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Under cabinet plugmold options

36K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  five.five-six  
#1 ·
Hello,

Every once in a while a customer does not want receptacles installed in the tile backsplash. So we end up installing plug mold.

We were using the standard flat plug mold. But to save time we starting using angled plug mold from Task lighting. It installs a lot quicker than the standard stuff. However it is a lot bigger and does stick down a bit.

My question is what are you guys using for plug mold?

I had an idea of just using a shallow wire mold receptacle box under the upper cabinets. Wondering if anyone has done that?

Thanks
 
#3 · (Edited)
Excellent post. I had a scenario where a customer didnt want any counter wall outlets cut into the tile and didnt want the tile cut either so only full tiles were used so the upper cabinets were 24 inches off the counter and that they wanted plugmold outlets on the bottom of cabinets like they saw in a magazine. I politely told them 210.52(C)5 prohibits that scenario so lower uppers or I put the outlets in the wall. They chose to put outlets in the wall as they had taller uppers and planned on installing trim so that they had crown moulding.
 
#4 ·
I hate plugmold. We just installed 4- 3' or 4' runs and had to replace every one of them. Apparently, one receptacle in the middle would work on and off on every unit. Of course, it didn't just happen at the same time so we had to make 4 trips. Fortunately, the job was just a few miles away.

We use Legrand plugmold. Tr rated also.
 
#6 ·
IMO, you are currently using the best viable product ie the angled wiremold. Its not your concern about how a product looks. The customer doesnt want boxes in the back splash area so you have limited options and as I stated before I think the angled wiremold is the best product not only for looks but for installation and use also
 
#7 ·
Are you serious that it is not our concern on how it looks. It is one thing if the customer asks for a particular product but I would never install the angle stuff without a consent from the customer.

It better look good when we are done or we didn't do a good job. My job is to make sure the customers are happy with what they are getting.
 
#14 ·
I like the low-profile look of regular plugmold versus the bigger angled stuff. I haven't actually put any regular plugmold in a kitchen yet, but have installed quite a bit of it. I have put in the task lighting angled stuff, and it is pretty damn bulky. Seems like the wood butcher could rip an angled piece to go below tight below the cabinets and mount regular plugmold to that, and it would look way better.

Reading this thread also jogged my memory. The first electrical job I worked on was helping my old man when I was 14 or 15 putting in about 400' of plugmold in an addition. We used insulated butt splices to tie on the romex, and it was all painted so we had to be careful installing the covers. I remember rolling out the snappy coil and trying to tuck everything together and using a wood block and a hammer to snap the covers on without pinching any of the wires and keeping the receptacles in their little openings. Good times.
 
#15 ·
I've used plastic wire mold and the shallow boxes. Unless you're really short you can't see it. Be mindful of box fill and don't plan on putting a gfci in any of them.

I hate working on plug mold especially when upside down.

I'm still waiting for a job to use an angled wire mold as it seems the best option as an electrician.
 
#17 ·
Plugmold is the most evil stuff ever invented. I have had the displeasure of installing it in a few kitchens in the past year. I don't know how they can continue to make a product that is so incredibly difficult and tedious to install and has absolutely no user friendly features at all.
 
#24 ·
For some reason it didn't copy all of the section

(A) Cross-Sectional Areas of Wireway. The sum of the crosssectional
areas of all contained conductors and cables at any
cross section of a wireway shall not exceed 20 percent of the
interior cross-sectional area of the wireway.