junction boxes

[tracyC]

Is the practice of extending non metalic sheathed cable through the sheetrock wiyhout the use of a junction box allowed by NEC? Normaly this is seen behind range hoods, for surface mounted florescent lights and at dish washers.

 

[cpal]

This is also done in ceilings to surface mounted luminairs, I can not see the installation you discribe but it appears to be code compliant .

 

[al hildenbrand]

If the cable is simply there without the hood, dishwasher, etc, then the cable is not terminated, and the installation is not yet complete. The cable has to terminate in a junction box, whether part of the utilization equipment or part of the premises wiring system.

Now, my idea of a "surface mounted fluorescent luminaire", given that you mention the dishwasher and the range hood, causes me to think of the very specific case of an undercupboard luminaire. If this fixture is mounted against the backsplash, and the NMB enters the fixture through the backsplash, then no NMB is exposed.

However, if the luminaire is mounted on the underside of the cupboard away from the backsplash, then part of the NMB will run some distance exposed on the underside of the cupboard between the backsplash and the fixture.

Whether this short length of exposed NMB is protected from physical damage, or not, will be a matter for your local AHJ to decide.