Alan Gomes
Sustaining Partner
Got it.My shaft is 3/4” (insert Bevis laugh here), and the nut on the packing gland is 1 7/8”.
Well, the shaft diameter is no guarantee about the other dimensions of the packing gland--though it does seem that the other E26's with which I'm familiar have used 1/8" packing. But if your box took 1/8" and you tried to fit in 1/4", you would have had a heck of a time getting it in, which you say you didn't. Conversely, if your box truly takes 1/4", then 1/8" packing should be floppy loose in there and it would leak like a sieve.
Again, if your packing went in with some but not significant resistance, and the packing nut is running cool, I wouldn't worry about it.
How does it seem to be working for you?