Overstuffed electrical boxes are a fire hazard, but they're easy to fix.
Introduction
I have a receptacle outlet in my kitchen where I have (what's supposed to be) a permanent phone-charging station. It's the perfect location, right as I walk in the door. There's a cube and a USB cable, but whenever I go to use them they are, inevitably, both missing. Thanks, family!
After much complaining and cajoling, I decided to add a USB-charging receptacle. No need for a cube that easily slides into a pocket, and surely it's too hard to pilfer my new wireless charging pad, right? Well, if you haven't noticed, USB receptacles are big. They technically fit in your standard 18-cubic-inch junction box, but it's a slog. I'm a licensed electrician, so when I opened up that box and saw the tight squeeze and multiple cables, I couldn't, in good conscience, leave it. The National Electrical Code (NEC) limits "box fill," aka how much you can stuff in there.
So, I decided to remove the old box and put in a bigger one. Below, I'll show you how to do it, too. This project is based on working with drywall — if you're working with tile the process of replacing an outlet is going to be much more involved.
Tools Required
- Electrical tape (optional)
- Flat screwdriver
- Hacksaw or oscillating multi-tool
- Jab saw (drywall saw)
- Lineman's or needle nose pliers
- Non-contact voltage tester
- Pencil
- Philips screwdriver (or drill)
- Torpedo level
- Wire strippers
Materials Required
- Faceplate for new box
- Old work; 2-gang remodel box with swing clamps
Project step-by-step (6)
Step 1
Turn Off the Power
- Test your non-contact voltage tester on a known live circuit to ensure it works.
- Stick the tester in the smaller slot of your receptacle. It should beep and light up.
- Flip the corresponding breaker (if known) until your tester says the circuit is off.
- If you don’t know the breaker, try them all until you have no power at the device.
- Alternatively, turn off the main breaker.
Step 2
Verify the Power Is Off
- Unscrew and remove the faceplate.
- Touch the terminal screws on the device with the non-contact voltage tester to verify it’s dead.
- Carefully pull the device from the box by the ears.
- Stick the tester deep in the box to verify every wire is dead. Turn off additional breakers if necessary.
- Test the tester again once the circuits are off to make sure it didn’t malfunction.
Step 3
Label Wires (If Needed)
- Look at the wires coming into and going out of the devices in the old box.
- Identify LINE and LOAD terminals, such as on a GFCI or AFCI (ground-fault and arc-fault circuit interrupters), with tape, if available.
- If you are enlarging a box that contains a GFCI or AFCI, you must carry over the protection to the new box!
- Remove the device(s) completely.
Step 4
Cut Out the Old Box
- Pry the box away from the stud slightly to expose the nail shafts.
- Use a hacksaw or oscillating tool to cut the nails.
- Be very careful not to cut any circuit wires! Keep your saw shallow and controlled when cutting.
- Carefully remove the old box, feeding the cables through the built-in clamps (you can break those off to make it easier).
Step 5
Install New Box
- Hold your new, larger box level and mark the wall with a pencil.
- Cut the drywall to enlarge the hole, staying inside your new lines.
- The box should be snug. You can always make the hole bigger, never smaller.
- Feed the cables through the built-in cable clamps and insert the box into the hole.
- The NEC requires at least 1/4-inch of the exterior plastic sheathing to be inside the box.
- Tighten the locking swing clamps with a screwdriver or drill to snug the box to the drywall.
Step 6
Add Devices and Faceplate
- Install the devices according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Level the new devices with your torpedo level as you tighten them into place.
- To avoid making ugly marks on your wall, tape the edges of your level with electrical tape.
- Add a new, 2-gang faceplate (level that, too).
- Turn on the power.
