Featured Terms
Electrical Slang
What do a "bug" and a "cherry" have in common?
They are both electrical slang terms!
Curious about what these and other slang terms mean?
Scroll through our collection of slang terminology used in the electrical industry!
Whether you are an electrician, contractor, or just someone trying to understand what your local electrician is jabbering about, use the glossary to learn trade slang and electrical jargon.
Baffled by a term you just overheard?
Type it in the search box at the top and flip the switch!
4/11/2021
Termed "double sided tape," this has the sticky stuff on both sides and is used to attach lightweight items that will later be screwed into place. It is more for alignment and ease of final installment than for permanent installation when used in the electrical industry.
4/11/2021
Beam Clamps are used to hang objects from some kind of flange. They are attached by tightening a set-screw between the jaw base and the beam flange and come in sizes from 1/4" to 2". The bottom and back are tapped to accept a bolt or threaded rod.
4/11/2021
A hollow, metal, flexible conduit system made of either steel or aluminum. Wires are pulled through them in accordance with NEC 350, 430-123, 502-4, 503-3, 517-30, 645-5. You find this used most often for fixture whips, motor attachments to safety switches, and other short run connections where a flexible system is more suitable than a rigid pipe system.
4/11/2021
Heavy duty, stainless steel, one-piece expansion bolt that works by compressing the side sleeve against the hole made in concrete or stone. Available in sizes ranging from 1/4" x 1-3/4" all the way to 1-1/4" x 12".
4/11/2021
This electrical box is slightly larger than the standard 1900 or 4" box. Called a 5" box because of its 4-11/16" size, it is used for a wide variety of applications where heaver cables are needed or bulky wiring devices require a higher volume box. The part number shown below is only one of many configurations and you need to ask for the size of the knockout (determined by the conduit size) and if the user wants a standard (1-1/2") or a deep (2 1/8") box. This electrical box is usually called a 1900 box because that was the original part number from Bossert almost a hundred years ago. Called a 4" box because of its 4" width, it is the most common box used when a simple switchbox isn't big enough. The part number shown below is only one of many configurations and you need to ask for the size of the knockout (determined by the conduit size) and if the user wants a small (1-1/4"), a standard (1-1/2") or a deep (2 1/8") box. The user also has to specify how it will be mounted: stud ears, etc.
