Hi, I'm currently doing a kitchen remodel and would like to know how to go about adding under kitchen cabinet lighting. I live in Upstate NY and would like to use these lights on amazon . I believe they can be hardwired directly and don't need a separate outlet to be plugged into. I would need two 18" lights - one for the cabinet to the left and one for the cabinet to the right of the stove. I would like for a switch to control both of those lights, but I'm not quite sure how to go about adding the switch and then what would be the best way to connect that switch to both lights. If you notice in my remodel design, there is no cabinet above the stove, only a vent fan, so I would have to hide the wire behind the wall.

I've attached a couple pictures of my current kitchen and there are two outlets - one to the left and one to the right of the stove. If possible, I would like to move those outlets under the cabinets as well with a power strip. I believe Legrand makes power strips but I'm not quite sure how that would work with the gfci outlet.

Just FYI, for the holes in the ceiling, I'm just removing the old recessed lighting housings and adding new recessed lights. I know there are retrofit recessed lights I could have easily added without removing the housings, but I wanted to add additional recessed lights and it would have been really difficult to get to the housing and rewire without removing them. The recessed lights are controlled by a single switch located right next to the sink.

If you think I'm over my head and to just call a professional, let me know as well . I'm very much a beginner but if it's something I think I can tackle, I don't mind doing it. Thank you and appreciate any advice any of you would have.

 

The lights do say hardwired or cord connected. For hardwired you would bring power into the switch and take a cable out to each light. You cannot wire these on the receptacle circuits.

 

what’s the easiest way to bring power to the switch if I can’t use the the two outlets?

 

If the room on the other side of the kitchen wall is not restricted you could come from a receptacle in that room. Dining room and bathroom are examples of rooms with restricted receptacles.

 

Gotcha, yea, that won't be possible as that is an exterior wall with no room on the other side. I attached an image of my house layout and where I placed the blue arrow, there is an outlet near to the floor in that location. I assume that may be the best location to run a cable over the lighting. There is an outlet on the kitchen island (in attached picture), but I assume that would be on the same circuit as the other kitchen outlets and that means I can't connect there either, correct? There are also outlets in the breakfast nook area as well, but not allowed to connect there either, right?

Edit: I guess the other option would also to be to put the under cabinet lighting on the same switch as the recessed lighting, but I'm not sure if I want that.

 

Yes to all.

I'd say my original idea but come from the garage. A couple of feet of conduit from the garage to the kitchen wall. Conduit could be buried and then up into the bottom of the cabinet wall.

 

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for everyone's help.

The other option I have would be to connect the under cabinet lighting to the same switch as the ceiling recessed lights in the kitchen, right? I'm thinking that may be the easiest solution, although it may be nice to have the under cabinet lighting on a separate switch.

 

Yes, if power comes in at the switch. If only two wires at the switch you don't have a neutral there thus no power.