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Steel City Gangable Switch Box 2" x 2" x 1/2" Deep Steel Silver 10 Cu In
Professional Electrical Switch Box for Gangable Installations
The Steel City Gangable Switch Box delivers exceptional performance and reliability for electrical switch installations and gangable configurations. This steel electrical enclosure provides dependable electrical solutions designed for professional electricians, contractors, and facility maintenance technicians, offering the proven quality and precision engineering that professionals trust from a leading manufacturer of electrical hardware and industrial components.
Professional Features & Benefits
Superior Construction Performance
- Steel Construction with Silver Finish - Provides exceptional durability and corrosion resistance for long-lasting electrical installations with professional appearance
- Compact 2" x 2" x 1/2" Deep Design - Optimized dimensions for standard switch installations while maximizing space efficiency in wall cavities
- 10 Cubic Inch Volume Capacity - Generous internal space for wire connections and switch device accommodation with proper fill calculations
- Gangable Configuration Design - Allows multiple boxes to be connected together for multi-gang switch installations and expanded electrical configurations
Professional Installation Benefits
- UL E2969 Listed Standards Compliance - Meets rigorous electrical safety standards for code-compliant installations and professional electrical work
- Precision Manufacturing Quality - Steel City's commitment to exact tolerances ensures proper fit with standard electrical devices and mounting hardware
- Professional Grade Materials - Steel construction provides superior strength and durability compared to plastic alternatives for demanding electrical applications
Technical Specifications
Material: Steel construction, Color: Silver finish, Dimensions: 2 inches height x 2 inches width x 1/2 inch depth, Volume: 10 cubic inches capacity, Standards: UL E2969 listed, Product Type: Gangable switch box, Product Group: Electrical Enclosures, Product Subgroup: Boxes, Department: Electrical
Installation & Usage
- Select appropriate wall cavity location ensuring adequate clearance for box dimensions and gangable expansion if needed
- Mark and cut opening to accommodate 2" x 2" box dimensions with proper clearance for mounting tabs
- Position box in wall opening ensuring flush alignment with finished wall surface
- Secure box using appropriate mounting hardware for wall construction type
- For gangable installations, connect additional boxes using proper gangable hardware and maintain alignment
- Install electrical wiring through appropriate cable entry points following NEC guidelines and local electrical codes
Professional Applications
Ideal for:
- Residential Switch Installations - Single and multi-gang switch configurations in homes, apartments, and residential electrical systems
- Commercial Electrical Systems - Office buildings, retail spaces, and commercial facilities requiring reliable switch box solutions
- Industrial Facility Wiring - Manufacturing plants, warehouses, and industrial environments needing durable electrical enclosures
- Renovation and Retrofit Projects - Electrical upgrades and modernization projects requiring compact, reliable switch boxes
- New Construction Electrical - Residential and commercial new builds requiring code-compliant electrical enclosures
- Electrical Panel and Distribution - Switch control applications in electrical distribution and control systems
- Building Automation Systems - Integration with smart building controls and automated electrical switching systems
- Facility Maintenance Applications - Replacement and upgrade installations in existing electrical infrastructure
Steel Construction Advantage
Steel construction provides superior durability and strength compared to plastic alternatives, ensuring long-term reliability in demanding electrical environments. The steel material offers excellent dimensional stability, resistance to impact and deformation, and superior grounding characteristics essential for safe electrical installations. The silver finish provides corrosion resistance and professional appearance while maintaining the structural integrity required for gangable configurations and multi-box installations.
Why Choose Steel City Quality?
Steel City's commitment to precision manufacturing ensures every gangable switch box meets exacting quality standards for professional electrical installations. With rigorous quality control, superior material selection, and comprehensive UL testing, Steel City delivers reliable electrical enclosure solutions trusted by electricians, contractors, and facility management professionals. Our extensive experience in electrical hardware manufacturing provides the engineering excellence and dependable performance required for demanding electrical, industrial automation, building systems, and facility management applications.
Manufacturer Resources
Product Specs
- Number Of Batteries:
- 0
- Package Level 1 Depth Length:
- 18.75 in476 mm
- Package Level 1 Height:
- 5 in127 mm
- Package Level 1 Units:
- 50 piece
- Package Level 1 Width:
- 11 in279 mm
- Package Level 2 Units:
- 2800 piece
- Product Type:
- Switch Box
- Standards:
- UL E2969
- Volume:
- 10 in³
- Department:
- Electrical
- Product Group:
- Boxes & Enclosures
- Product Subgroup:
- Electrical Boxes
- Product Type2:
- Switch Boxes
- Product Size:
- 2 Inches Height x 2 Inches Width x 1/2 inch depth
- Product Color:
- Silver
- Product Material:
- Steel
Steel City 51 – Frequently Asked Questions
1) How many wires and devices will a 10 cubic inch switch box hold?
The Steel City 51 holds 10 cubic inches. Under NEC box fill, a 14 AWG conductor counts 2.00 cubic inches and a 12 AWG counts 2.25, with the device itself counting as two conductors of the largest size present and all grounds together counting as one. In practice that means a single switch with one 14/2 cable in and one out is about the limit. If you need more room for pigtails, smart devices or three-way wiring, gang a second box or move to a deeper box such as the RACO 518S at 2-1/2 inches deep.
2) Is the Steel City 51 switch box only 1/2 inch deep?
The listed size is 2 inches height x 2 inches width x 1/2 inch depth, so treat it as a shallow box. That is the right choice where wall cavity depth is limited, for example furred-out masonry or a wall with blocking behind it. For normal stud framing with a standard switch and a couple of cables, a deeper gangable box like the RACO 518S at 2-1/2 inches deep gives you far more working room.
3) What is the closest equivalent to the Steel City 51 gangable switch box from another brand?
The RACO 517 is the nearest peer in the same construction class - it is a gangable steel switch box in the TIGER GRIP series, so like the Steel City 51 it is a steel box whose sides can be removed to join boxes into a multi-gang assembly. The RACO 517 is designated for old work, meaning it is intended to go into an existing finished wall, while the Steel City 51 is a plain gangable steel box in a silver finish at 2 inches high by 2 inches wide with a 1/2 inch depth dimension and 10 cubic inches of volume. If your application is new rough-in on open studs, the Steel City 51 is the direct steel gangable choice; if you are cutting into drywall that is already up, the old-work 517 is the one to look at.
4) I need more wire volume than 10 cubic inches for a switch box - what should I use instead of the Steel City 51?
Step up to a deeper or larger-volume box. The RACO 518S is a gangable switch box at 2-1/2 inches deep with a STAB-IT connector, which gives you considerably more interior room than the 10 cubic inches of the Steel City 51 while still being gangable steel. If a non-metallic box is acceptable, the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox is a 1-gang thermoplastic switch/receptacle box rated 18 cubic inches. Choose the 518S when you want to stay in steel and keep the ability to gang boxes together; choose the P-181 when a single-gang plastic box with a published 18 cubic inch volume suits the circuit.
5) Is there a non-metallic alternative to the Steel City 51 switch box?
Yes, in two different constructions. The Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a 1-gang non-metallic box made for steel stud framing, and the Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a fiberglass-reinforced 2-gang switch box. Both differ from the Steel City 51 in a way that matters on the job: the Steel City 51 is a steel box, which carries the equipment ground through the enclosure itself, while a non-metallic box requires the grounding conductor to be carried to the device and any ground terminal in the box. The Steel City 51 is also gangable, so single boxes can be joined into a multi-gang run; the EZ20SB is a fixed 1-gang box and the 2302-NKV is a molded 2-gang box, so with either you pick the final gang count when you buy.
6) Which gangable switch boxes look like substitutes for the Steel City 51 but will not drop into the same opening?
The two RACO gangable boxes are the ones to watch. The RACO 518S is gangable steel but is 2-1/2 inches deep, so it needs a deeper wall cavity than the Steel City 51, whose depth dimension is 1/2 inch and whose volume is 10 cubic inches. The RACO 517 is gangable steel as well but is an old-work box, built to grip finished drywall rather than fasten to framing, so it is not an interchangeable rough-in part. Both are gangable steel switch boxes, which is why they read as equivalents on a line item, but depth and mounting method are what decide whether they fit your opening.
7) Is this switch box UL listed for commercial and code-compliant work?
The Steel City 51 carries UL E2969, which is the listing number an inspector or spec reviewer will look for on a steel switch box. That covers residential, commercial and industrial switch applications wired to NEC and local code.
8) Steel or plastic switch box - which should I use for a metal stud or old work wall?
The Steel City 51 is a steel gangable box, so it bonds the raceway or cable armor through the box itself and it will not deform when a device gets torqued down. That is why steel is standard on commercial and industrial jobs. Non-metallic boxes are a different tool: the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a 1-gang non-metallic box made for steel stud framing, and the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox is an 18 cubic inch thermoplastic residential switch and receptacle box. For old work in an existing finished wall, the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP gangable steel switch box is the old work version.
9) Will a standard switch and cover plate fit the Steel City 51?
Yes. The 51 is a 2 x 2 inch gangable switch box, which is the standard single-gang device footprint, so a standard toggle switch, decorator device and matching one-gang plate mount to it. Gang two bodies together and you use a two-gang plate.
10) Do I need a 2-gang box or can I just gang two single boxes?
Either works. Ganging two Steel City 51 bodies gives you a two-gang opening with 20 cubic inches total. A one-piece two-gang box is the alternative, for example the Allied Moulded 2302-NKV fiberglass reinforced 2-gang switch box, which is non-metallic rather than steel. Pick the one-piece box when you want fewer parts at rough-in, and the gangable 51 when the gang count may change.
11) I am wiring a two-gang switch - do I buy two Steel City 51 boxes or one two-gang box?
Either approach works, and they install differently. The Steel City 51 is gangable, so two boxes are joined by removing the mating sides and fastening them together to form a two-gang opening - that lets you decide the gang count at the wall. The Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a molded fiberglass-reinforced 2-gang box, a single one-piece enclosure with no assembly step and no seam between gangs. Ganged steel boxes give you flexibility and a steel enclosure; the one-piece 2302-NKV gives you a fixed two-gang non-metallic box out of the carton.
12) We frame with steel studs - is the Steel City 51 the right box, or is there something better suited?
Look at the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box first for that framing. It is a 1-gang non-metallic box specifically designated as a steel stud box, so its mounting arrangement is built around steel studs. The Steel City 51 is a gangable steel box in a silver finish at 2 by 2 inches with a 1/2 inch depth dimension and 10 cubic inches of volume, and it is secured with mounting hardware appropriate to the wall construction rather than being dedicated to one stud type. Pick the EZ20SB when you want a box matched to steel framing and a single gang is enough; stay with the Steel City 51 when you need a steel enclosure or the ability to gang boxes together.
13) For a facility standard across many switch locations, how does the Steel City 51 compare with the alternatives on code compliance?
The Steel City 51 is a UL E2969 listed steel gangable switch box with 10 cubic inches of volume, which is the figure you use in your NEC box fill calculation when you standardize a device count per box. Among the alternatives, the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox publishes an 18 cubic inch volume for a 1-gang thermoplastic switch/receptacle box, and the RACO 518S is a gangable steel box 2-1/2 inches deep - both give you more fill headroom per box if your standard device makeup is heavy. Standardizing on the Steel City 51 keeps a steel enclosure throughout; standardizing on one of the larger boxes buys volume at the cost of a deeper cavity or a non-metallic enclosure.
14) How many Steel City 51 boxes come in a case?
The standard carton is 50 pieces, and the pallet quantity runs 2800 pieces, which is what a distributor or a large rough-in order would be built around. The 50-piece carton measures 18.75 x 11 x 5 inches.
How fast can I get the Steel City 51 delivered?
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Can I return it if it doesn’t work for me?
Yes—ZenSupply offers a hassle-free return policy. If the product isn’t the right fit,
reach out to our support team for a return authorization or setup a return by following our return instructions.
Does the Steel City 51 come with a warranty?
Absolutely. The Steel City 51 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty.
For full warranty terms, check the product documentation or Contact Us.
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