On demand water heater and box in wrong place

[ExxWhy]

Working on installing some cabinets and an on demand water heater. My first problem is I located the feed wire/box in the wrong spot. Or the cabinet didn't end up where I thought it would when I wired the garage. Hopefully pics will explain better than 1000 words. There will be about a 3" gap between the wall and the back of the cabinet. Back of the cabinet is open, but was planning to enclose the backs of the cabinets. If I do that, the box with the feed wire will be behind the enclosed cabinet and not readily accessible. I left myself a whole 8" of extra wire in the box, so I must make a connection in the box. If I make the back of the cabinet removable, can I have that box hidden behind there? Even at that, it will be tight with the sink installed. If I do enclose all of that, can I run NMb from that box right into the back of the water heater?

Overall front view for reference.

Box location.

Second part of the question is about the heater itself. Doesn't it need some sort of strain relief where it comes into the heater housing? They just leave some knockout locations to use, but not familiar with what sort of wire clamp I can use on it.

Last question for this post.. Is there any restriction as to where I can locate this heater in the undercabinet area?

 

[donpauli2]

Box extender may solve the problem but junction boxes are not supposed to be hidden. I would guess one or two extenders would get you through the back into the cabinet. I've seen 2 or 3 stacked that way but don't know if its code approved. Strain relief on the heater appears to be a springy piece of plastic similar to that blue box in the wall. Can't see it clearly enough. You're gonna need Romex connected inside the heater and run into your blue junction box via the holes in the box extender and use a strain relief of some type where it goes in the extension box. Then a cover


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[AntonLargiader]

I would forget trying to make that box (and splice) legally accessible, and would throw a Tyco splice in it and run that to the correct location. AFAIK the Tyco splices do not have to be accessible.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Yes tyco splice would be the easiest.

 

[ForceFed70]

If/when you do put backs on those cabinets, make that one backing easy to remove. While technically still a hidden/inaccessible junction box, you will be able to get at it to service.

 

[ExxWhy]

Tyco splice sounds like a great idea, never heard of em before. However, it appears they don't make them for # 10 wire.

Can I use a direct burial type splice?

 

[ExxWhy]

I am guilty of not thinking this through. Looked at it again and it will be easy to remove the current box (destructively most likely), reach in the wall and fish the wire down and to the left to put it right where it needs to be.

Since this will be an enclosed area, can I just come straight through the wall and into a surface mounted box in the gap between the wall and cabinet? From there just a piece of romex into the back of the heater? Plan on leaving an access hatch to get to the box.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

as long as its accessible u should be fine.

 

[Paul_NJ]

I've used these - - - come in all sizes - - - -