i am originally from the midwest and always called 4 squares 1900 boxes, but once i moved found out nobody knew what i was talking about out here in the westcoast so where did 1900 come from? catalog # or something?

just curious been years since i heard that term?

i know its not a code question but had to ask after reading it in a posting.

h20

My understanding is that the box is 19.00 cubic inches.

Dave

watersparkfalls:

Tiger:

I used to think that they were 19 cu.in., but looking at Table 314.16(A) Metal Boxes you soon discover that NO box is 19 cu.in.

Maybe it was a model # ?

PS: on the East Coast, we still call a 4" box 1900 boxe....and 4 11/16" are called 5" boxes

Uh, guys, OK, my grandfather (Yeah, THAT'S the ticket) told me that it used to be a RACO catalog # 1900, but uh, uh, I never saw that...yeah, that's right.

From tradeslang.com
"This electrical box is usually called a 1900 box because that was the original part number from Bossert almost a hundred years ago"

George Corron:

Is that story you're sticking to Gramps?
LOL

Raising right hand and saying "I believe".

THAT is my story. Dang, it's so cloudy in here I can't see my own cataracts.

Steele City used the same catalog # for a good while....or so I hear!!!

wow..you can still hear?

LOL

Celtic,
Ya MIGHT call 'em 5" boxes in Joisy, but a 4 11/16" box in DC is an 11B

Guess what the RACO # used to be? Again I do believe Steele City was just as bad, just whoever you're supplier was dealing with at the time.

And BTW........ I HEARD that!!!!

Back in the 70's I worked for a guy the called the boxes 1900 boxes and called the raised covers:
* 19T = single toggle
* 19TT = double toggle
* 19D = single duplex
* 19DD = double duplex
* 19TD = toggle and duplex

Stuck in my head all these years.
When I make a material list I always use these numbers. My shorthand.
Can't order them that way. No one knows what you are talking about.

I call the 4 11/16"s "2100 boxes". Anyone else?

Here in Maryland it's
4 square box = 1900 box
4 11/16 box = 11B box
octagon box = 8B

4 square box = 1900 box
4 11/16 box = 11B box
octagon box = 8B

That's exactly what I learned in SW Pa. in the late 70's. Do you also refer to "deep 1900s" for > 1-1/4" ?
Joe

4 inch square - 1900 box
4 11/16 - 4&11 box

4 square box = 1900 box
4 11/16 box = 11B box
octagon box = 8B

Same in the Chicagoland marketplace

Indeed, here in NYC we call them:

4 square boxes: 1900 boxes
4 11/16" boxes: 5x5 boxes
octagon boxes: round boxes