Sunday, June 3, 2012

Only took them 70 years to figure out they need extra support screws on RS covers

At left is a Single Duplex  RS Cover or raised cover typically found in Commercial Structures and residential basements. They have been around since at least the 1930's  a safe and convenient way to surface  mount switches and outlets on walls . But with one big problem up until a decade ago the Receptacles  where only held in place by a tiny number 8# screw in the center and nothing else and if this screw came loose the outlet fell into the box allowing the plugged in device to short out and or cause an electric shock. With the use of many plug in transformers that use the center screw  like those used for alarm systems you had to carefully remove the screw then hopefully plug in the transformer and tighten the new screw with out shocking your self or you had to track down the breaker and shut off the power to the outlet to safely secure it.
Well some genius designer finally figured out hay we need to add 2 screws with nuts and washers to help hold the outlet in place to prevent these problems. Since late 90's it has been code but there are millions of the old outlets out there waiting to hurt people when the screw falls out and nothing in the code addresses repairing them. But that's the way it has always been with codes address a problem but never correct the original problem just go ahead and grandfather it till it fails and needs replaced with a new code compliant part.
The usual Screw OFFS at UL and NFPA strike again  . Fix an issue but do not really fix it.

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