Can't Find the Right 4 Gang Box

[chup]

I've been working on my solar system and it's time to do the AC outlets. I've been searching far and wide (amazon, home depot, alibaba, lowes) to find a 4 Gang Box with a raised ground (see videos/pics) and I cannot for the life of me find it. Can anyone tell me what brand/where to find one of these?
Youtube 'Building a 5.0kWh DIY Portable Power Cart Hand Truck, Start to Finish' by the channel 'LithiumSolar' happens at 10:12

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Website with the 3 boxes side by side: https://www.thespruce.com/electrical-switch-and-junction-boxes-1824666

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My apologies if this post is in the wrong place, I'm still getting to know the forum and I don't fully know my way around yet. If this post should be placed in a different part of the forum, kindly let me know. Thanks!

 

[Texas-Mark]

Is there some reason you need this specific box?

 

[Rider]

I'd try an electrical supply store.

 

[400bird]

Now, I should start by saying I haven't watched the video.

But, why?

If you use a plastic box, you don't need to ground it.

If you use a metal box, the ground on the outlet is (should be) connected internally to the metal mounting ears on the outlet and ground the box for safety. So as you connect the green wire to each outlet you will them be grounding the box.

 

[chup]

Texas-Mark: I wanted to use a metal gang box for my outlets so I could take advantage of the outlet ground (like these). It's my understanding that I cannot take advantage of these outlets unless I have a metal gang box.



Rider: I've tried Home Depot and Bliffert Lumber and Hardware to no avail. I've also been looking online on amazon, alibaba, home depot, and lowes and still no luck. Even googling it doesn't yield any results (other than the one picture that I posted of the three side by side gang boxes)

400bird: Your description of the metal box scenario is the reason that I wanted to use a metal box, but I can't find a metal box that allows me to put a grounding screw into it (the grounding box is flush to the wall, so it doesn't allow any room to screw in a grounding screw from the line's ground). I did have this box (see image below) but I just returned it because it is meant for side mounting, not flush mounting.


Professor Farnsworth: You are correct. Plastic ones seem to be easy to come by. If plastic is my best option, then plastic it is.

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So, putting it all together, it sounds like I should just go with a plastic 4 gang box and ground all of the outlets together via the incoming line ground cable. Final (hopefully) question: why are the screw on the gang box only on one side? See image below:

 

[chup]

To be clear, this is what I thought I needed:

 

[Supervstech]

Now, I should start by saying I haven't watched the video.

But, why?

If you use a plastic box, you don't need to ground it.

If you use a metal box, the ground on the outlet is (should be) connected internally to the metal mounting ears on the outlet and ground the box for safety. So as you connect the green wire to each outlet you will them be grounding the box.

This is incorrect… code SPECIFICALLY states all metal devices in the electrical circuit be individually bonded, and removal of one part not remove the ground…

 

[Rider]

Rider: I've tried Home Depot and Bliffert Lumber and Hardware to no avail. I've also been looking online on amazon, alibaba, home depot, and lowes and still no luck. Even googling it doesn't yield any results (other than the one picture that I posted of the three side by side gang boxes)

Not a big box home store, a real electrical supply store. One that the electrical contractors use.

Isn't there a separate ground screw on the back side of that outlet? If not, get a different outlet with a ground screw. It will get tied to the other grounds and a plastic box is fine.

 

[Supervstech]

To be clear, this is what I thought I needed:
View attachment 63189

All metal boxes will have the grounding provisions.

The 4gang box you picture is designed to screw to a stud on one side… some come with an adjustable bracket to attach to an adjacent stud… but most studs are on 16” centers, so would be difficult to attach without an additional bracket…

 

[Supervstech]

Home Depot search… only reason for a metal box not having a raised grounding location is if it is designed to hang in an attic, and as such can have the screw protrude from the back. All flush mount boxes will have the raised location…

 

[chup]

Just want to say thank you to everyone helping me out right now! I really appreciate the help.

All 4 of my 20amp outlets have the green grounding screw on them. They are all UL listed and from home depot. The first of the four is also GFCI protected and my intention is to configure the chain such that all proceeding outlets are protected by that first GFCI outlet.

Due to the rarity of the metal gang box with a raised ground, I think I'll be going with a plastic gang box.

When I wire everything up, which is better: daisy chaining the connections or pigtailing them with wire nuts?

Thanks again everybody, I owe ya one.

 

[chup]

One gfci and four of the tamper resistant ones

 

[Supervstech]

FYI, what you are searching for is a “handy box” normal 4gang metal boxes expect a mud ring to mount the switches to… handy boxes have the switch mount ears built in.

 

[Rider]

When I wire everything up, which is better: daisy chaining the connections or pigtailing them with wire nuts?

I prefer pigtails, one piece of copper for each device to be grounded, and one for the box if metal. I also don't use wire nuts anymore, I use Wago or Ideal push-connectors. Saves a bunch of space in the box and easier to work with.

 

[Supervstech]

Pigtailing is tricky with 4 devices, be sure you have plenty of room in the box.
Remember… code requires 6” of conductor protrusion for each conductor…

 

[chup]

Would this be passable, assuming all of the connections are minimum 6 inches length?

Also i just noticed the picture I used in this diagram doesn't have the green a ground screw (pic was taken from the web) but my GFCI does have the green screw. Also my GFCI is 20amp, not 15 amp (again, the one that is pictured in the diagram is not the one that I own)

 

[400bird]

This is incorrect… code SPECIFICALLY states all metal devices in the electrical circuit be individually bonded, and removal of one part not remove the ground…

Oops, good catch! I didn't think of code.

If the box isn't in the circuit (but it is metal and needs to be grounded), does it need to be individually grounded? If each outlet was grounded would that suffice as a ground for the box?

 

[Rider]

It would, but you're trying to keep the ground wire intact while cutting the other two legs. Try a test piece to see how tough it will get.

Also, you show a 15A GFI, but 20A outlets.

 

[chup]

It would, but you're trying to keep the ground wire intact while cutting the other two legs. Try a test piece to see how tough it will get.

Also, you show a 15A GFI, but 20A outlets.

My apologies, the diagram doesn't reflect the actual outlets that I own. These are the outlets I will be using:
1x gfci 20amp + 3x 20 amp tamper resistant

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What do you mean when you say, "you're trying to keep the ground wire intact while cutting the other two legs"? What is a better (safer) way to wire the ground wire?

 

[Rider]

What do you mean when you say, "you're trying to keep the ground wire intact while cutting the other two legs"? What is a better (safer) way to wire the ground wire?

Your diagram shows the ground wire as one continuous run from one end to the other with no breaks. But the hot/neutral legs are cut at each device. Not easy to do or manage. You'd have to strip the outer insulation off the 3 wires, cut the hot and neutral, but leave the ground intact, then try to wrap it around the ground lug.

Cut all 3 wires, pigtail the grounds.