# 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?

- Category: Home & kitchen › Household
- Kind: Standard part
- Basis: Hubbell RACO and ABB Steel City spec sheets; only printed numbers
- Page: https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/ · JSON: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=metal-boxes-us · Plain text: https://xemstudio.com/objects/metal-boxes-us/sheet.txt
- License: dimension sheet CC BY 4.0 (Xem Studio); files CC BY 4.0 or their publisher's license
- Use in every chat: add https://xemstudio.com/mcp as a connector (https://xemstudio.com/use-with-ai/)

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

## 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.

## Sizes

| parameter | value |
|---|---|
| 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 |

## Where the files are

- Hubbell RACO: [191 4 in square box, drawn, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)](https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-191-SPEC-EN.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- Hubbell RACO: [8213 4 in square box, welded, 1-1/2 in deep (spec sheet)](https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8213-SPEC-EN.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- Hubbell RACO: [683SP 4 in square box, drawn, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)](https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-683SP-SPEC-EN.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- Hubbell RACO: [232 4 in square box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (specification sheet)](https://www.plumbingsupplyandmore.com/media/product_pdfs/232_Specification_Sheet.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- Hubbell RACO: [8773 4 in square cover, 1 device, 3/4 in raised (spec sheet)](https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/RACO-8773-SPEC-EN.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- Hubbell RACO: [8670 4 x 2 in handy box, welded, 2-1/8 in deep (spec sheet)](https://hubbellcdn.com/specsheet/8670.pdf) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts
- ABB (Steel City): [52C31 4 in square cover, 1 in raised, tapped ears on 2-23/32 in centres](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) — web — Publisher'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 in](https://empower.abb.com/ecatalog/ec/EN_NA/p/401-CS) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts

## 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.

## Fits with

- [US PVC device boxes (Carlon, Allied Moulded): size, cubic inches, device screw spacing](https://xemstudio.com/objects/device-boxes-us/)
- [US round and octagon ceiling boxes (3-1/2, 4 in): size, cubic inches, fixture screw spacing](https://xemstudio.com/objects/ceiling-boxes-us/)
- [US toggle switch wall plate: outline, opening, screw holes (template)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/wall-plate-toggle-us/)
- [US Decora / GFCI rocker wall plate: outline, opening, screw holes (template)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/wall-plate-decora-us/)
- [EMT conduit sizes: 1/2 to 2 in OD and wall (ANSI C80.3)](https://xemstudio.com/objects/emt-conduit/)
- [Imperial machine screws: #4-40, #6-32, #8-32, 1/4-20](https://xemstudio.com/objects/imperial-machine-screws/)