True or False: Kitchen Wiring Question

[JosephBishop]

Do kitchen small appliance circuits need to be discrete from undercabinet lighting? Any exceptions?

 

[jwjrw]

The only things you are allowed to have on a small app. circuit is the dining room and I think a clock is still allowed. So u/c lighting can not be on a small app. circuit.

 

[Volta]

Any exceptions?

Plug and cord . . .

 

[480sparky]

Do kitchen small appliance circuits need to be discrete from undercabinet lighting? Any exceptions?

"Discrete"? Do you men seperate? Or not GFI'd?

 

[charlie b]

Do kitchen small appliance circuits need to be discrete from undercabinet lighting? Any exceptions?

Yes and no, in that order, presuming you are talking about hard wiring the lights.

Plug and cord . . .

I recall a long debate on that question. Has to have been at least two or even three years ago. If you set a table lamp on the kitchen counter (don't ask me why a person would do that), then there is nothing in the code to prevent it from being plugged into a SA circuit's receptacle. If you mount a puck light or "shop light" to the bottom of an upper kitchen cabinet, there was considerable differences of opinion regarding whether the NEC would prohibit plugging it into a SA circuit's receptacle. I seem to recall having sided with the "not a violation" point of view.

 

[JosephBishop]

Excellent information. The particular application under debate would involve hard wiring the LV line.

Sounds like a questionable idea to me, but apparantly this is a gray area?

 

[ceb58]

Excellent information. The particular application under debate would involve hard wiring the LV line.

Sounds like a questionable idea to me, but apparantly this is a gray area?

Not a gray area. From what you have just said " hard wireing" then it is black and white. No 210.52 B 2

 

[electricmanscott]

Excellent information. The particular application under debate would involve hard wiring the LV line.

Sounds like a questionable idea to me, but apparantly this is a gray area?

It can be a gray area just as any code article can be. Unfortunately some are still gray areas even after you read them and think you know them. I don't think this is one of them. Not allowed.

 

[charlie b]

I agree that hard wiring an undercabinet light to an SA circuit is not allowed, and that this is not a gray area at all. The hard wire puts the circuit to the light within the scope of the "premises wiring system." The gray area is when you plug something into a receptacle outlet, especially if that something is attached to a wall or cabinet in such a way as to make it look "permanent."

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I don't really see this as a gray area-- no surprise huh...
Anyway, IMO if those undercabinet lights are attached to the cabinets then they are installed and connected to the circuit. A furnace that is wired with a cord and plug is connected to the circuit provided by the recep. That recep, IMO must meet any of the requirements that may apply for the furnace.

If you tell me the recep. is just there and the furnace can get plugged in anywhere then I would say you haven't wired the furnace and the job is not complete.

The purpose of the recep in a kitchen not being allowed to be connected to lighting loads, or other connections not of the SABC, is quite obvious. We know that the undercabinet lights will be connected to the SABC when provided with a cord. A lamp we have no control over but we do have control over lights install over the counter.

This argument is a bit moot since we usually install a recep. that is switched for the UC lights.