{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "metal-boxes-us",
 "name": "US metal handy box and 4 in square box: size, depth, cubic inches, cover ears",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Home & kitchen",
 "group": "Household",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What are the dimensions of a 4 in square electrical box and a metal handy box?",
 "tags": [
  "electrical box",
  "handy box",
  "utility box",
  "4 square box",
  "steel",
  "mud ring",
  "nec"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "4 inch square box",
  "handy box dimensions",
  "4 inch square box dimensions",
  "utility box dimensions",
  "mud ring dimensions",
  "4 square box depth",
  "4 square box cubic inches",
  "4 square cover ear spacing",
  "handy box cubic inches",
  "4 square 1-1/2 deep vs 2-1/8 deep"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "not-scanned",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 0,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Hubbell RACO and ABB Steel City spec sheets; only printed numbers",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "US steel handy (utility) boxes and 4 in square boxes, 1-1/2 and 2-1/8 in deep, with the covers and rings that people make mud-ring and spacer adapters for.",
   "'Actual depth' is the depth the Hubbell sheet prints in addition to the nominal one; welded boxes with clamps print a larger actual depth. Values are as printed on the maker sheets; the RACO 8670 sheet's labels are out of order, so only width and depth are given.",
   "The 2-23/32 in ear spacing is printed for the Steel City covers and rings (8-32 tapped ears), not for the box itself. Box mounting hole positions, the four ring screw positions and knockout outlines are in drawings that could not be read: no file.",
   "The device screw template on the device box page (3-9/32 in) applies to a handy box and to a one-device ring on a 4 in square box."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "4 in square, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (RACO 191)",
     "21.0 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 1.563 in"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square, welded, 1-1/2 in deep, 2-gang (RACO 8213)",
     "21.0 cu in; actual 4.007 x 4.039 x 1.932 in (with clamps)"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 683SP)",
     "30.3 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 2.188 in"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 232)",
     "30.3 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 2.434 in"
    ],
    [
     "4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 8670)",
     "16.5 cu in; 4.00 in wide; depth 2-1/8 in"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (RACO 8773)",
     "5.5 cu in; 4 x 4 in; slots allow 12 degrees of box misalignment"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square cover, 1 in raised (Steel City 52C31)",
     "5.8 cu in; tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centres"
    ],
    [
     "4 in square ring, 1/4 in raised (Steel City 401-CS)",
     "1 cu in; 3-1/2 in opening; ears tapped 8-32 on 2-23/32 in centres"
    ],
    [
     "device screws in a handy box or square-box ring",
     "3-9/32 in (83.3 mm) apart (see the device box page)"
    ],
    [
     "box mounting holes, ring screw positions, KO sizes, wall thickness",
     "drawings only: not printed as numbers, not modelled"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "US metal handy box and 4 in square box: size, depth, cubic inches, cover ears — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/  (sheet CC BY 4.0)\nBasis: Hubbell RACO and ABB Steel City spec sheets; only printed numbers\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- US steel handy (utility) boxes and 4 in square boxes, 1-1/2 and 2-1/8 in deep, with the covers and rings that people make mud-ring and spacer adapters for.\n- 'Actual depth' is the depth the Hubbell sheet prints in addition to the nominal one; welded boxes with clamps print a larger actual depth. Values are as printed on the maker sheets; the RACO 8670 sheet's labels are out of order, so only width and depth are given.\n- The 2-23/32 in ear spacing is printed for the Steel City covers and rings (8-32 tapped ears), not for the box itself. Box mounting hole positions, the four ring screw positions and knockout outlines are in drawings that could not be read: no file.\n- The device screw template on the device box page (3-9/32 in) applies to a handy box and to a one-device ring on a 4 in square box.\n\nparameter  value\n4 in square, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (RACO 191)  21.0 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 1.563 in\n4 in square, welded, 1-1/2 in deep, 2-gang (RACO 8213)  21.0 cu in; actual 4.007 x 4.039 x 1.932 in (with clamps)\n4 in square, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 683SP)  30.3 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 2.188 in\n4 in square, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 232)  30.3 cu in; 4 x 4 in; actual depth 2.434 in\n4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (RACO 8670)  16.5 cu in; 4.00 in wide; depth 2-1/8 in\n4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (RACO 8773)  5.5 cu in; 4 x 4 in; slots allow 12 degrees of box misalignment\n4 in square cover, 1 in raised (Steel City 52C31)  5.8 cu in; tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centres\n4 in square ring, 1/4 in raised (Steel City 401-CS)  1 cu in; 3-1/2 in opening; ears tapped 8-32 on 2-23/32 in centres\ndevice screws in a handy box or square-box ring  3-9/32 in (83.3 mm) apart (see the device box page)\nbox mounting holes, ring screw positions, KO sizes, wall thickness  drawings only: not printed as numbers, not modelled\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- Hubbell RACO: 191 4 in square box, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-191-SPEC-EN.pdf\n- Hubbell RACO: 8213 4 in square box, welded, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8213-SPEC-EN.pdf\n- Hubbell RACO: 683SP 4 in square box, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-683SP-SPEC-EN.pdf\n- Hubbell RACO: 232 4 in square box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (specification sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.plumbingsupplyandmore.com/media/product_pdfs/232_Specification_Sheet.pdf\n- Hubbell RACO: 8773 4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (spec sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8773-SPEC-EN.pdf\n- Hubbell RACO: 8670 4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/8670.pdf\n- ABB (Steel City): 52C31 4 in square cover, 1 in raised, tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centres — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://crescentelectric.com/electrical-boxes/electrical-box-covers/square-box-cover-4-inch-square-x-1-inch-raised-pre-galvanized-steel-center-blanked-with-tapped-ears-on-2-2332-inches-centers\n- ABB (Steel City): 401-CS 4 in square 1/4 in raised ring, 3-1/2 in opening, ears 8-32 on 2-23/32 in — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://empower.abb.com/ecatalog/ec/EN_NA/p/401-CS\n\nNo true-size file yet: the published figures do not fix the whole shape; a measured scan is planned.\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=metal-boxes-us\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "191 4 in square box, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)",
   "url": "https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-191-SPEC-EN.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "8213 4 in square box, welded, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)",
   "url": "https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8213-SPEC-EN.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "683SP 4 in square box, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)",
   "url": "https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-683SP-SPEC-EN.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "232 4 in square box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (specification sheet)",
   "url": "https://www.plumbingsupplyandmore.com/media/product_pdfs/232_Specification_Sheet.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "8773 4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (spec sheet)",
   "url": "https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8773-SPEC-EN.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Hubbell RACO",
   "title": "8670 4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)",
   "url": "https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/8670.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "ABB (Steel City)",
   "title": "52C31 4 in square cover, 1 in raised, tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centres",
   "url": "https://crescentelectric.com/electrical-boxes/electrical-box-covers/square-box-cover-4-inch-square-x-1-inch-raised-pre-galvanized-steel-center-blanked-with-tapped-ears-on-2-2332-inches-centers",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "ABB (Steel City)",
   "title": "401-CS 4 in square 1/4 in raised ring, 3-1/2 in opening, ears 8-32 on 2-23/32 in",
   "url": "https://empower.abb.com/ecatalog/ec/EN_NA/p/401-CS",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "not-scanned",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "device-boxes-us",
  "ceiling-boxes-us",
  "wall-plate-toggle-us",
  "wall-plate-decora-us",
  "emt-conduit",
  "imperial-machine-screws"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "What size is a 4 in square box?",
   "a": "4 x 4 in nominal, 1-1/2 in (21.0 cu in) or 2-1/8 in (30.3 cu in) deep."
  },
  {
   "q": "What is a handy box?",
   "a": "A 4 x 2 in steel single-gang utility box, 2-1/8 in deep here, 16.5 cu in."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": null,
 "offers": [],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/index.md"
}