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ejfiii
03-28-2005, 08:43 PM
Man, I screwed up. Prewired a Netstreams Musica system about a year ago and showed up today to start install. Well, I totally spaced it when wiring and have 2 three gang boxes wired for a 2 gang Musica keypad and a one gang A/B switch. Well, smart guy that I am totally didn't think about a cover plate for this application. I called Netstreams and they said the musica keypad isn't even sized for a two gang decora hole. So I need a totally customized three gang cover plate - anyone have a source for something like that?

Only other option as I see it is more drywall repair and separating the switches which I dont want to have to do from an asthetic perspective.

Thanks in advance for any help.

E. J.

mr2channel
03-28-2005, 10:16 PM
I would say sheetrock and patch would look better, but if you are in a pinch and must cover the triple gang, get a triple gang decora cover and use the blank decora inserts from parts express (.10 cents each) and you should be good to go. A real good patch trick I learned was/is called a hot patch, lets say you have a hole that is 6" square, take a 12" square piece of sheetrock and remove 3" of rock all the way around the 12" square, but leave the paper so on the front side you still see 12" of patch, but on the back side you have 6" of sheetrock with 3" of paper all the way around. Take some joint compound and put it all over the backside of the 3" of paper all the way around, and slap that jimmy in the 6" hole, work the excess joint compound out, smooth up the edges, let it dry, give a light sand, prime, paint, and grab a beer, cause you are done.

Jerry
03-28-2005, 11:00 PM
I would say sheetrock and patch would look better, but if you are in a pinch and must cover the triple gang, get a triple gang decora cover and use the blank decora inserts from parts express (.10 cents each) and you should be good to go. A real good patch trick I learned was/is called a hot patch, lets say you have a hole that is 6" square, take a 12" square piece of sheetrock and remove 3" of rock all the way around the 12" square, but leave the paper so on the front side you still see 12" of patch, but on the back side you have 6" of sheetrock with 3" of paper all the way around. Take some joint compound and put it all over the backside of the 3" of paper all the way around, and slap that jimmy in the 6" hole, work the excess joint compound out, smooth up the edges, let it dry, give a light sand, prime, paint, and grab a beer, cause you are done.
I think you missed your calling!

Shadowman68
03-29-2005, 12:13 AM
Sounds like that hot patch comes in handy when you shoot a golf ball through the net in your garage.
Leviton makes a decora single gang blank insert. Part#80414.
One of my wholesales just got in Pass and Seymore, they have a great decora wallplate. Its slightly oversized and damn near indestructable. I was sort of hesitant to go with it, but I dont know how many times I have been spared the process of filling holes because the jockey on the roto-zip got a little crazy. Plus you will never reach in your box and grab that last wall plate only to find out its cracked or chipped. They are not as shiny as the leviton but I think its something I can live with.

AHEM
03-29-2005, 01:58 AM
I'm getting way off topic, but I have a pet peave about how many damn sizes, colors and finishes there are to electrical plates.

Standard, Midi, P&S Trademaster, Jumbo

White, Ivory, Almond, Light Almond

Shiny, Not So Shiny, Not at All Shiny, Very Shiny.

My plate box is beginning to look like the United Nations.

Kelly
03-29-2005, 09:01 AM
I'm getting way off topic, but I have a pet peave about how many damn sizes, colors and finishes there are to electrical plates.

Standard, Midi, P&S Trademaster, Jumbo

White, Ivory, Almond, Light Almond

Shiny, Not So Shiny, Not at All Shiny, Very Shiny.

My plate box is beginning to look like the United Nations.

I hear you!

I've taken to having a phone conversation with the builder/super/electrician about colors before ordering the finish items just for this reason.

Still seems to be a problem.

Lots of white keypads with almond decora plates lately..... :lol:

Nobody wants to pay for an upgrade so it'll all match.

BlakeAV
03-29-2005, 10:17 AM
This may be a day late and a dollar short but Panel Crafter (division of Liberty Cable) will build just about any plate configuration you need. We built a custom application for them to provide to there client base so you could design a panel or plate and email it to them to build.
If anyone needs a contact at Liberty then drop me an email and I’ll see what I can dig up for you.

Theaterworks
03-29-2005, 10:56 AM
I'm getting way off topic, but I have a pet peave about how many damn sizes, colors and finishes there are to electrical plates.

Standard, Midi, P&S Trademaster, Jumbo

White, Ivory, Almond, Light Almond

Shiny, Not So Shiny, Not at All Shiny, Very Shiny.

My plate box is beginning to look like the United Nations.

I hear you!

I've taken to having a phone conversation with the builder/super/electrician about colors before ordering the finish items just for this reason.

Still seems to be a problem.

Lots of white keypads with almond decora plates lately..... :lol:

Nobody wants to pay for an upgrade so it'll all match.

I've taken to saying in BIG BOLD LETTERS on my scope of work docs that I supply Leviton plates in whatever finish they want. I've found that time after time the electrician supplied an outlet from another brand that does not quite match the ivory or almond that I can get from any supplier, and (guess what) I take the blame as the guy that supplied plates that "were the wrong color". Now that I've settled on Leviton and say so right up front and always, the builder can and does turn quickly to the electrician and ask them what brand they used. Funny difference, though; I've never seen an electrician change the outlets once the blame falls on them.

Kelly
03-29-2005, 04:40 PM
I can say I have seen the electrician be made to change the switches and outlets. But only when the customer wanted almond instead of white, or vice versa. But you are right, as a rule they generally won't do it.

My main warehouse is two blocks from one of the bigger electrical supply houses, so it's easy for me to get P&S, Leviton or other brand Decora plates for a trim out, so things all match.

But when it comes to the actual keypads I will not change them to a new color without a pretty serious upcharge. It's just to dang labor consuming.

ejfiii
03-29-2005, 06:26 PM
Well guys, interesting discussion. Thanks Blake for the panel crafters recommendation - I knew I had heard of someone that makes custom plates. But this time I took the easy way out as the drywall/painter was at the house doing a bunch of patching, so I moved the a/b switches below the keypads.

Thanks to all.

Shadowman68
03-29-2005, 06:29 PM
I find that black in any line is very difficult to get. I ordered a dozen or so wall plates from Leviton with 4 and 6 port inserts, took 3 weeks to get in. Oddly enough, most of the snap in jacks and modules only come in white, eg. binding post, s-vid, rca, bnc, banana jacks or RCA-110. You can get 256 different colors of Cat5 snap in jacks though. I tend not to worry about the sparkies and what they are putting in. Usually Im in before them, so if they dont match me I never hear about it.

Crazyone
09-12-2005, 07:59 AM
IF you dont want a patch, you can have a custom plate made with lutron. They actually cnc custom plates, BUT its rather expensive as you have to pay a setup charge, pay for the plate. ive had a few made for some specialty installs, but as someone else mentioned just have it patched, cheap !

B randon