Cords passing through cabinetry

[Bruce Ramsey]

I seem to remember some requiremnt that appliance cords cannot pass through cabinetry. Can you point me to a NEC reference that would support my memory? Thank you.

Client has a cabinet mounted in a laundry room. The stackable washer dryer cord passes through the cabinet in 2 places to reach the outlet. The cabinet was installed after the stackable unit because the holes are only large enough for the wire and not the plug.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Hi Bruce,

The cabinet was installed after the stackable unit because the holes are only large enough for the wire and not the plug.

"the holes"? Or "notches"?

If holes, then the cabinet would have been installed first, holes drilled through it, the cord run through the holes and up to the stackable unit, with the cord then connected to the stackable unit. This would have provided limited cord length to connect to the appliance or allow for movement of the appliance.

If notches, yes, the cabinet would have been installed last.

Either way, the 2008 NEC permits, and does not permit, the uses listed below for flexible cords: (underlining and bold are mine)
- 400.7 Uses Permitted.
- - (A) Uses. Flexible cords and cables shall be used only for the following:
- - - (1) Pendants
- - - (2) Wiring of luminaires
- - - (3) Connection of portable luminaires, portable and mobile signs, or appliances
- - - (4) Elevator cables
- - - (5) Wiring of cranes and hoists
- - - (6) Connection of utilization equipment to facilitate frequent interchange
- - - (7) Prevention of the transmission of noise or vibration
- - - (8) Appliances where the fastening means and mechanical connections are specifically designed to permit ready removal for maintenance and repair, and the appliance is intended or identified for flexible cord connection
- - - (9) Connection of moving parts
- - - (10) Where specifically permitted elsewhere in this Code
- - (B) Attachment Plugs. Where used as permitted in 400.7(A)(3), (A)(6), and (A)(8), each flexible cord shall be equipped with an attachment plug and shall be energized from a receptacle outlet.
- - - Exception: As permitted in 368.56.
- 400.8 Uses Not Permitted.
- - Unless specifically permitted in 400.7, flexible cords and cables shall not be used for the following:
- - - (1) As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure
- - - (2) Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors
- - - (3) Where run through doorways, windows, or similar openings
- - - (4) Where attached to building surfaces
- - - - Exception to (4): Flexible cord and cable shall be permitted to be attached to building surfaces in accordance with the provisions of 368.56(B)
- - - (5) Where concealed by walls, floors, or ceilings or located above suspended or dropped ceilings
- - - (6) Where installed in raceways, except as otherwise permitted in this Code
- - - (7) Where subject to physical damage

While that appliance meets the use permitted in 400.7(A)(8), the installation for that use falls under the uses not permitted in 400.8(1) and 400.8(7) unless specifically permitted in 400.7, and that installation is not "specifically permitted" in 400.7 Uses Permitted.

The problem is not that the cord goes into the cabinet, when dishwashers are installed with a cord and plug the cord goes through the side of the adjacent cabinet and plugs into a receptacle in that adjacent cabinet. The problem is that the cord is run through the cabinet in a manner in which the cord is now exposed to physical damage, and, because the cord "runs through" the cabinet instead of "into" the cabinet as in the installation of dishwashers, the cord is now being used in place of fixed wiring from a receptacle which was located in the wrong location for the cabinet above it - without placing any responsibility on whether or not the cabinet was there first or second, the cord going "through" the cabinet creates those two problems.

The solution, then, would be to move the receptacle to the right where the cord is not required to go through the cabinet, i.e., the fixed wiring is moved, which then allows the cord and plug to be compliant with the intended uses as permitted in the code.

[Bruce Ramsey]

The IRC says basically the same thing in 3809.

The portable washer/dryer is no longer portable because the appliance cord is trapped. If the cord is detached from the dryer, then the cord could be removed.

The house was a remodel and the laundry room was just that much too small for side by side washer/dryer. So the seller stacked them. Now he has room in the closet so he built the shelve unit. Opps, the cord is in the way so notch the shelf.

Buyer is in the trades and was not concerned. I documented it as improper in report. Live rolls on.

Thanks for the quick response. If would be great if there was a IRC to NEC & NEC to IRC cross reference. Find it in one location and cross reference to other.