I am planning to install low profile T5 fluorescent lights over the counter I soon will be installing in my kitchen. I am planning to link them together with BX cable but I was curious if it was acceptable practice to link them with Romex since, while exposed, they would be well out of harms way on the top of the cabinets.
Second question on standard practices: do installers normally notch the sides of the cabinet where they extend above the top of the cabinet to better hide the cable or is that considered poor form and the cable is just run over the 1 inch or so protrusion even if it might be partially visible?
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Code where I am -- anything less than 7' above the floor must be protected. If the wire is exposed, must use armored cable or conduit.
For your second question, the way I do fluorescent under cab is to notch (or drill a hole if the back of the cab comes down low enough) and mount the fixture under the cab up close to the wall so it touches the back of the cab. The romex clamp attached to the back of the fixture "nestles" into the notch or hole. That way, no wire is exposed and romex is OK, and no wire or notch or hole shows behind the fixture. Maybe there is a better way but that's the way I do it.
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Like phila, I hold the strip lite fixture to the back of the cab and loop out of the wall with romex. In/out of the fixture to the next one (on rare occasion not enough room to make up that connection in the fixture-in that case separate runs to each light). If you run end to end exposed, you really should sleeve it or use sheilded wire. Some of the indiv. fixtures have connecting wiring that is more like fancy lamp cord (round). In that case you drill a hole through the joined cabinet ends, don't loop under. Or, you could cover with some ripped up chase from cabinet wood.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
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Installed some fluorescent units that have tubes about 1/2 inch diameter. there are various lengths (about 12 inces to 24 inches) Really neat system: each unit comes with a coupler to allow connecting multiple units together (over a long counter span).As well they offer a "junction box" that mounts at the wall exit for the direct wire power. This prevents any exposed cable. Even has an on-off switch if there is no master switch.Packaging long gone so have no brand name.
The basic NEC requirement is that NM can be run exposed if follows the building surface.
But if SUBJECT TO DAMAGE then it needs to be protected.
Now what is subject to damage is subject to the interpretation of the AHJ.
In my opinion the couple of inches along the bottom of a cabinet would not be subject to damage.
But if it is then one method of protecting it is a guard strip. A wood strip could be used.