My wife has a low vision. There is a kitchen outlet she uses a lot to plug in various appliances. She can’t do it without help, but recently, she found a clever device to help her plug in anything. Basically, it is a fatter face place with beveleed edges that will guide the plug into the outlet. However, this device is just a hair thicker at the bolt than a standard face plate, and a standard bolt won’t grab. I found a longer bolt that will mate with the threads provided in an outlet, but…willl a longer bolt touch wires that a standard bolt would be too short to touch?
Basically, I am asking what is behind the center of the outlet where the bolt goes? Would a longer bolt run risk of shock? (The replacement bolt I have is maybe an inch long.) If necessary, maybe I can find a shorter bolt at a hardware store…but just long enough to hold this enhanced faceplate in place.
A couple minutes ago I removed the plate from a 120 VAC outlet and measured the depth of the center hole: it was 3/4 of an inch. And it’s a blind hole. So you should be fine.
There’s no safety issue. Worse case, the screw bottoms out and the plate is loose. In which case you need to use a shorter screw, or shorten the screw w/ a hacksaw.
Seeing that the depth is a maximum of just over 3/4", you should be fine, particularly considering that the faceplate usually creates a gap of its own before the screw gets to the receptacle.
What’s behind that receptacle should all be insulated. The ‘flat’ end of a standard wall plate screw:
Really shouldn’t create any trouble whatsoever.
But that all assumes that your wiring was done to code, and by a competent professional.
Agree with the above comments. As What_Exit said, you can’t be sure some electrician didn’t overstuff the box to the point that a long screw might abrade the insulation, but the chances of that are fairly remote. Take the cover plate off and shine a flashlight into the outlet. If you see a rat’s nest of wire behind the outlet, you may want to rethink things.
More to the point, if there is something in your outlet box that would make a longer bolt dangerous, then it’s already dangerous with the shorter bolt, too.
If you trust whoever did your wiring originally, then go ahead. If you don’t trust whoever did the wiring originally, then hire an electrician you do trust to take a look.
I am a bit surprised that, if this special faceplate is thicker than usual, it didn’t come with its own bolts to hold it in.
Or take off the faceplate and stick a wooden toothpick into the hole where the faceplate screw goes. If the toothpick ‘bottoms out’ (ie, the hole does NOT go through the receptacle), then you’re golden.
I have used other sorts of non-standard faceplates or multi-outlet adaptors that fit in lieu of a faceplate. In every case they’ve come with a screw tailor-made for their additional thickness so the amount that goes into the outlet body is the usual length within whatever the industry standard tolerance is.
I wonder if the OP’s wife with her poor vision lost that piece or never noticed the one package she picked up was missing that part.
Wherever it came from and whatever brand it is, the OP should do some investigation on what the package should have contained.
Note that the exit hole is threaded - it’s to provide a very secure mounting for the wall plate in an industrial application, where someone hitting the outlet with a piece of equipment is likely to damage (crack) a normal outlet.
Engineer here with home electrical experience. Get a fiberglass or nylon screw. I actually have a bag of them on my desk but not the size you need. A bit tongue in cheek. You should be just fine with your slightly longer screw.
I have a couple of older devices that need the USB plug right side up. I take a dot of red nail polish, mark the device and the USB cord. Now I have it right every time. @Jinx because of polarized plugs, that may help your wife. Say, standardize all the plugs with a dot of red on the up side.
Good idea @mixdenny re the nylon screw. Just in case.
I actually have a bag of them on my desk but not the size you need. A bit tongue in cheek. You should be just fine with your slightly longer screw.