Island electrical outlets -- what are my options?
I need to make decisions about kitchen island electrical outlets this week. Help. :)
Can outlets be inside drawers/cabinets? Can they be under an overhang...how about if they are under the overhang, but face out (like a little box built out for it)? I'm not opposed to a plug mold, but I've never had one before so I'm not sure what the options are.
I will use the island outlets for a hand mixer (once a month) and a stick vac (once a week). It's possible (but unlikely) we'll charge iPads on the counter on occasion. Those are the only things I can imagine using these outlets for! :)
My city's building code has the following amendments...
NEC Article 210, Branch Circuits, Section 210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets, (C) Countertops, (2) Island Countertop Spaces is hereby amended to read as follows:
(2) Island Countertop Spaces. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed at each island countertop space with a long dimension of 600 mm (24 in.) or greater and a short dimension of 300 mm (12 in.) or greater.
Exception: If the owner does not wish to have receptacle installed below countertop, receptacle may be omitted; however a GFCI protected small appliance circuit shall be extended into island cabinet and terminated into a box equipped with blank cover. NM cable shall be protected within cabinet.
Here's the island layout, with red boxes drawn where I think I want outlets.
Here are the elevation renderings (red boxes show my current preference for outlet placement).
The only spot where it would crush me to put outlets is this end of the island, since this is the first thing you see when you enter the house. Would prefer to keep this simple and pretty. :)
Comments (15)
beachem
7 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (2)Hardwire Power Strip âÂ"âÂ"âÂ" Here is a link that might be useful: Hardwire Power Strip...See MoreWhere to put island electrical outlets?
Comments (20)@HU-213936607 I'm reaching out because the 4 people who are professionals on my end are ALL telling me the same thing but those on Houzz are telling me different. It's not about money. If it was just the KD (who actually isn't one of the 4 telling me any of this, we sort of eliminated her from the picture aside from ordering the cabinets) then I would not be trying to understand this more. BUT, because I read some things and subsequently asked on Houzz and I'm hearing differences I'm trying to understand it as I am the one that is going to need to go back to the contractor, architect, electrician and designer (not the KD) and tell them that I need further research and why. It's really not a money thing it's me trying to honestly understand it all so when I talk to the others actually involved in this project I have the knowledge to back it up. The reason I'm posting is that I've read things that I personally think contradict and I'm trying not to get into a Help Disaster situation. I think the more help disaster would be me not reaching out and me not having a conversation with the professionals on here to try to truly understand it. I really didn't appreciate your post as it makes it sound like I'm just being stupid when it comes to a big project when what I'm trying to do is ensure that no mistakes are made BEFORE we order anything. If I just trusted what others said then we may be in that help situation but that's the exact opposite of what I'm doing....See MoreElectrical Outlets on the waterfall island
Comments (8)That planning is done during the cabinet design phase. You can’t wait until the cabinets are sitting in the kitchen. You have no choice now but to cut holes in the waterfall to put them there. A 14” overhang will need more steel support than is in that picture too. Which also should have been designed into the cabinet layout. You should skip the waterfall and the overhang both unless the island is redesigned to have them....See MoreElectrical Outlet Code on Kitchen Island Requirement
Comments (14)If you know you do not want want outlets in the end panel or waterfall, you can design the island with columns that will accommodate an outlet, like here: If you do not want to take up the storage or seating space these columns require, then you have to put them in the waterfall like here: Some inspectors will let it slide if they see an outlet under the overhang, but it's a big risk to assume yours will. Also, it is not safe nor functional to have a cord that wraps around an overhang, especially when there is seating. If your island will be used for prep, position the outlets where they will be most useful....See Morearialvetica
7 years ago
PROJoseph Corlett, LLC
7 years agoUser
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoYou can have a secondary outlet under an overhang, but the required primary outlet must be on the side of the island, easily accessible. The outlet next to the DW will not physically work, as even a pancake box will be thicker than you've allotted. You would need a base end panel with attached 3" filler to provide enough depth for the box. Your cabinet maker will need to notch a chase into the top drawers of your 3 drawer bases in order to have room for the box. Meaning your top drawer will be smaller on the interior than the exterior in order to have room for the guts of the outlets.
sjhockeyfan325
7 years agoarialvetica
7 years ago
live_wire_oak
7 years agobacino
7 years agoSorry, was having a hard time getting a good photo. Plug mold sits flush with cabinet top. Not many color choices but as you can see with dark cabinets it is hardly noticeable
arialvetica thanked bacinolorahv
7 years agoartemis_ma
7 years ago
Renee Texas