# stainless steel locknuts



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I do. They rot off. Takes a while, but it will happen. Never from galvanic corrosion... from water infiltration. All of my work these days is in a washdown environment. We use the plated locknuts if they come with fittings, but for fittings that don't come with a locknut, we use stainless steel locknuts from Calbrite and T&B. Runs in mu mind that a 3/4" SS locknut is several dollars. Oh, and don't even think about using cast locknuts in washdown. They turn to dust. 

Alloy 306 seems like a strange alloy for a stainless electrical box. Typically it would be 304 or 316, with 318 hardware.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

If they can afford SS boxes the they can afford SS hardware


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

gpop said:


> If they can afford SS boxes the they can afford SS hardware


That's no crap right there. The roughly 16x16x8 Hoffman slope top watershed box I got in the other day was something like 1600 bucks.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

tmessner said:


> ... using sealing washers in the wet locations.


There are some sealing rings in the market that have the metal reinforcing ring part made from ordinary steel. They rust pretty quickly and make your work look like satan's azzhole. Double check that your sealing rings have the metal part made from stainless. Most are, but a couple aren't.

Since this is field engineering, you'd be well-advised to do "bottom entry only". Or, at the very minimum, don't enter a box above energized parts or above splices.


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

MDShunk said:


> There are some sealing rings in the market that have the metal reinforcing ring part made from ordinary steel. They rust pretty quickly and make your work look like satan's azzhole. Double check that your sealing rings have the metal part made from stainless. Most are, but a couple aren't.
> 
> Since this is field engineering, you'd be well-advised to do "bottom entry only". Or, at the very minimum, don't enter a box above energized parts or above splices.


All entries in equipment boxes are bottom only. The sealing rings are T&B stainless.


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

MDShunk;
Alloy 306 seems like a strange alloy for a stainless electrical box. Typically it would be 304 or 316 said:


> Wrong alloy. I should have looked it up.
> 
> Thanks for the rapid answers.
> I agree on the cost. If they can afford the box they can afford the ftgs. I just have a practical mind that struggles with over the top.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I haven't used ss locknuts, but instead plastic locknuts. We get ours from Grainger I believe.


We also do dairies.


https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/54088562?cid=ppc-google-New+-+Lighting+%26+Electrical+-+PLA_sk69grBlc___164124449207_c_S&mkwid=sk69grBlc|dc&pcrid=164124449207&rd=k&product_id=54088562&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0ZX73YTj3AIVFHdeCh3Y9AKCEAQYASABEgJmYPD_BwE


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Most of ss washer is typically 304 is most common I get but yes I get other grade of ss washers 316 is other common one but price get little more steeper so just be aware of cost.

I just used 13 mm ( half inch ) stainless steel washer they hit about a buck a pop so just give you a heads up on cost.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

tmessner said:


> All entries in equipment boxes are bottom only. The sealing rings are T&B stainless.


I used 2" sealing rings with the SS band and box adaptors at a Marina and they are still there 12 years later.


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## tmessner (Apr 1, 2013)

I just found these: https://www.heyco.com/Liquid_Tight_Conduit_Fittings/?sub=nylon-and-metal-locknuts


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

One thing to watch if you are using stainless is to never use a wire brush (unless its stainless) or a file that you have used on black iron.
If a slug buster leaves a sharp edge and you file it with a file that has been used on a standard metal box then it embeds black iron and will leave a rust stain with in a few days.


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