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Installing receptacles in kitchen base cabinets

15K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  chris75 
#1 ·
Hi

I am re-wiring my kitchen and in order to bring it up to code, I need to install a couple of 20A GFCI receptacles on a peninsula section of kitchen base cabinets that extends perpendicular to the wall. The kitchen sink is also in the middle of this section of cabinetry.

I want to put one receptacle box inside the sink base cabinet with the receptacle accessible from the back side of the peninsula.

The other receptacle is tricky. At the end of the peninsula there is a section of cabinet with a stack of drawers. The drawers are not quite as deep as the cabinet so there is about a 3 inch space at the back of the drawers inside the cabinet which could accommodate a box for a receptacle that would also be accessible from the back of the peninsula.

Can anyone see any good reason why I should not do this? Is there anything in the code that would prevent me from installing these?

I assume I could just run BX cable up from the crawlspace through the floor and through the bottom of the cabinets to feed these receptacles.

Thanks
 
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#5 ·
I'd be interested in knowing what the US code is. I will eventually be speaking with an inspector here, but I was wondering if I should even consider trying to put a box in the cabinet space behind the drawers. I have another option for the location of this receptacle, but it is less desirable.

I believe the Canadian code is based on the NEC, so it's probably the same rule in this case. I intend to confirm this before proceeding with the work.
 
#10 ·
Can you put a receptacle inside a cabinet behind the drawers? Sure. If you want to. Will it count? No.
Just for my edification (and maybe the OP's too), why wouldn't it count? Would the receptacle have to be on the end of the peninsula?

Wait, you're not thinking that the OP meant the receptacles would be accessible from inside the cab. behind the drawers, right? :whistling2:

there is about a 3 inch space at the back of the drawers inside the cabinet which could accommodate a box for a receptacle that would also be accessible from the back of the peninsula
 
#11 ·
:)
Haha!

Well, my question was really whether code would allow a receptacle to be mounted in the back of a drawer cabinet (facing outwards of course), and if so, whether there were any good reasons not to. Since this is a 7 ft long peninsula, I intend for it to be on one of the 20A circuits servicing the countertop (there is no wall behind it). I have just done a little research and I believe the code states that the receptacle cannot be lower than 12" below the countertop surface and the countertop overhang cannot exceed 6".

Thanks everyone!
 
#13 ·
I misunderstood the drawer thing...I was thinking you were going to install it IN the cabinet, not through the faceframe accessible from the kitchen.

So...

Yes, a receptacle can be installed in the faceframe of the cabinet, no less than 12" below the countertop, and not under an overhang exceeding 6". That is, if there is no other option to mount it above the counter at a height not exceeding 18".

Some inspectors might make a case for requiring the receptacle to be accessible from the kitchen side, not an adjoining room.
 
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