Thomas & Betts 52171-1234RD Specialty Electrical Boxes

The red finish identifies life safety circuits, which is why this 4 inch square box is used on fire alarm systems. The color is factory applied, so you skip field painting the box to mark the circuit. Many jurisdictions and facility standards want fire alarm boxes visually distinct from power and signal boxes, and a red box out of the carton does that on day one.

Knockouts are on all five faces. The bottom carries three 1/2 inch and two 3/4 inch. Each side has two 1/2 inch and one 3/4 inch, and each end is the same, two 1/2 inch and one 3/4 inch. So you can run 1/2 or 3/4 EMT in from either end, either side, or the back without adding an adapter.

No. The 52171-1234RD is the box body only, sold each. You order the cover separately, and it needs to be a 4 inch square cover matched to what you are mounting, blank, device ring or raised cover. For fire alarm work the cover is usually painted red as well so the assembly stays identifiable. No bracket is included either, so plan on box ears or an independent support.

Both are 4 inch square boxes 2-1/8 inches deep. The Thomas & Betts 52171-1234RD is a drawn steel box with a pre-galvanized finish painted bright red, which is used to identify life safety and fire alarm circuits on sight. The RACO 232MS is a welded 4 inch square box in the STAB-iT Series rated 600V. If the red identification is part of the fire alarm spec, the 52171-1234RD is the one that satisfies it without field painting; for general-purpose branch circuit work the welded 232MS covers the same 4 inch by 2-1/8 inch opening.

Dimensionally yes - the RACO 232MS is also a 4 inch square box 2-1/8 inches deep, so conduit entries and device coverage line up. The functional difference is identification: the 52171-1234RD carries a bright red finish specifically so life safety circuits are identifiable without painting existing fixtures. If the specification or the authority having jurisdiction calls for red boxes on the fire alarm system, substituting a plain galvanized box means painting it in the field.

It is drawn steel with a pre-galvanized base under the red paint. The galvanized substrate plus the bright red topcoat is what T&B calls out for long lasting identification in harsh environments. For genuinely wet or outdoor locations you still need a listed weatherproof enclosure and gasketed cover, since a drawn steel square box is not a raintight assembly on its own.

Yes. The Thomas & Betts 52171-1234RD is a drawn box, formed from a single piece of steel. The RACO 232MS is a welded 4 inch square box, assembled from pieces joined at the seams. Both arrive as a 4 inch square enclosure 2-1/8 inches deep; the 52171-1234RD is steel with a pre-galvanized finish and offers 30.3 cubic inches of volume for conductor fill calculations.

The 52171-1234RD is knocked out generously for conduit: three 1/2 inch and two 3/4 inch on the bottom, plus two 1/2 inch and one 3/4 inch on each side and on each end. That supports multi-run fire alarm pathways entering from several directions. The RACO 232MS is also a 4 inch square box 2-1/8 inches deep in the STAB-iT Series, so compare its entry pattern against your raceway layout before swapping.

No. The 52171-1234RD is listed as not RoHS compliant. If your project specification or an institutional procurement standard requires RoHS documentation on installed materials, this box will not satisfy that line item.