Thomas & Betts CXWOW 3x2x3-1/2 In Gangable Switch Box, Steel, 18 in³

The CXWOW is an 18 cubic inch box. Box fill is calculated from that volume, so an 18 in3 steel box supports a single device plus the conductors and clamps counted against it. If you are stacking two devices in one opening, gang a second box to it rather than overfilling this one.

Yes. The CXWOW is a gangable box, so the side plates come off and you can bolt additional boxes together to build a 2-gang, 3-gang or wider opening. Each added box brings its own 18 cubic inches of volume with it.

Two options we carry in the same gangable steel family: the RACO 518S at 2-1/2 inches deep, which also includes a STAB-IT connector, or the Steel City Adjust-A-Box LXWOWC-25, a 1-gang gangable box in pre-galvanized steel whose depth adjusts after mounting.

The RACO 517 TIGER GRIP gangable steel switch box is the nearest like-for-like alternative: both are steel gangable switch boxes that can be ganged together for multi-device openings. The CXWOW is a 3 x 2 x 3-1/2 in. box with 18 cubic inch capacity in steel with mounting ears, while the RACO 517 is an old-work box, meaning it is intended for installation into an existing finished wall rather than nailed to a stud before drywall. If the device is going into new framing, the CXWOW with ears is the straightforward pick; if you are cutting into existing drywall, the 517 is the one to quote.

Look at the RACO 518S gangable switch box, which is 2-1/2 in. deep. That is a full inch shallower than the 3 x 2 x 3-1/2 in. CXWOW, which helps when insulation, blocking, or a plumbing wall is behind the device location. The 518S also comes with a STAB-IT connector built in, so the cable is terminated at the box without a separate clamp. Note the trade-off: a shallower box holds less conductor volume than the CXWOW's 18 cubic inches, so recount your box fill before you swap.

Yes. The Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox is a 1-gang thermoplastic switch/receptacle box rated 18 cu. in., matching the CXWOW's 18 cubic inch capacity. The difference is construction and bonding: the CXWOW is steel, so the box itself is part of the equipment grounding path and accepts metal raceway, while the thermoplastic P-181 requires the ground to be carried through the wiring. The P-181 is also described as a residential box and is not gangable, so it will not build out a multi-device opening the way the ganged CXWOW will.

Both are 1-gang gangable steel switch boxes from Thomas & Betts. The LXWOWC-25 is a Steel City Adjust-A-Box in pre-galvanized steel, with an adjustable design that lets you set the box position relative to the finished wall surface after the box is mounted. The CXWOW is a fixed 3 x 2 x 3-1/2 in. box with 18 cubic inches of volume and mounting ears, so its depth relative to the stud is set when you fasten it. Choose the Adjust-A-Box when the finished wall thickness is uncertain or varies; choose the CXWOW when the wall assembly is known and you want a straightforward ear-mounted box.

The Thomas & Betts CXWOW is the metallic choice in that comparison. It is a steel switch box carrying UL E2969, with 18 cubic inches of volume for box fill calculations. Of the alternatives, the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP and the Steel City LXWOWC-25 Adjust-A-Box are also steel gangable switch boxes and would satisfy a metallic requirement. The Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is fiberglass reinforced, the Allied Moulded P-181 is thermoplastic, and the Cantex EZ20SB is non-metallic, so none of those three meets a metallic-box spec.

3 x 2 x 3-1/2 inches, with the 3-1/2 inch depth being the deepest of the common single-gang steel switch boxes. That depth needs a stud bay clear of blocking or plumbing behind the drywall line.

Steel. A metal box becomes part of the equipment grounding path once bonded, so the ground conductor lands on the box as well as the device. Non-metallic boxes like the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox or the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box carry no bonding requirement, but they also will not accept metal raceway.

The CXWOW mounts by its ears to a stud face, which works on wood or metal framing as long as you can screw into the stud. For steel studs specifically, boxes built for that framing, such as the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box steel stud box, clip to the stud instead of being screwed to it.

The CXWOW is a 3 x 2 x 3-1/2 in. steel gangable switch box with mounting ears, which is the configuration used where you can fasten to accessible framing. For a retrofit into closed drywall where there is no exposed stud face, the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP is built as an old work box and is the better match for that condition. If you are opening the wall anyway or working in new construction, the CXWOW is the appropriate box.

The CXWOW is a gangable steel switch box with mounting ears, which assumes you are fastening to framing or to the finished surface. For steel stud work specifically, the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a 1-gang non-metallic box designed for steel studs, so the mounting method is matched to the framing instead of adapted to it. Keep in mind that the EZ20SB is non-metallic, so it will not serve as part of the grounding path and will not take metal conduit the way the steel CXWOW does.

You can. The CXWOW is gangable, so two of them can be joined to build a 2-device opening in steel. If you would rather set a single factory 2-gang box, the Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a fiberglass reinforced 2-gang switch box, which arrives as one piece with no sides to remove and no gang screws to chase. The difference that drives the decision is material: the 2302-NKV is fiberglass reinforced, while the CXWOW is steel and bonds as part of the grounding system. Ganging CXWOW boxes also lets you add a third or fourth device later without changing boxes.

Each. The CXWOW is priced and shipped as a single box, so you can buy the exact count a job calls for rather than a full carton.