Under cabinet lighting followup--how to wire?

[Matt Meiser]

We decided to go with some LED lights from Lowes that are direct wire. We have existing an outlet above each section of cabinets two of which will end up inside the new cabinets. These outlets are switched with a wall switch we want to use to control the cabinet lights.

What I'm thinking of doing is wiring the fixtures in each section together with 16/3 cord and then running the cord up to those outlets. Everything would be hidden as much as possible between cabinets or in the back corners with plenty of cable clips to keep it neat. I'd use 90-degree plugs for neatness. Anyone see any problems with this?

I also plan t get some lower intensity lighting for above the cabinets which also will need to go to these outlets.

I really don't want to put holes in the drywall for permanent wiring, especially the longest wall which is an exterior wall.

[phil harold]

Drywall is cheaper than cabinets,
You should be able to fish the wire from where the bottom/ top of cabinet to the box without too much of a mess

[Matt Meiser]

Its not so much cost, more a matter of time and timing. It probably wouldn't be too hard to fish romex straight down through the two interior walls, but the exterior wall would be harder. But to get the wire were its needed for each fixture would also involve cutting a strip of drywall to run horizontally as well which means a lot of patching in what I'm hoping will be a fairly short window where all the cabinets are out. Sure it doesn't have to be super neat because it will be behind the cabinets, but its still time.

If its run in the walls, how are junctions handled? Inside the fixtures? Or home runs back to a single box? Or to they usually just run one wire for the first fixture in a run of cabinets and daisy chain with romex attached under the cabinets?

Guess I need to start snooping under people's cabinets.

[Jefferey Scott]

I'm going to be in the same boat in a few months so I'm interested in this as well. In a friends recent remodel the contractor ran flex metal conduit from fixture to fixture under the cabinet daisy chaining the fixtures. It wasn't LED lighting though. It looked ok but I would want something more stealthy.

[Matt Meiser]

I have to check out how the electrician did my parents too. I vaguely remember wires poking out the walls when we installed the cabinets but I don't remember how many. Only real reason I remember is because the electrician and/or drywall guy missed the end of a cabinet run by about 2" so we had to move one over and they had to come back and fix the drywall and repaint that area.

Where I got my initial idea from is my aunt's kitchen. She has one of the low voltage halogen puck systems and what the electrician did was install an outlet in the top of a cabinet in each run. He then ran the wiring back to those cabinets, installed the transformer in the top back corner and plugged it into the outlet. The wiring runs in the back corner of the cabinets and you don't see it at all. The only reason I know how its done is that I was diagnosing a problem for her with one puck that didn't after replacing a bulb, which turned out to just be a bent pin in the socket.

[phil harold]

Guess I need to start snooping under people's cabinets.

LOL


If you have to make horizontal cuts in the drywall you only need one coat of tape over it or if you want to get fancy use some hot mud. It will be covered by cabinets.
Direct wire lights? with face frame cabinets there s about 3/4" under the cabinet that that you have the wire poke thru then use zip cord to daisy chain them
at least that would work with these lights
http://www.lumens.com/design-pro-led...320615/product

I like to keep the least amount of holes going thru the cabinet keeps critters (ants) out better

[Dan Friedrichs]

I did basically what you are proposing - the small space between the bottom of the cabinet and the bottom of the face frame gives you room for some hidden horizontal wiring, and the spaces between the boxes gives you room to run vertical wires up to outlets at the top. No one can see the outlets at the top.