Possible to attach an external electrical box to an old work box?

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I have an old work box occupied by 6 ethernet keystones and the corresponding wall plate. I want to use a branching raceway to hide the ethernet patch cables coming out of the wall. But without other accessories, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable, because raceways generally attach to the sides of external boxes, not in-wall boxes. Is there an external box that can attach to my old work box, perhaps via the old work box’s wallplate mounting screw sockets?



I want the patch cables to remain plugged into the old work box’s keystones, run through the back of the external box (is there space to pass through terminated patch cables or must I cut a hole into the back of the external box?), out the side of the external box directly into the connected raceway. Is this possible?



Without an external box, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable (uglier) and creates another insect entry point via this open end of the raceway.



Without an old work box, having just an external box loses the flexibility to remove the external box (without redoing the punch-down termination for the wires) in case I find it cramps walking space. (And would this require wall repair for the hole left over from the old work box or would the external box’s back seal it?)



Drilling holes from the attic to route ethernet cables and separately move each keystone closer to its destination to shorten each patch cable run is out of the question.










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    I have an old work box occupied by 6 ethernet keystones and the corresponding wall plate. I want to use a branching raceway to hide the ethernet patch cables coming out of the wall. But without other accessories, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable, because raceways generally attach to the sides of external boxes, not in-wall boxes. Is there an external box that can attach to my old work box, perhaps via the old work box’s wallplate mounting screw sockets?



    I want the patch cables to remain plugged into the old work box’s keystones, run through the back of the external box (is there space to pass through terminated patch cables or must I cut a hole into the back of the external box?), out the side of the external box directly into the connected raceway. Is this possible?



    Without an external box, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable (uglier) and creates another insect entry point via this open end of the raceway.



    Without an old work box, having just an external box loses the flexibility to remove the external box (without redoing the punch-down termination for the wires) in case I find it cramps walking space. (And would this require wall repair for the hole left over from the old work box or would the external box’s back seal it?)



    Drilling holes from the attic to route ethernet cables and separately move each keystone closer to its destination to shorten each patch cable run is out of the question.










    share|improve this question























      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite









      up vote
      2
      down vote

      favorite











      I have an old work box occupied by 6 ethernet keystones and the corresponding wall plate. I want to use a branching raceway to hide the ethernet patch cables coming out of the wall. But without other accessories, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable, because raceways generally attach to the sides of external boxes, not in-wall boxes. Is there an external box that can attach to my old work box, perhaps via the old work box’s wallplate mounting screw sockets?



      I want the patch cables to remain plugged into the old work box’s keystones, run through the back of the external box (is there space to pass through terminated patch cables or must I cut a hole into the back of the external box?), out the side of the external box directly into the connected raceway. Is this possible?



      Without an external box, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable (uglier) and creates another insect entry point via this open end of the raceway.



      Without an old work box, having just an external box loses the flexibility to remove the external box (without redoing the punch-down termination for the wires) in case I find it cramps walking space. (And would this require wall repair for the hole left over from the old work box or would the external box’s back seal it?)



      Drilling holes from the attic to route ethernet cables and separately move each keystone closer to its destination to shorten each patch cable run is out of the question.










      share|improve this question













      I have an old work box occupied by 6 ethernet keystones and the corresponding wall plate. I want to use a branching raceway to hide the ethernet patch cables coming out of the wall. But without other accessories, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable, because raceways generally attach to the sides of external boxes, not in-wall boxes. Is there an external box that can attach to my old work box, perhaps via the old work box’s wallplate mounting screw sockets?



      I want the patch cables to remain plugged into the old work box’s keystones, run through the back of the external box (is there space to pass through terminated patch cables or must I cut a hole into the back of the external box?), out the side of the external box directly into the connected raceway. Is this possible?



      Without an external box, this will leave a few inches of exposed patch cable (uglier) and creates another insect entry point via this open end of the raceway.



      Without an old work box, having just an external box loses the flexibility to remove the external box (without redoing the punch-down termination for the wires) in case I find it cramps walking space. (And would this require wall repair for the hole left over from the old work box or would the external box’s back seal it?)



      Drilling holes from the attic to route ethernet cables and separately move each keystone closer to its destination to shorten each patch cable run is out of the question.







      electrical drywall mounting ethernet old-work






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          Consider surface mount boxes.
          surface box
          These are designed for line current, but are fine for low voltage. Just swap out your connectors and faceplates. They can mount over an existing old work box and have side access for raceways. Usually they require the same brand raceway to align properly.



          Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.






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            1 Answer
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            active

            oldest

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            1 Answer
            1






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            3
            down vote



            accepted










            Consider surface mount boxes.
            surface box
            These are designed for line current, but are fine for low voltage. Just swap out your connectors and faceplates. They can mount over an existing old work box and have side access for raceways. Usually they require the same brand raceway to align properly.



            Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.






            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              3
              down vote



              accepted










              Consider surface mount boxes.
              surface box
              These are designed for line current, but are fine for low voltage. Just swap out your connectors and faceplates. They can mount over an existing old work box and have side access for raceways. Usually they require the same brand raceway to align properly.



              Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.






              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                3
                down vote



                accepted







                up vote
                3
                down vote



                accepted






                Consider surface mount boxes.
                surface box
                These are designed for line current, but are fine for low voltage. Just swap out your connectors and faceplates. They can mount over an existing old work box and have side access for raceways. Usually they require the same brand raceway to align properly.



                Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.






                share|improve this answer












                Consider surface mount boxes.
                surface box
                These are designed for line current, but are fine for low voltage. Just swap out your connectors and faceplates. They can mount over an existing old work box and have side access for raceways. Usually they require the same brand raceway to align properly.



                Images and links are for illustration only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 1 hour ago









                bib

                30.7k85290




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