# Lamps On Marble or Stone Countertops



## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

I'm doing a design/build of a built-in cabinet for a customer who wants to use table lamps on it. They want a marble or granite top and we need to decide how to get the cords into the cabinet as unobtrusively as possible.

The simplest solution is holes thru the top, but that's also very permanent. Anyone ever had to do this and have a better solution?


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## Jack_T (Feb 6, 2010)

If the cabinet is built in does the electric code in the customer's area allow for an outlet inside a cabinet? That is rather unusual.


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

It's "built-in" only in that it will have baseboard tied into the room baseboard. This is pretty common for entertainment centers, and this is being designed to allow that someday.


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## mrg (Mar 10, 2010)

Depending on where the lamps are going to sit, you could have two gooves cut on the back lip tthen drill a hole in the back of the cabinet. Or dish the the back of the topand drop cord down the back and run the plug into the cabinet.


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## Jack_T (Feb 6, 2010)

I understand now. I was thinking along the lines of a counter.


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## Dabilene (Jan 12, 2011)

I recently visited a home that had holes drilled through the counters under the lamps. Odd at first, but it worked really well. They were drilled throughout both granite and marble. It is permanent, but it was nice with no cords on the counters.


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## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

I don't know how tech savvy you are (or how well heeled your clients are), but I instantly thought that some of the new wireless power technologies, like eCoupled, paired with some LED bulbs, could get you lights that worked if they were on the right place on the shelf.

If I were chasing this down, I'd see if I could get some sample coils from Leggett & Platt - eCoupled and put something together. Heck, if you play it right you might even be able to take this to them as a product need.

Oooh, here we go: the WiTricity Developer's Kit, comes with an LED light, assumes the antenna 15-30cm from the receiver. If the LED isn't enough, it looks like it comes with a couple of "Wireless energy capture modules". If you can't source enough current to get as much light as you'd like, maybe you can just assume a lower duty cycle (ie: the lamps are only on a few hours every day) and charge batteries the rest of the time that the lights use when they're on…

(Yes, I am a geek who's willing to go way over the top to find absurd solutions to problems…)


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## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

Looking further, those dev kit receivers appear to have Mini- or Micro-USB jacks on them. That suggests that you might be able to source up to 500mA from them. Looks like a 3v 20cd white LED sinks about 350mA, so their receiver pad, a 47 Ohm resistor and one of those would be a light. Or you could buy complete USB light assemblies for a few bucks and use 'em in whatever lamps you had in mind…


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## Jack_T (Feb 6, 2010)

Dan that technology is awesome.


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## willme (Oct 3, 2012)

i dont think that without doing hole in cabinet it is going to happen, have you tried to attache the wire outside of cabinet.

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## adivol (Oct 10, 2012)

Well, option can vary according to the placement of lamp but it's up to you to decide, what to do? Hole in a cabinet is a best option so far.

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