Metallics TP224SFC Screws 8-32 x 1/4 FH Star Pin TR MS 18-8 (100 pcs)

A pin-in-star (pin-in-Torx) bit. The TP224SFC head is a six-lobe star recess with a solid post in the center, so a standard Torx bit will not seat on it, only a pin-in-star bit with a matching hollow tip. Order the bits with the screws if your techs do not already carry them, otherwise the fasteners cannot be installed or removed in the field.

That is what they are for. 8-32 is the thread used on wiring device and switch plate mounting, so an 8-32 x 1/4 inch flat head drops into the same tapped hole as a conventional plate screw, and the pin-in-star recess means a flat blade or Phillips driver will not back it out. Check your existing screw length first: 1/4 inch is short, so if your plate or device stack needs more thread engagement you want a longer 8-32 tamper screw instead.

18-8 stainless is the material here, which is the common 300-series austenitic grade used for general corrosion resistance in wet and outdoor locations. It resists rust far better than plated carbon steel, so it suits exterior device plates, pool and marina enclosures, and washdown areas. For salt-spray or chloride-heavy coastal exposure, 316 stainless is the step up.

Flat head, as supplied on the TP224SFC, is for a countersunk or chamfered hole and finishes flush with the surface. If your plate or cover has a flat, uncountersunk hole, a flat head will sit proud and will not seat evenly, so an oval or pan head is the better pick there.

100 pieces per box. That is a practical count for standardizing tamper-resistant cover screws across a building, since one box covers roughly 50 duplex plates at two screws each or 100 single-screw devices.