# Getting power to bathroom under cabinet lighting



## TheFriz (Aug 24, 2018)

Hello,


I'm new here so hopefully that I've put this question in the right place. I am nearing the end of my pre apprenticeship program and working on a final project. I have most things figured out but thus far I can't figure out how to get power to under cabinet lighting (LED) in this case without violating the Canadian Electric Code. One thought I had thought of was simply having a GFCI breaker circuit to plug the DC transformer into and have this switched so it could be controlled from the doorway. The intent behind the GFCI circuit breaker was so that I didn't have a GFCI outlet on a switch. The problem I'm having is if I do this I've just put an outlet under the bathroom cabinet. Unless I'm mistaken (which is very possible at this point) you cannot put an outlet into a cabinet for something like this. Any suggestions on how to keep this to code or a suggestion on another approach would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you,


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

This might not answer your question but I install hard wired drivers to get rid of the receptacle. Your issue isn't GFCI protection, it's AFCI protection. 

If this is a main floor bath, maybe you can mount your driver in the basement.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Receptacles require AFCI protection, hard wired drivers do not.


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## TheFriz (Aug 24, 2018)

I guess when it came to AFCI protection I was thinking of the bathroom receptical which only had to be GFCI. I may be overthinking this but if I were to switch out to a hard wired system and the driver wasn't located under the sink how would I get the DC portion of the wiring to the LED's? I assume I cannot just have a wire poking out of the wall under the cabinet.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

The drywaller pokes the low voltage cable through the drywall. I position the cable on the stud at a level slightly higher than the bottom of the upper cabinet with a staple close to the edge of the stud. I do my connections to the bars and secure the cable with tie wraps and sticky backs.

This particular driver is small and shallow. I have actually placed it underneath the cabinet when necessary.


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## sparkiez (Aug 1, 2015)

TheFriz said:


> I guess when it came to AFCI protection I was thinking of the bathroom receptical which only had to be GFCI. I may be overthinking this but if I were to switch out to a hard wired system and the driver wasn't located under the sink how would I get the DC portion of the wiring to the LED's? I assume I cannot just have a wire poking out of the wall under the cabinet.


That is exactly what you do. It is called a "whip".


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

@TheFriz
Please take a few minutes and fill out your profile.


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