Power strip in a drawer.

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marcerrin

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Have a customer that wants power in a drawer for phone chargers, and dog collar chargers. So the power outlets have to be mounted in the drawer, which is obviously a little more difficult due to the fact that the drawer moves in and out. The drawer is the top drawer of three, with about 1" of clearance behind the drawers. A receptacle behind the drawer is unacceptable, because they plug the chargers in and out on a regular basis.
I've done this a couple different ways in the past, but thought I'd run it past some others to see if there were any better ideas out there.

P.S. Money is not a huge issue, and this is a finished kitchen.
 
Outlet behind drawers with a strip in the drawer with a flat plug. Or the same and cut the drawers down - well have a cab man do it, otherwise tough shinola. Sorry sick of bad ideas becoming the norm for installations being designed by non-electricians, and being forced to become the magician.:mad:
 
Somebody makes a power strip with a short coiled cord. I've bolted one on in the past in a vanity drawer for hair dryers and curling irons and such. I have no idea who makes it, as it was customer supplied. It plugged into a receptacle that I installed in the back of the vanity, behind the drawer.
 
Relocatable power taps have limited uses. See UL - XBYS.

This category covers relocatable power taps rated 250 V ac or less, 20 A or less. They are intended for indoor use as relocatable multiple outlet extensions of a single branch circuit to supply laboratory equipment, home workshops, home movie lighting controls, musical instrumentation, and to provide outlet receptacles for computers, audio and video equipment, and other equipment. They consist of one attachment plug and a single length of flexible cord terminated in a single enclosure in which one or more receptacles are mounted. They may, in addition, be provided with fuses or other supplementary overcurrent protection, switches, suppression components and/or indicator lights in any combination, or connections for cable, communications, telephone and/or antenna.

Relocatable power taps are intended to be directly connected to a permanently installed branch circuit receptacle. Relocatable power taps are not intended to be series connected (daisy chained) to other relocatable power taps or to extension cords.

Relocatable power taps are not intended for use at construction sites and similar locations.

Relocatable power taps are not intended to be permanently secured to building structures, tables, work benches or similar structures, nor are they intended to be used as a substitute for fixed wiring. The cords of relocatable power taps are not intended to be routed through walls, windows, ceilings, floors or similar openings.

Relocatable power taps have not been investigated and are not intended for use with general patient care areas or critical patient care areas of health care facilities as defined in Article 517 of ANSI/NFPA 70, "National Electrical Code."
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Having read similar posts, I am becoming aware that you cannot run a cord through a finished wall, so I hate to admit, and I ask for the reference, but in past I have run an SO or SJ cord from the countertop receptacle about 6" down and through the wall and attatched to a receptacle mounted in a shallow box in the rear of the drawer. I did so because of the flexability of the cord as well as the physical protection of the conductors. Are cords allowed within a short distance, or completely forbidden?

Edit: One of the reasons for this install was not having the room between the drawer and the cabinet wll for a cord plug that did not threaten the cord plug when drawer was opened and closed.
 
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360, I don't think I'm picturing your description very well. Are you saying that the cord is terminated in the countertop receptacle outlet, stapled to the stud behind the drywall, and then emerges from the drywall inside the cabinet?

I'd say that's a violation of 400.7(B) (if applicable) and 400.8(1).
 
georgestolz said:
360, I don't think I'm picturing your description very well. Are you saying that the cord is terminated in the countertop receptacle outlet, stapled to the stud behind the drywall, and then emerges from the drywall inside the cabinet?

I'd say that's a violation of 400.7(B) (if applicable) and 400.8(1).
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Am I under oath here?, Um, yeah, that was me on the night in question. :roll: One I never caught onto before hand.
 
The way I normally do it is cut a notch in the back of the drawer and have a surge protected plug strip (with a 90 cord attachment plug) into a receptacle mounted horizontally behind the drawer. I just thought I'd pick others brains to see what others were doing.
bphgravity, running SO, extension cord, or part of a surge protector through any finished wall, was never a consideration. Thanks for the code referance anyways.
 
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