ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Microwave

The microwave I recently dealt with was designed with the cord coming out the middle of an unfinished top. This microwave was clearly intended to be hung under a cabinet, with the cord passing into the cabinet - something specifically called for in the instructions. Darn near impossible to do otherwise.

As for stored stuff tripping over the cord ... not only is that upper cabinet nearly useless due to height ... most of it is devoted to letting the stove exhaust fan ducting pass through. It's pretty much a useless cabinet - more of a decorative front to hide the ductwork!

I think that into the cabinet is as good as it will ever be.

It comes down to case by case basis

Wait, since when is a cord and plug to an outlet considered "unprotected"? Last I checked, your argument applies to every receptacle in a house- you're not putting covers and conduit over the others, why worry specifically about this one?

The microwaves are UL listed, the cord exits the top, and the instructions specifically say to drill a hole through the cabinet. This is cut and dry, it's acceptable. To do it any other way would be illegal.

You are correct. Although in a sense these cords are not governed by the NEC, uou would not obviously place a cord where it would likely get damaged would you? Granted furniture do get jammed against plugs. This is really not our problem as sparkies. That is an end user issue. In the case of the microwave is a little different and only IF you are installing the receptacle and only to a certain degree. It is being installed for a specific purpose. As a sparkie, it should reasonbly be installed in a manner to minimize damage to cord in other words, high as practacle in the cabin. We can only do what we can do to minimize damage caused by the end user. People just do not think about stuff like that when putting dishes away.

SparkyAK:
Not to totally disagree with you, as I said, I see your point.

To the best of my knowledge, the cord thru the cabinet is a 'normal' install as I stated originally. It is accepted by AHJ's, and I have not heard of anyone debating the install.

That said, I will broach this subject at the next (September) NJEIA meeting.

A little more logic...micro comes with a cord/plug from mfg. EC installs recept behind/inside dedicated micro cabinet space; micro does not fit because of recept/cap. So the micro (single recept) is installed in the cabinet above the micro space, and a hole of appropriate diameter is drilled in the upper cabinet bottom.

Cabinet depth and the depth of appliances should be considered IF it is mandated that the recept be in the dedicated space for the appliance. Alas this is a design issue, and the NEC is NOT a design tool. Also, common sense and good judgement are not within the NEC

agreed

Another violation I see with these recepticles is when they are cut into the cabinet, the ears rest on the wood and long screws are used to install with no extenders. This is a clear violation but with the cover on who knows?

The inspector who removes the cover.

S, that's a very good point!

A cabinet showroom recently opened, and they carefully re-mounted the existing wall receptacles inside the cabinets. That is, they took the devices out, made exacting holes in the cabinet backs, then mounted the devices to the cabinet back.
This is a violation of the 'zero clearance' required if the surface is combustible. The issue can be resolved with the use of those plastic-sleeve box extensions.

Naturally, this is not an issue when the entire box is brought forward and mounted to the cabinet ... or when a deep mud ring projects out from the wall enough to enter the cabinet.

What are the flash points of blue carlon plastic and cabinet wood? I have to wonder if there is much of a difference.