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enter image description hereWe are owner/builders of a new construction house. We installed power under the cabinets for an outlet strip and then a light box. Except I completely missed - until now - that the electrician missed one cabinet despite it being on the plans. New cabinets are up, subway tile backsplash to bottom of cabinet is installed, insulation is in all the walls and attic. I will talk with the electrician but wanted to know for myself if there is any way to still get power to this new cabinet. I don’t even care about putting the outlet strip there but would like to get the light box so it looks correct when all the lights are on.

Unfortunately the new cabinet is in between the gas stove and the refrigerator. There is power to the cabinet on the left of the stove, this one is on the right.

The wall directly behind the cabinet is a tiled shower wall. Behind the cabinet that has power is a back closet wall.

Wouldn’t we be able use the power on the left side to go up through the cabinets and come back down on the right side?

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  • Without knowing how the cabinets are connected together, it will be hard to advise. Getting power to it is possible. If it is simple and easy or difficult and hard requires pictures, or even better a person there to see everything.
    – crip659
    Commented May 3 at 14:56
  • Thank you! I will get some pics and info and edit my question.
    – Kelli Castillo
    Commented May 3 at 15:03
  • Is the cabinet that is missing power next to/attached to a cabinet that has power?
    – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
    Commented May 3 at 15:06
  • Unfortunately it is in between the gas stove and the refrigerator. There is power to the cabinet on the left of the stove. This one is on the right. I’m trying to figure out how to post photos to show.
    – Kelli Castillo
    Commented May 3 at 15:10
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    run low voltage cable through the cabinets ... Google adhesive flat cable
    – jsotola
    Commented May 3 at 15:33

1 Answer 1

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Cable Through the Cabinets

This is no big deal. Connect the cable for the right cabinet in a junction box in the left cabinet. Depending on what you are installing on the left cabinet, it may have an integral junction box with just enough space for another cable, it may have an integral junction box without enough space for another cable (in which case you will need to install a junction box inside the cabinet to use for splicing cables) or you already be using a junction box inside the cabinet.

Staple the cable inside the back right corner of the left cabinet. Drill a hole through the left cabinet and middle cabinet walls just above the bottom of the middle cabinet and feed the cable through the hole and staple to the back of the cabinet. Drill a hole through the middle cabinet and right cabinet walls and feed the cable through the hole. Run the cable down the inside left back of the right cabinet and staple it in place.

Terminate the cable in a junction box - as with the left cabinet, that may be an integral junction box or a separate box inside the cabinet.

Hood?

You need to have a hood/fan, and normally a light as well though that is not critical, above the stove. Since it is a gas stove, this must vent to the outside. Where is the power for that? If you don't already have power in place for that, add a junction box in the middle cabinet to provide power from the new left-to-right cable for the hood.

You also need to install ductwork for the fan. That can either go back through the tile or, if this is not an outside wall, up through the middle cabinet to an outside wall or up through the roof.

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    Thanks for the answer! Using a microwave/hood combo and it it venting up to the roof thru that middle cabinet. My husband was just saying something like this and using wire mold thru the cabinets.
    – Kelli Castillo
    Commented May 3 at 15:53
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    I'd strongly suggest paying a few pennies more for MC-lite, MC, or AC (flexible metallic sheath style) cables here, (or FMC conduit and wires) not NM, if they will be inside or on top of the cabinets exposed to damage. Wiremold works but is probably more cost and definitely more hassle to install. While I've seen plenty of exposed NM in kitchens I'm dubious that it's actually permitted by code, so a picky inspector might not pass it.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented May 3 at 16:02
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    Excellent advice. Thank you so much. Maybe I won’t get fired from my quality control job since all of you have given me great solutions to the problem! 😉
    – Kelli Castillo
    Commented May 3 at 16:40
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    Honestly, as it was on the plans, if should be up to the electrician to pay the few pennies more for the flex metal (or other protected method) to correct their error in not wiring the thing in the wall.
    – Ecnerwal
    Commented May 3 at 16:55
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    He is absolutely willing to do that and, after my post, he also gave me basically the same solution I’ve received here. I just needed to know for myself how much trouble this was going to be. 😊
    – Kelli Castillo
    Commented May 3 at 21:20

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