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I am replacing an old kitchen undercabinet light above my sink. I have a new undercabinet LED strip light that is powered by a plug-in LED driver (transformer). The prior unit (which had an internal transformer to step down voltage) was hardwired into an already existing 120v powered electrical cord that comes out of the wall about 12", but it's like lamp cord (no ground, just two wire cord).

The new unit has an external driver/transformer that needs to be plugged in. I'm thinking about simply attaching an external Receptacle, Plate & Box Kit under the cabinet above and wiring that existing cord to it. Is that possible? I don't want to recess a box into the wall as the tile would need to be removed and it's a 150+ year old home so who knows what's behind there! Thanks for any advice, I know it's probably not up to code but in a house this old a lot isn't.

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    Just to be clear, is the "lamp cord" attached to a junction box? Or is there some kind of proprietary wire module near the wall that is feeding this cord? Can you add photos?
    – Robert Chapin
    Commented Jul 8 at 23:46

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If by "can" you mean "in an electrical-code-compliant manner", then no, because what you have now is a code violation and always will be. All 120V wiring must use approved wiring methods with approved wire types, which yours is not.

That said, of course it's possible to do as you suggest, with the additional hazard being created of something else besides the LED fixture being plugged in to the new receptacle which overloads the "lamp cord" stuff and whatever mystery connections it might have inside the wall.

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