North American-Style Data Panel Mounting Brackets

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › North American-Style Data Panel Mounting Brackets

astubbs

18 posts

Geek

#315242 25-Jun-2024 13:50

Hello everyone,

I've been facing a challenge in finding the right mounting solutions for data panels in drywalls here in New Zealand. Most of the YouTube content I've been watching is based in North America, and they frequently use this thing they call either a:

mud ring
old work box
carlon box
cut-In Box
retrofit box
remodel Box
low voltage mounting bracket

to shape the cut in the wall, and then mount various configurations of front plates.

Here's a link to an example:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Voltage-Mounting-Bracket-Networking-Wires-Black/dp/B0988YLCPX/

I think the main feature of which, are the little arms (wings?) that tighten up against the dry wall on the others side, as you tighten it’s screws. Then you can attach front panels to it.

Here’s one of the many examples of YouTube vid’s where someone uses one:

https://youtu.be/chsZZh-dZRw?si=LjSsTp8Xvhm63ETI&t=347

In my search to find these in New Zealand, I can't find them anywhere. The closest I can find is this half bracket metal clip, which doesn't seem as good. There are a lot of these brackets available on Amazon Australia, but they are either unavailable or sold out in New Zealand.

Wall Plate Single Gang Mounting Bracket:

https://www.rapalloav.co.nz/product/wall-plate-double-gang-mounting-bracket-1623/ (sold out)

This is the closest thing I can find, which seem to do something similar, and is ubiquitous, but seems quite inferior: Plaster board bracket:

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/plaster-board-bracket/p/LT3033

So far in my research, the sorts of responses I've found in response to the question, why don’t we use these?:

You don't really need them because data ports are light.
You should use a bracket that attaches to a wooden framing timber.
Some people just totally not knowing anything like that existed.
We're an island, in the middle of nowhere. (?!)

I'm curious why the practice for mounting data panels into drywalls, specifically ones that don't need to be mounted to a wooden framing timber for support like a power socket, seems to be different in New Zealand. Why does nobody use these sorts of brackets here?

Any insights or suggestions on where to find these or suitable alternatives would be greatly appreciated!

Additionally, I have a separate question about where I can get a decent budget compass for a one off spot finding exercise:

Does anybody know where I can buy a compass? I want a very cheap one, just sort of a one-off thing, in order to do this compass trick to locate a point above the floor, from below.

Here's the link to the compass trick video: Thru-the-floor (or wall) magnet and compass alignment trick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cW0-fia5Hw

It looks like it works really well, but I would expect to pay just a few dollars for such a simple compass. However, my searches online haven't been able to find anywhere.

My next bet is going into a $2 shop on Queen Street or something and seeing if any of those Asian shops have them. Otherwise, Bivouac and Torpedo7 have a pretty decent-looking compass for like $40 or $50, which seems too much to pay for a little, tiny, single-use compass. And yeah, Teemu. I'm trying to avoid ordering something from overseas. I'm trying to see if we can source them in New Zealand.

Thanks in advance!

mdf

3518 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#3253032 25-Jun-2024 14:03

AFAIK, they're called "flush boxes" in NZ. Search for plasterboard or "easy fix" flush box and you will get plenty of examples.

However, you're probably best off going into an electrical wholesaler. They will happily sell you what you need for cash, but their websites are trash (the cynic in me suggests that this makes it harder for customers to check markups...).

richms

28191 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253035 25-Jun-2024 14:16

mdf:

AFAIK, they're called "flush boxes" in NZ. Search for plasterboard or "easy fix" flush box and you will get plenty of examples.

However, you're probably best off going into an electrical wholesaler. They will happily sell you what you need for cash, but their websites are trash (the cynic in me suggests that this makes it harder for customers to check markups...).

They have the full list price on the website to encourage people to buy from their sparky who will gladly tell them that they get 20% off when they really get 70-80% off list.

The easy fix boxes are flimsy as, and have a solid back on them. If you drill out the back of them so that you can have the cat6 and coaxes come straight in, they loose all strength they had and just buckle.

I am yet to see anywhere selling anything like the open back old work boxes here.

But keep in mind that most NZ/AU plates have the places on them for direct fixing to the surface, so if its a single data outlet you will have plenty of room beside the hole it need to put 4 anchors into the wallboard and attach the plate that way (assuming its not already chopped out) - otherwise do it beside a stud and anchor the box to that.

Richard rich.ms

astubbs

18 posts

Geek

#3253036 25-Jun-2024 14:16

Thanks!

So I came across the flush boxes, that look like this:

https://www.mitre10.co.nz/shop/goldair-flush-boxes/p/247777

But they don’t seem to have anything like the wing system of the American style. So I didn’t think it was like for like.

Now the “easyfix flush box” (easy fix) I had not seen. And I see it has a spring of some sort, and specially says it “clips” onto the dry wall. That sounds more like it. I haven’t seen one in person, so I’ll try check it out.

However, I notice that they are not “open back” design like the American ones. I’m looking a 4 to 6 port keystone plate - and not having an open back, I’m concerned about the amount of room available to to the cabling, as to not force a hard corner and cause issues. Thoughts on that?

https://www.kiwisparks.co.nz/products/easifix-flush-box

astubbs

18 posts

Geek

#3253038 25-Jun-2024 14:22

richms:

The easy fix boxes are flimsy as, and have a solid back on them. If you drill out the back of them so that you can have the cat6 and coaxes come straight in, they loose all strength they had and just buckle.

I am yet to see anywhere selling anything like the open back old work boxes here.

But keep in mind that most NZ/AU plates have the places on them for direct fixing to the surface, so if its a single data outlet you will have plenty of room beside the hole it need to put 4 anchors into the wallboard and attach the plate that way (assuming its not already chopped out) - otherwise do it beside a stud and anchor the box to that.

Very interesting. USA has wall board anchors too, but they still seem to all use these mud boxes. So I'm assuming they're a lot more useful / easy / strong / neat than using dry wall anchors.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that they just do it better, and may order a few from Amazon Australia, where they seem to be reasonably priced.

tweake

2391 posts

Uber Geek

#3253039 25-Jun-2024 14:27

i've used the easifix ones many years ago. they are ok. if i remember right you can open up the back a bit.

however the only time i used those was when i had no stud close enough. most of the time i used used normal flush boxes, cut the hole next to the stud, put the box in, up against the stud and use a couple of screws to fix it to the stud.

richms

28191 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253040 25-Jun-2024 15:02

astubbs:

Very interesting. USA has wall board anchors too, but they still seem to all use these mud boxes. So I'm assuming they're a lot more useful / easy / strong / neat than using dry wall anchors.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that they just do it better, and may order a few from Amazon Australia, where they seem to be reasonably priced.

Direct fixing isnt allowed there for the power stuff, so they carry that thinking on to the extra low voltage stuff as well with similar things. Whereas here you can direct fix if the wall is not open at the back for mains, although a lot of kiwi sparkies seem to be scared of it and put flushboxes everywhere still. The pictured plasterboard clip is the normal way of doing it if you don't want to use the 4 holes around the outside of the plate to do it, as when you get up to a 6 gang plate the hole for the keystones is so big that there is no wallboard left for the anchors to go into.

You can use some channellocks to squeeze the 2 metal clips that come forwards to lock it better in place on the wall when you know where its going so it doesnt easily fall off when you are doing up the faceplate. They work fine and is the norm in most installations.

Richard rich.ms

gregmcc

2147 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253091 25-Jun-2024 15:23

35500020

Versi frame work ok - local electrical supplier

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253095 25-Jun-2024 15:52

I've got a pile of the metal brackets and they work fine, if you're in Orkland you're welcome to drop by and grab a few if you want to try them out.

Handle9

11400 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253152 25-Jun-2024 19:39

astubbs:

richms:

The easy fix boxes are flimsy as, and have a solid back on them. If you drill out the back of them so that you can have the cat6 and coaxes come straight in, they loose all strength they had and just buckle.

I am yet to see anywhere selling anything like the open back old work boxes here.

But keep in mind that most NZ/AU plates have the places on them for direct fixing to the surface, so if its a single data outlet you will have plenty of room beside the hole it need to put 4 anchors into the wallboard and attach the plate that way (assuming its not already chopped out) - otherwise do it beside a stud and anchor the box to that.

Very interesting. USA has wall board anchors too, but they still seem to all use these mud boxes. So I'm assuming they're a lot more useful / easy / strong / neat than using dry wall anchors.

I'm starting to come to the conclusion that they just do it better, and may order a few from Amazon Australia, where they seem to be reasonably priced.

There's no reason why the box you have linked would be stronger/better than a c-clip. The gib will fail before the box in each case.

BTW in New Zealand it's Gib or plasterboard not drywall. It's plaster or stopping not mud.

Handle9

11400 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3253154 25-Jun-2024 19:47

mdf:

However, you're probably best off going into an electrical wholesaler. They will happily sell you what you need for cash, but their websites are trash (the cynic in me suggests that this makes it harder for customers to check markups...).

Electrical direct is decent. Their pricing is roughly comparable with a standard trade discount IME.