Steel City 54151V Octagonal Box, 1/2" KO, V-Bracket

The V-bracket is a fixed mounting bracket on the side of the box that nails or screws to the face of a stud or joist, setting the box depth for you. It's meant for new construction where the framing is open before drywall or ceiling board goes on. If you're working in an existing finished ceiling with no accessible framing, a bracketed box like this is the wrong choice; you want an old-work or retrofit box instead.

The 54151V handles a straightforward fixture feed, but at 1/2 inch deep it is a shallow box and the fixture canopy has to cover it and its wiring. If you're landing multiple cables, wire nuts, and a fixture pigtail, step up to a deeper 4 inch octagon, 1-1/2 inch deep, which gives you several times the cubic inches to work with. Shallow boxes are chosen when the structure behind simply does not allow depth.

The 54151V is sold as the box itself with its V-bracket. Round or octagon covers, fixture straps, and conduit or cable connectors are separate items, so add the 4 inch octagon cover or fixture strap and the 1/2 inch fittings your wiring method needs to your order.

Two ways to order it: as a single box, part number 54151 V 1/2, or as a 12-pack under 54151V12-12R. Rough-in crews running a tract or a floor of fixtures generally take the 12-packs; service techs restocking a van take singles.