Extending Romex to undercabinet light fixture

Hi all,
We currently have three 22" ugly florescent fixtures mounted (and each wired directly) under cabinet in our kitchen. We will be replacing them with similarly sized Kichler Xenon units.The back splash is tiled from counter top to the bottom of the cabinets and there is a hole drilled through the tile for the romex. I haven't taken the fixtures off yet but from what I can see there is not much if any slack in the romex. My question is this:

Is there a safe and easy way to extend the Romex if I need any additional length? I don't want to have to break open the wall and put a junction box inside the wall as I have no matching tiles to use for repair. However,I don't like the idea of just "splicing" romex with tape and wire nuts and leaving it behind the new Xenon units. As I don't have the new Kichler units yet I don't know if I could stuff a splice inside the fixture itself or if that is even advisable.

I want to be safe and "to code" as possible but I'd like for it not to include any demo of the backsplash. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.


Cheers,
wvdthree

 

Even if the wires are a little short, install the new fixtures tight to the back splash wall and if needed splice inside the fixture. If wire nuts are too big use these 2 hole Ideal push on connectors.

Buy our 30-684 In-Sure Push-In, 2-Port by Ideal Industries, Inc. at GoodMart.com

They carry them at the big orange store.

 

Tolyn, those connectors are pretty much permanent, aren't they. I have used them, too, when there was not enough wire to go around. But I always wondered... "what If I need to do this again..."

don't mean to derail your thread.

 

Nope, they are not. We use them quite a bit and if you twist them while pulling on the wire, the wire will come out. It takes a bit of twisting and pulling but that is a good thing. If you just pull on the wire you will never get it out.

 

Would the "push on connectors" live inside the fixture or outside. The photo of them on the website makes them look rather large. I've realized that my other option would be to locate the fixture further toward the front edge of the cabinet bottom and use the smallest pancake metal junction box I can find to splice the romex in and locate it behind the fixture. Does that make sense?

wvdthree

 

thanks, Tolyn. Glad to know they can be undone. I did just what you said... pulled only and could never get the wires out. Ill try twisting next time.

The wire connectors are not as large as they appear. They are roughly the same size as a corresponding wire nut.

 

Yes, the pancake box makes sense and is another option. The only issue you will find is that you can only enter the back of a pancake box. If you mount them tight to the back wall like this:
You can then splice in the fixture. This is what they look like lit up (this is on the low setting)

The two port connectors I posted are quite small and can fit in very small spaces. They are smaller than a wire nut. See here:
since they are a splice, they would have to be inside the fixture or some type of box.

 

Tolyn,
Thanks for pointing out the limitations of the pancake box. I think I'll have both pancake boxes and the two port connectors on hand when I start the project. BTW, are those undercabinet lights the Xenon Kichlers? Also.......nice tile work!!! I'm an ex Minneapolitan having moved to Wisconsin from Edina two years ago. Thanks again.


wvdthree

 

Thanks!

No, I got them at Menard's. Any under cabinet lights I install I recommend them to the customer. They are by far the easiest to install and the look good. They are Xenon with a high and low setting. Come in three or four different colors on the outside.

The Kichler ones you have, where are they from? In case Menard's changes their stock.