# Stripped Electrical Socket Screw fastening



## Harbo (12 Feb 2008)

I have been replacing the electric plug sockets in my kitchen and one of them has a stripped thread on one side of the box. 
Is there anyway of fixing this - I do not really want to hack out the box? 
I think the existing screws are M3.5 and did wonder if the hole could be re tapped - but I cannot seem to find any longish M4 countersunk bolts? 

Rod


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## CHJ (12 Feb 2008)

Do you have any scrap plastic patrices or back boxes with brass inserts?

You may be able to drill out the striped hole to take one of these as a press fit or bond it in with epoxy.


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## Paul Chapman (13 Feb 2008)

You can get the screws in different diameters so re-tapping the hole is an option - I've done this on occasions. Most electrical shops should sell the screws.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## paulm (13 Feb 2008)

Your local electrical supplies shop will sell a re-tapper specifically for this for a few quid, handled like a screwdriver. It's quite a common occurence I think. Assume they will also sell oversize screws to suit but not sure.......

Cheers, Paul.


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## OLD (13 Feb 2008)

I have fixed this in the past with a long self tapping screw.


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## White House Workshop (13 Feb 2008)

When I refitted all the bedrooms in our current house the number of #8 wood screws holding the electrical sockets to the wall had to be seen to be believed....


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## Digit (13 Feb 2008)

That's strange, that must be about the only problem I've never encountered!

Roy.


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## brianhabby (13 Feb 2008)

Hi Rod,

Ask your local electrical supplier for a device for re-threading the box. This happens regularly and sometimes you even need to re-thread brand new boxes...!

regards

Brian


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## Nigel (13 Feb 2008)

This was daily problem when I was contracting,
If the fixing lug thread is stripped then there is no metal to rethread with a rethreading tool,
original boxes were tapped at 4BA thread then along came metric which changed them to 3.5mm which is slightly smaller than 4BA,
So you may be lucky to retap to 4BA which is a screw size still available if you get stuck PM me and I can send you 1 or 2,

Cheers Nigel


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## Jake (13 Feb 2008)

Epoxy a nut to the lug, holding it on with a waxed (so it will release) screw until the epoxy sets.


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## Harbo (14 Feb 2008)

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I found an old 4B screw but the lug thread was so badly stripped that it would not hold. But I managed to find a spare lug so the gluing method seems to be the way to go?  

I now have a bigger problem. As part of our kitchen refurb. - new granite worktops with upstands. Hence existing tiles removed, plaster skim and new black nickel flush fitting sockets! 
But they will not fit the existing boxes!! Apart from the inerds being slightly bigger than the old (MK) ones, with the tiles removed the boxes are not deep enougth!!  
So I am now faced with replacing the boxes and damaging the new plaster and is virtually impossible with all the wires behind? Making some type of face plinth or refitting the old plastic white ones back (and may still have trouble with depths?
I was quite happy with the old kitchen.
Oh and I had to remove the central heating controls and now the boiler will not ignite  

Rod


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