Steel City CX Gangable Switch Box, 18 in³ Steel, 1/2 Inch Knockouts

The Steel City CX gangable switch box has 18 cubic inches of volume, which is the fill figure you use for NEC box fill calculations. At 2.00 cubic inches per 14 AWG conductor that works out to nine 14 AWG equivalents before you subtract for the device (2 counts), clamps, and grounds; at 2.25 cubic inches per 12 AWG conductor it is eight. In practice a single switch or receptacle with 12 AWG leaves room for two cables plus grounds.

Gangable means the side plates come off so two or more boxes can be joined into a multi-gang assembly. The CX is a steel gangable switch box sold each, so a two-gang opening takes two boxes removed of their adjoining sides and clamped together. If you would rather buy a single molded two-gang body, the Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a fiberglass reinforced 2-gang switch box.

The knockouts on the CX are 1/2 inch, so they accept 1/2 inch trade size fittings: EMT connectors, flex connectors, and NM cable connectors all in 1/2 inch. The body is steel, so with metal raceway the box is part of the equipment grounding path.

The RACO 518S is the nearest peer: it is also a gangable steel switch box, listed at 2-1/2 inches deep with a STAB-IT series connector. The Steel City CX is a steel gangable switch box with 18 cubic inches of volume and a 3 inch by 2 inch by 3-1/2 inch deep body, so the CX is the deeper of the two. If your conduit or cable entry relies on the 1/2 inch knockouts on the CX, note the 518S is supplied with an integral connector instead.

For a cut-in into existing drywall, the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP gangable steel switch box is the old-work option. The Steel City CX is a gangable steel switch box with 18 cubic inches and 1/2 inch knockouts, sized 3 inches high by 2 inches wide by 3-1/2 inches deep, and is the one to gang up on studs during rough-in. Both are steel and gangable, so you can mix them on the same job and keep the same wiring methods.

The CX is a standard gangable new-work steel box; it mounts to framing, not to drywall. For cutting into an existing finished wall you want an old-work box with retention ears, such as the RACO 517 TIGER GRIP gangable steel switch box, which is made for old work.

The Cantex EZ20SB EZ Box is a 1-gang non-metallic box made specifically for steel stud framing. The Steel City CX is a steel gangable box at 3 inches by 2 inches by 3-1/2 inches deep with 1/2 inch knockouts, mounted by the means you select for the framing. If the spec allows non-metallic and the wall is light-gauge steel stud, the EZ20SB is purpose-built for that condition; if the job requires a metal box or a ganged device bank, stay with the CX.

Either approach works. The Steel City CX is gangable, so two steel CX boxes joined give you a two-gang assembly with 18 cubic inches per gang and 1/2 inch knockouts in each. The Allied Moulded 2302-NKV is a one-piece fiberglass reinforced 2-gang switch box if you would rather set a single factory two-gang unit, though it is non-metallic rather than steel. Ganging CX boxes keeps the whole assembly metal and lets you add a third gang later.

Canada. For agencies with domestic or trade-agreement sourcing requirements, the CX is a Canadian-origin steel box, which matters on government and institutional submittals.

Individually. The selling unit is each, with model CX as the part number, so a property manager restocking a few openings can order the exact count rather than a full carton.