Steel City CW 1/2 Switch Box

The CW 1/2 is a 14 cubic inch single-gang steel switch box. Box fill is what limits you, and the NEC counts each 12 AWG conductor at 2.25 cubic inches and each 14 AWG at 2.00, with the device counting as two conductors of the largest size in the box. That works out to six 12 AWG or seven 14 AWG including the device and ground allowances. If you are feeding through with a switch plus a pigtailed neutral splice, step up to a deeper or larger-capacity box.

Knockouts. The CW 1/2 comes with standard knockouts, and the CW 1/2 CN has concentric knockouts, which let you open up to a larger trade size by removing successive rings instead of being locked to one hole size. Pick the CN version if you want one box that can take more than one connector size on the job.

The box measures 3 inches height by 2 inches width by 2-3/4 inches depth, with a device width of 50.8 mm. The 2-3/4 inch depth is the number that decides the job: you need that much clear space behind the finished surface, so it will not work in a 2x4 wall furred out shallow or against blocking.

The Steel City CW 1/2 is a single-gang box with one outlet opening. For a two-device opening, the Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a fiberglass reinforced 2-gang electrical switch box. It is a fiberglass box rather than steel, so plan the grounding and cable type accordingly.

The RACO 517 TIGER GRIP gangable steel switch box is the nearest steel counterpart. Both are steel single-gang switch boxes; the Steel City CW 1/2 is a 14 cubic inch steel box, 3 inches high by 2 inches wide by 2-3/4 inches deep, while the RACO 517 is a gangable old-work box, meaning it is intended for installation into an existing finished wall rather than mounted before the wall closes.

The Steel City CW 1/2 is a 14 cubic inch single-gang switch box. If your conductor count calls for more volume in one gang, the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox is a 1-gang thermoplastic switch/receptacle box rated 18 cubic inches. Note the trade-off: the P-181 is thermoplastic rather than steel, so it is used with non-metallic cable rather than as part of a metallic raceway ground path.

Steel is the choice when you are running EMT or MC and need the box itself in the equipment grounding path, and it takes more abuse on a commercial job. Non-metallic boxes are for NM cable work and do not need bonding to the box; if that is your install, the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox is a 1-gang thermoplastic box at 18 cubic inches, and the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a non-metallic 1-gang made specifically for steel studs.

Knockouts are factory-provided, so no drilling. You punch out only the ones you need for your cable connectors or conduit and leave the rest sealed. The CN version uses concentric knockouts if you need a choice of trade sizes at the same entry.

The Steel City CW 1/2 is a surface mounted steel housing, which suits work where the box is set before or outside the finished surface. For cutting into a wall that is already closed, the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP is a gangable steel switch box specified for old work, so it is the more direct fit for that retrofit. Both are steel single-gang switch boxes.

The Steel City CW 1/2 is a surface mounted steel housing with knockouts, mounted vertically. If you are framing in metal studs and want a box designed to attach directly to the stud, the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a 1-gang non-metallic steel stud box built for that application. The EZ20SB is non-metallic, while the CW 1/2 is steel.

Yes, it is a vertical-mount box. The 3 inch dimension runs up and down with the device strap top and bottom, which is the normal orientation for a wall switch or receptacle. Plan your knockout entries with that in mind.

They ship 50 to the carton, which is how most contractors buy them for a rough-in. If you are standardizing switch boxes across a building, ordering in full cartons keeps the same knockout configuration on every opening.

Two non-metallic single-gang options sit alongside the steel Steel City CW 1/2: the Allied Moulded P-181 FlexBox, a 1-gang thermoplastic switch/receptacle box at 18 cubic inches, and the Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box, a 1-gang non-metallic box intended for steel stud framing. The P-181 is the general-purpose residential-style box, while the EZ20SB is the one to pick when the mounting surface is a metal stud.