Lighting fixtures with too small screws

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

wag

Member
Are you aware of this problem I have noticed? I do electrical installations for Habitat for Humanity (12 houses so far).
The ceiling lighting fixtures manufactured "off shore" are coming in with undersize mounting screws! They look like #8-32 but are not. The octagon boxes I know are tapped for #8-32 fixture mounting screws (steel or PVC). These screws are about 0.159" in dia. The ones coming with the fixtures are about 0.147" or about 1/64" under size.
They are very loose in the steel boxes and can strip easily, and will strip out with little effort in the PVC boxes.
I have no idea who should be looking into this. Do you? I am sure you know some people in the light fixture business. The bad screws are about 3.5 mm if you like metric.
 
N

noxx

Senior Member
Re: Lighting fixtures with too small screws

I've seen this several times over the years with inexpensive fixtures. I've always assumed the smaller screws were some oddball mettric size and used 8/32's out of my kit as the simplest solution.

[ February 23, 2004, 08:38 PM: Message edited by: noxx ]
 
H

hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Re: Lighting fixtures with too small screws

A while back there was a warning about this and they wanted the info of the manufactures doing this.
I was thinking it was UL but I just tried to find it and came up empty.
 
tonyi

tonyi

Senior Member
Re: Lighting fixtures with too small screws

A lot of the stuff sold at HD is coming through with these hokey screws...

I just toss'em, rethread their brackets, and use standard stuff.
 
W

wag

Member
Re: Lighting fixtures with too small screws

Thanks for the comments. I carry a box of #8-32 screwes and toss the metrics. But what about the do-it-yourselfer who just uses what comes with the fixture? When the thing pops off the wall, how will he know whom to SUE!!!! Just kidding. His wife will just blame him for doing something wrong. I'd like to complain to UL. Lowes and HD sell these things and talking to them does no good. WAG
 
N

noxx

Senior Member
Re: Lighting fixtures with too small screws

Lowes and HD sell these things and talking to them does no good. WAG [/QB]
Click to expand...
You've tried talking to people at Home Depot? Usually I just hold my breath and try not to strangle any of them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top