# Electrical outlet in a vanity drawer



## hdbdave (Jun 4, 2008)

I am wanting to install an outlet in the back of a bathroom cabinet drawer. It would obviously need to be able to pull out when open and then recoil when the drawer closes again. I recall seeing this arrangement in some magazine in the past, but can't recall the exact details. Does anyone have any experience w/ this.
Thanks


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

To really make this legal, I would just install a receptacle in the drawer base, and then just install a small power strip inside of the drawer unit.


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

I've never seen such a thing! Provided it is GFCI protected and installed in accordance with its listing, I see no reason you couldn't do it. It would have to be something commercially made however, not a jobsite creation.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

thekctermite said:


> I've never seen such a thing! Provided it is GFCI protected and installed in accordance with its listing, I see no reason you couldn't do it. It would have to be something commercially made however, not a jobsite creation.


Thats the problem, there is no such beast you can buy on the market.


This picture pops up quite often when the question comes up...


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## wire_twister (Feb 19, 2008)

Dave, I have installed several of these things, the trick is to get the drawer short enough, or the vanity deep enough so you can cut the receptacle box in to the back of the drawer. Once that is done it is a simple matter of using flex to connect to a box installed in the wall inside the vanity. As you can guess all of mine were in new construction, with coopreation from the cabinet maker taking care of the drawer length. I always use sealtite flex for this, tried "smurf" once but it was too stiff and was trying to push the drawer open, sealtite is limber enough, tough enough, and approved for wet locations.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

wire_twister said:


> I always use sealtite flex for this, tried "smurf" once but it was too stiff and was trying to push the drawer open, sealtite is limber enough, tough enough, and approved for wet locations.


What about protection from physical damage?


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## CowboyAndy (Feb 19, 2008)

It would also need to be stranded, correct? Solid wire is not meant to be constantly moved.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

CowboyAndy said:


> It would also need to be stranded, correct?


I've only seen that requirement for luminaries...


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## Termite (Apr 13, 2008)

Wow. That is one I haven't ever seen attempted. And I thought I had seen just about everything attempted. :no:

I'd have a very hard time allowing an installation like that. The electrical contractor would have to convince me that there was adequate strain relief, protection from physical damage, and provide listings showing that the wire and conduit are for installations that involve repetitive motion. Just because a wire or conduit is flexible does not mean that it will withstand years of repeated motion.


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## chris75 (Aug 25, 2007)

thekctermite said:


> Wow. That is one I haven't ever seen attempted. And I thought I had seen just about everything attempted. :no:
> 
> I'd have a very hard time allowing an installation like that. The electrical contractor would have to convince me that there was adequate strain relief, protection from physical damage, and provide listings showing that the wire and conduit are for installations that involve repetitive motion. Just because a wire or conduit is flexible does not mean that it will withstand years of repeated motion.


I agree, thats why I go with just installing a receptacle in the base cabinet and let the H.O. take it from there...


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## Stowaway (Aug 19, 2012)

The hard part about putting the power in a drawer is making the power movable. If you have a coiled spring type cord it loses its spring after time and gets in the way of the drawer or drawer slides. 
It looks like the reason that you want the outlets in the drawer is to plug in Hair care items like Curling Irons, Flat Irons, and Blow Driers is that Right?
Think outside the box for a minute, and why not move these Hair Care items to behind the false front, in front of the sink? That way you can install an outlet that is fixed in place and you are using wasted space. You can purchase a kit to do this on Amazon or from Stowaway Products Inc.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for the suggestion, but I doubt if the OP is still trying to do this after 4 years have gone by.


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## Hammer450R (Aug 17, 2012)

But your dealing with a women and her curling iron!!! Be very weary lol


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## wpollock (Jun 2, 2013)

Has anyone come up with another newer installation than those suggested in this message string for installing a receptacle in a cabinet drawer


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

This is kind of like stairs that have drawers built into the risers. Seems like a good use of wasted space until someone falls down the stairs because a drawer was left open.


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

If I were to do this I would add an outlet to the back of the cabinet and run an extension cord or power strip to the drawer. That way you can just replace it when it wears out.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I did this for a lady years back, the electrician installed a 4 plug receptacle in the back of the cabinet behind the drawer and the lady kept her blow dryer, curling iron and such plugged up all the time. Open the drawer and use what ever, get through and close the drawer.


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