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US metal handy box and 4 in square box: size, depth, cubic inches, cover ears

What are the dimensions of a 4 in square electrical box and a metal handy box? · Standard part · basis: Hubbell RACO and ABB Steel City spec sheets; only printed numbers

Also called: 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

Exact dimensions. True size, with no printing tolerance added.

sizes
10 in table

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.

US metal handy box and 4 in square box: size, depth, cubic inches… size chart

parametervalue
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 ring3-9/32 in (83.3 mm) apart (see the device box page)
box mounting holes, ring screw positions, KO sizes, wall thicknessdrawings only: not printed as numbers, not modelled

Where the files are

Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.

Hubbell RACO191 4 in square box, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Hubbell RACO8213 4 in square box, welded, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Hubbell RACO683SP 4 in square box, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Hubbell RACO232 4 in square box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (specification sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Hubbell RACO8773 4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (spec sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
Hubbell RACO8670 4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)webPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
ABB (Steel City)52C31 4 in square cover, 1 in raised, tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centreswebPublisher's page; dimensions are facts
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 inwebPublisher's page; dimensions are facts

Xem scan

File coming

No downloadable true-size file yet: the published figures do not fix the whole shape, and Xem never guesses a number. A measured scan is planned; request it and it moves up.

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Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=metal-boxes-us

length
Schematic, not to scale.

Fits with

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Questions

What size is a 4 in square box?

4 x 4 in nominal, 1-1/2 in (21.0 cu in) or 2-1/8 in (30.3 cu in) deep.

What is a handy box?

A 4 x 2 in steel single-gang utility box, 2-1/8 in deep here, 16.5 cu in.