the NFPA.


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## RonS1985 (May 12, 2012)

I don't know the first thing about doing that.


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## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

RonS1985 said:


> The entire panel broke away from the studs and I nearly fell into it.


 
I doubt the drywall screws had anything to do with that.


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## RonS1985 (May 12, 2012)

Yes, it was 100% the screws. The heads had broken off. Drywall screws corrode easily and the ones he had used he had found on the ground from 10 houses ago.


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## RonS1985 (May 12, 2012)

As far as the fan box goes, same thing. I guess the fan was slightly off balance and the constant vibration over time made the heads snap off. There were only two holding the box on. I just don't understand why some people can't take the extra step to get quality hardware. When you have the contract for an entire development I don't see why anyone would be that cheap. I've even seen them used to hold devices in when the real screw won't reach. Depending on the plate it usually ends up holding the plate away from the wall, which looks totally unprofessional.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Celtic said:


> You are free to submit a proposal to the NFPA.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Suggestions can be submitted on copies of the Form for Proposals for 2014 National Electrical Code available in the back of the 2011 NEC, or by downloading the form from http://www.ieci.org/uploads/11NovIEC100EnclosedSwitchMikeWeitzel.pdf

Here is a Power Point Presentation on submitting a Proposal:
*Developing Good NEC Proposals - IAEI 
*[From the *International Association of Electrical Inspectors *]

You'll have plenty of time to prepare your proposal...the cutoff for the 2014 edition was 11/2011...you'll be ready for the 2017.


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## Split Bolt (Aug 30, 2010)

Many years ago, I went to a job for a real estate home inspection list. One of the items noted was a ceiling fan over bed in the mbr that was not installed on a fan-rated box. It was easy to see from the attic that the installer used a plastic 8-B pop-in box! The weight of the fan was on the 3 plastic tabs. When I took the fan down to change the box, I discovered that the fan was attached to the plastic pop-in box with two, 1.25" drywall screws!
The homeowner said that the installer was a licensed electrician she got out of the yellow pages.:blink:

Amazingly, the fan stayed up there for several years without a problem!:no:


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## RonS1985 (May 12, 2012)

That fan must have been very light. But that is crazy. Nobody gives any thought to people's safety. I'm sure the fan was over a bed. Ouch!


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