Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Under Cabinet lighting

Where do you hide (or where do you run) the wires that come from each undercabinet light? I was looking at the SeaGull ones that can recess in 3/4 inch material of the cabinet. Do the wires go into the inside of the cabinet or stay outside? How do you properly (and visually pleasing) run the romex out of the wall and attach to the lights? Would you just punch a hole through the drywall under the cabinet or add a box that is seen inside the cabinet?

thanks for the help. Any pictures would be a bonus!

Josh

The Romex is roughed in such that it will come through a hole in the wall just below the bottom of the cabinet. We usually run rough-in about 2" higher than the expected height, which allows the cabinet installer to cut a little slot in the drywall to move the Romex to the exact location as the cabinets are installed.

If there are gaps in the cabinetry such that more than one feed will be required, all of that is run in the wall before the drywall goes on.

When it comes time to install the fixtures, you feed the fixtures through the knockout in the back. Make the connections and then push the fixture all the way back flush with wall to hide the Romex. Fasten the fixture to the underside of the cabinets as normal.

Thanks for the reply, but I didn't quite understand that. So does the wire from the fixture go through the bottom of the cabinet?

Thanks for the reply, but I didn't quite understand that. So does the wire from the fixture go through the bottom of the cabinet?

No, it goes through the wall just under the cabinet.

Thanks for the clarification. So what prevents people from seeing the wiring, a trim piece that goes under the face of the cabinet?

Since this type of fixture comes with a pigtail, you can use a thin wiremold "J" box and connect them there.

You can use a plant-on or false cabinet bottom as a method of hiding the conductors.

Thanks for the clarification. So what prevents people from seeing the wiring, a trim piece that goes under the face of the cabinet?

You push the fixture back against the wall before you screw it to the cabinet. The excess Romex goes in to the wall when you push the fixture back.

But:

Those instructions are for fixtures like fluorescents that have an overall case. Which sort of fixture are you proposing to use?

I was thinking of using the hockey puck type. So the long flourescent type are pushed all the way back to the wall? That would solve the problem of hiding the wires. Seems like the round individual lights would be more of a wire mess.

Josh,

Which Seagull UC lights are you looking at? Where are you mounting the transformer? I normally use the Ambiance series.

I have the carpenter drill a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the cabinet in the hanging strip to bring the NM-B cable through. I mount a 3/4" deep Wiremold box to the outside bottom of the cabinet and splice into the Ambiance cable.

If you have deeper cabinets, or a more narrow, like a T-2 fixture, if you push it all the way back to conceal the wiring, it won't be in the center of the cabinet.

In that case, use the wiremold box and make the connection there. The boxes are thin and since most newer cabinets have a 1" or so lip, you'll never see it. IF course if you look up for the bottom you will, but it's a nice neat package at least.

Thanks for all the replys. I think something of this nature will be a bit neater looking: (I'm a neat freak)

http://www.brodwax.com/xenon.html

Careful - the website includes this note:

"Note: The Xenon Minibar's can not be hard wired".

What this means is that the only proper way to connect these fixtures is to plug them in to a wall socket. The cord can not be run through a cabinet or in a wall; both of these are code violations.

If the kitchen is small and the cabinet run unbroken, you might be able to get by with only one cord hanging down. In a typical kitchen however, you are going to have cords hanging down all over the place.