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I just finished demolishing my kitchen. I noticed that the under-cabinet lighting cables are poking out the wall right at the bottom edge of the wall cabinets. To the untrained eye, this looks like a ugly hack job. How should they be anchored to the wall to follow regulation and also not just fall back inside the wall? I feel like if I put a standard plate there, it'll be visible behind the lighting. Usually under-cabinet lighting is very thin.

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    Where are you on this planet, and are these low voltage wires?
    – ThreePhaseEel
    Commented Sep 2, 2017 at 3:23
  • California, USA. I have no clue what voltage those are.
    – JoJo
    Commented Sep 2, 2017 at 3:42
  • What were those lights connected to previously? If you can post a picture of that (or, better yet, a rating sticker on it) it will tell us what those wires likely are.
    – Hari
    Commented Jan 4, 2018 at 19:44
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    That ring around the wire looks like it fits into a junction box or fitting...so there was something there. Also, there are 5 conductors coming out of that one cable, so it certainly isn't 120 AC (but it would measure to be sure!).
    – Steve Wellens
    Commented Nov 27, 2020 at 16:48
  • Those are 120v 14-2 cables, there are two at each location, just hard to see in the photos.
    – Richard
    Commented May 27, 2023 at 19:37

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Are you considering LED strips on new cabinets?
The convenient solution would be having the led strip power supplies in the "above stove" cabinet, and putting a regular power socket above the stove. (In fact I can see something like socket hanging on wire there already)
That cabinet usually has poor access due to ventilating unit, and is used to store 'junk' - should be easy to dedicate some space for lighting.

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Here is what I would do - install a junction / receptacle box in the wall - run your wires through it - install a strain relief wire Tie on the wires to keep them from exiting the receptacle box or use the built in relief. That will keep your wires from falling back into the wall.I would then place my piece of dry wall over that receptacle box to make it look nice again - so all I have is my wires sticking out.

You could manage to hide the wires by coming through your cabinet just above the bottom seam of the cabinet and then immediately out the bottom to your under cabinet lights. or a simple notch in the bottom cabinet lip to feed your lights.

Those wires being as they are and also in the wall like that - perhaps even go to one of those switches are PROBABLY 120VAC - PROBABLY..

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    It's important to note that most jurisdictions frown on hidden junction boxes. People do it all the time but it is against code.
    – The Evil Greebo
    Commented Aug 2, 2018 at 12:16
  • @TheEvilGreebo Having loose 120VAC wires is against code. Running into a receptacle/junction box - as long as it is not hidden behind the drywall (covered up) will be fine. If op has a plate or has it in the cabinet and cover plated - the op will be fine. I should probably specify more clearly, but also those 120V wires that are loose and hanging inside the drywall - is not code either.
    – Ken
    Commented Aug 6, 2018 at 17:09
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    You can't bury junction boxes like that.
    – Harper - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Dec 2, 2019 at 20:16
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    @Harper-ReinstateMonica The box is not being used as a junction box only a place for the wires to be held - the box is not closed and not being used as a 'junction' - ops wires would be simply held in place with a tie wrap/strain relief keeping them from falling down the wall. I do not see an NEC violation in this use - there is no junction in it nor is it closed. The whole point of the code is Fire and Electrical Issues - this box is a pass through - like the wall is a pass through for wires.
    – Ken
    Commented Dec 4, 2019 at 3:42
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    If you open the wall enough to install a box for strain relief, why not just staple or clamp the wires down? When my cabinets were installed they drilled a hole through the trim on the bottom edge of the cabinet to run the wires through. If you have the height, you could also set the cab's just above the wires.
    – Eric Simpson
    Commented Dec 4, 2019 at 14:13

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