Plugmold plugs into one outlet. With plugmold you have the tendency to over plug appliances into them, thereby potentially overloading the circuit. Other than that, Plugmold, and wiremold are both very useful products.

Plug mold plugs into one outlet? didnt think it plugged into anything. The thing is the plug mold has to be on 2 different 20 amp circuits and needs gfci protection. Run atleast 2 seperate 12/2 lines to gfci breakers, connect each romex to each plug mold strip. Have one going one way with circuit and the other going the other way on its own circuit is one possibility for different circuits. Drawbacks, just remember you'll have to look down and up at the cabinets if it is mounted underneath, makes it kind of hard to find the plug as to being right in front of you. I assume youy would mount it up high on the cabinet, if it is mounted right to the back splash, obviously the cosmetics would look like school or public building wiring.

"With plugmold you have the tendency to over plug appliances into them, thereby potentially overloading the circuit."
Can you explain this? How is this any different than having several duplexes or quads on the backsplash?

Hey Max...I've read your advice in this forum with some interest for a while. I've now some for you - please don't dispense advice unless you've actually worked with the item in question. By "worked" I mean physically installed or serviced. Conversely, "worked", means neither "read about", nor "saw it while walking down the electrical aisle".

In addition, offering advice based on what you know from a similar discipline can get you into trouble. I had my head handed to me (rightfully so) on this forum for doing the very same thing.

If you want to help, study up and get your hands dirty. Otherwise, answer only questions to which you absolutely familiar.

I'm not a sparky - just a DIY'er who learned the hard way. So take my advice for what it's worth.

Peace.

Marco

He must of thought the plug mold is like an adapter that runs off an existing plug, if it was then yeah suppose it could be filled with coffee maker and microwave and may be only rated for 15 amps. But plug mold is an actual 20 amp receptacle strip. Main mis-use of it I have seen in kitchens is a remodeler or DIY gets carried away and doesnt bother to seperate it to atleast 2 gfci circuits. Sometimes it is feed it off a general light circuit and run it all around the kitchen which is BAD, but when properly installed to code it's great. Might be a little hassle to reach up to the outlets though but some are ok with it to save their backsplash.

The downside of plugmold is that you will have dangling cords hanging from it. Unless you unplug your coffeemaker, mixer, toaster, etc. each time you are done with them, you will be looking at unsightly dangling cords. Also, if you do decide to unplug each appliance after use, when you go to plug them in again, you will have to crane your neck up to see the outlet in the plugmold. I think a better solution is to have the outlets in the backsplash, but install them as close to the countertop as code allows. That way, you can have your coffeemaker, toaster, etc. standing in front of the outlets and hiding them since the outlets are placed low, and you won't have any cords dangling either.

Does that mean A plugmode stripe can acommodate 2 circuits so that alternate receptacles use seperate circuits on the same stripe?
I know all outlets on wall are usually alternately wired using 2 20 amp small appliance curcuits, Can a plugmode wired like that for each receptacles?

Most plugmold is wired single circuit.

Uh, guys ... plugmold comes in both flavors, corded and hardwired. Look here.

I have a strip of the corded type in my workshop. Great stuff.

thank you, and yes, I have used this product and yes, I do have experience with Plugmold.

Pllugmold comes in many flavors. One of the more common is two circuits, either fifteen or twenty amps, with the receptacles alternating on the two circuits.

If you got an alternating plugmold my guess is it shares a neutral as a multiwire circuit does. Since it will need gfci protection if it is multiwire across the plugmold, a double pole gfci breaker would be needed, not two seperates on different legs. To everyone else, a multiwire circuit won't trip a gfci as long as it is double pole right? In the kitchen you would need the 20 amp version and with 2 circuits, you want to run 12/3 with ground to it with a double pole gfcb.

A 240 V (2 pole) GFCI is a rather expensive breaker.
It is cheaper to run sections of plugmold on two differnet circuits.
It is not very common to need two appliances on the same short section of counter.
Cut the plugmold into pieces 1 cabinet wide and it fits nicels. Every other section is on the 'other' circuit.

Posted by: davidr on Tue, Mar 21, 06 at 18:31

Uh, guys ... plugmold comes in both flavors, corded and hardwired. Look here (link).
I have a strip of the corded type in my workshop. Great stuff.

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RE: plugmold in a kitchen
Posted by: maxthedog on Wed, Mar 22, 06 at 14:20

thank you, and yes, I have used this product and yes, I do have experience with Plugmold.

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My apologies to maxthedog.

Peace.

Marco

The corded is not allowed for permanent installation.

Would anyone know where I could find the stainless steel hardwirded Plugmold? Thank you in advance.

I am not a big plugmold fan. There are some folks that don't like receptacles in the back splash for what ever reason. We wire it with 12/2 on dedicated 20 amp GFCI circuits. This stuff can be a SOB to install.

I want to have plug molds installed in my kitchen remodel: small 71/2 foot by 13 foot kitchen in San Francisco.

The place was built in 1990, so the electrics are up to current code. But I'm having trouble finding someone who has experience installing this, and SF has very restrictive building codes...

Anyone know the best quality brands and how to do the GFCI thingy in San Francisco?

Thanks

Anyone

Well, there are not many brands to choose from, and they are all ugly and a huge P-I-A to work with.
And the "GFI thingy" should be no problem for your electrician.

I would recommend Wiremold/Legrand for ANY plugmold needs. Home Depot sells T.R. stainless plugmold for about $100 for 36" piece. Keep in mind, if it is mounted just above the backsplash, it has more "nooks and crannies" to clean than a couple receptacles.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stainless plugmold

"The downside of plugmold is that you will have dangling cords hanging from it...."

From my standpoint, as a heavy kitchen user, having the cords off the countertop means less cord-cleaning. I'd rather have them hanging from the bottom of the cabinets than lying on the counter-top.

This thread reminds me of something that I ran across a few months ago. Has anyone ever worked with something like this?

http://www.uecorp.com/raceway/default.aspx

It is probably pretty expensive for a kitchen.