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Builder left a few blank outlet covers in my garage, opened one of them today trying to see if I can use it for my security camera, saw an empty electrical box behind it. Picture attached below.

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It's a new construction so I'm pretty sure no outlet was installed there. Why my builder left those? Whats the use of them?

Thanks!

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    Is that a conduit leaving the top? Find any conduits above?
    – Tyson
    Jan 1, 2018 at 19:43
  • Is this new construction? Do you have a blueprint you can look at to see what the boxes are for?
    – wallyk
    Jan 1, 2018 at 22:40
  • It looks like conduit so wire could be pulled to ? I knot I know a builder that puts in phony outlets they look real but are spring loaded small hiding places, I don't know where he got the covers but he did purchase them. Not home made as another way to use them.
    – Ed Beal
    Jan 1, 2018 at 23:18
  • stash box, put a dummy switch in it and a cover. Or use it to mount a smart switch for smart light bulbs.
    – Alaska Man
    Jan 2, 2018 at 19:28

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There should be a conduit back to the main electrical panel. California building code now requires garages to have the boxes and conduit installed to provide 240 V 40 A for electric car charging. (Seeing that you live in CA from your profile)

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Without knowing more details, we can only speculate. Since it is so much cheaper and easier to stub-in boxes for future use than to retrofit, I am thinking this box was added for future additional electrical, security or fire protection wires.

You may be able to trace the conduit. If it leads to the electrical panel, then you can use it for a new circuit. If it doesn't, you can use it for either electrical or whatever other uses, like a security camera.

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