Kitchen Island Wiring

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

alex399

Member
Hey all....new guy here... My electrician wired up a kitchen island for me, and put a very shallow plastic box in the side of the cabinet, right next to a sliding drawer. There's barely 1/4" between the two. The Romex runs in the narrow space along the rest of the sliding drawer, and then behind it, and finally turns down and disappears into the floor. When the drawer closes, it just barely hits the wire. I know this cant be good, but is it legal? I always thought you had to use a metal box with BX in a kitchen island... Anyone know what code says about this?

Thanks....

Alex
 
L

landelectric

Member
Location
Colorado
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

You are correct Alex, NM cable (romex) must not be exposed to possible "mechanical" damage.

The installation you described is a cheezie one.

Make sure your electrical inspector sees it. If he already passed it, call him back to write it up.

Eric
 
L

landelectric

Member
Location
Colorado
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

National Electrical Code Article 334.15 (B)

Damage from pots and pans and from the drawer motion is probable.

I like to use Surface raceway products (Wiremold)
where space is limited.
 
A

alex399

Member
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

Hmmm... so what does 334.15 say? is BX and a metal box actually required, or does it just say Romex cannot be exposed to mechanical damage.... I know the electrician would tell me there's no danger of damage, and I'd like to reference the NEC when I have him replace with BX.... Thanks again...

Alex
 
L

landelectric

Member
Location
Colorado
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

Have your electrician (if he is one) produce the NEC code for you.

NEC 334.15 (B) says: "The cable shall be protected from physical damage............................................................."

BX is an obsolete product. you might mean to say flex conduit.

How the cable is "protected" is up to the professional electrician. It should look "NEAT AND WORKMANLIKE" per NEC ART. 110.12

Is this new receptacle GFI protected ? It must be.

[ February 24, 2003, 09:50 PM: Message edited by: landelectric ]
 
A

alex399

Member
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

I still call the armored stuff BX... what is the real name for it now? AC? Greenfield? At least you know what I meant. I guess I was wrong.. I thought it was MANDATORY to use the armored cable in an island... He will definitely need to redo the wire, like I said, the drawer does hit it... I'll bring up the wire mold to him. Thanks for the help...

Alex
 
N

Nick

Senior Member
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

Alex,
There is nothing in the NEC requiring the use of MC or AC cable in residential kitchen islands. Perhaps there is a local requirement where you are?

As far as the NEC is concerned the installation sounds code compliant except for the issue of potential damage to the cable. Can it be re routed and secured so the sliding drawers will not hit the cable?
 
T

templdl

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

Whenever I install a outlet in an island or penisula cabinet where the power comes up through the floor and through the bottom of the cabinet I use EMT. I install the EMT from a metal box mounted use for the outlet and extend it through the floor into the lower level or basement. I then and a conduit coupling as a protective bushing on the open end of the conduit to and run the romex cable up through the conduit to the box above. The conduit also allows me to make a transition through a floor when using romex cable.
Also, Most of my installations are in cabinels with only one drawer on top. As such I locate the box lower than the drawer. A multiple drawer can present a space problem.
 
T

templdl

Senior Member
Location
Wisconsin
Re: Kitchen Island Wiring

Luke, For frame type cabinets with one drawer the outlets are about 12" from the top of the countertop. 1-1/2" for the top, 1-1/2 for the top cabinet frame, 5" for the drawer which give you 8" to the bottom of the drawer adding some for a drawer guide if required. So you should end up pretty close to 12" with the outlet.
Frameless cabinets are rare around my neck of the woods and are a different story but but I believe it may still work if there was only one drawer.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top