Install Plug-In Under Cabinet Lights

By Dave Donovan

Installing under cabinet lighting will not only drastically increase the beauty of your kitchen, but it will make it much more enjoyable to cook in. Most kitchens have a main ceiling light that provides the majority of the light in the room, and if you're lucky, you have a light positioned over the sink. The problem is that the food preparation area is on the countertop, underneath the shadow-casting cabinets. Imagine how great it would be if you had lights directly above the area where you’re preparing your food. That's the whole idea behind under counter lights.

There are two choices when considering under cabinet lighting. They can either be plugged into an outlet or it can be a hard-wired system. Of course, the hard-wired system is much more involved as far as installations go. This article provides step-by-step instructions for a plug-in installation. Instructions for installing a hard-wired system can be found here.

Choosing the lights that will fit your kitchen best is one of the first steps with any under cabinet installation. You can choose from bright fluorescent lighting or small, circular halogen lights. The fluorescents give off a lot of bright light that really comes in handy when preparing food. The halogens are not quite as "white," and they work beautifully as accent lighting when the kitchen is not in use.

Some tools you will need for a plug-in install include:

• Drill with keyhole saw
• Screwdrivers
• Wire strippers
• Electrical tape and wirenuts
• Lamp cord and pressure connectors

1. Installing a plug-in system is very easy. Under the cabinet, lay out where you're going to install the lights. Take the fixture apart. You will see the holes on the back of the fixture. Hold the fixture where you plan to install it and mark the holes with a pencil.

2. If you are wiring up more than one light, look for the knockouts on the end of the fixtures and pop them out.

3. Use the drill with the keyhole saw to drill a hole through the underhang where the two cabinets meet. This will allow you to run the cord straight through. Screw each of the light fixtures to the bottom of the cabinet so they are secure.

4. Run a length of lamp cord from fixture to fixture, securing it in the knockout with the pressure connector. The pressure connectors are plastic grommet-style connectors that fit inside the knockouts and clamp down to hold the wire in place.

5. On the lamp cord inside the fixture, separate the wires and strip about 3/4" of insulation off the wires. At the first fixture, connect the wires with the wire nuts. The black fixture wire gets connected with one wire on the lamp cord with the plug on the end, and one wire heading to the next fixture. Likewise for the white fixture wire.
Note - The lamp cord will normally be one color for both wires. Follow the lamp cord from connection to connection so you keep the black fixture wires connected to the same strand of lamp cord.

6. Wrap the wire nuts with electrical tape and re-assemble the fixtures. Use wire staples to secure the lamp cord to the bottom of the cabinets for a neat appearance. Plug the fixture cord into the outlet and hit the switch on the fixture. Voila, light!

Some halogen light kits come with a wireless switch system, allowing you to place the switch anywhere in the kitchen. They have a transformer and receiver module that gets plugged into an under cabinet outlet. These systems are installed in a similar manner to plug-in style lights.

Continue to Part 2: Hard-Wired Under Cabinet Light Install >

Click here to purchase electrical and lighting supplies.

Dave Donovan is a freelance copywriter living in Atco, N.J. An electrician for 15 years, an injury forced him to pursue his true passion - writing.

© Doityourself.com 2006