well it does matter in the sense that many cords and wall warts seem to hang better with the ground pin down....but many commercial buildings seem to have the ground pin up...
It would be nice in this case if there WAS a standard way to do it... The NEC seems to want to define everything, here is a case where we NEED a standard and they didn't do it....
I don't care which way, just pick one way and make all the plugs play well with that way...
Mark
Someone here has already given an iron clad example.
In hospitals and most commercial buildings, the outlet covers are stainless steel. In these buildings there is constant construction going on. Cover screws can work loose from vibration.
Up is better, and required in patient care areas, because of falling metal objects. ie surgical trays, surgical instruments, paper clips and yes, coat hangers.
top
bottom
I have found a few wall warts with plugs that are L shaped so they are parallel to the floor and don't block another outlet. These have to be very light though.
I don't know why they don't just add a piggyback to the big ones. Actually I do know the rea$on, but it would make everyone's life easier.
No advice, but decide how this one goes in :-)
Each of the four switched outlets in my house are ground up. The bottom receptacle is on the switch and the top one is hot. The switch was indicated by a small sticker on the switch (until folks get use to the new house).
By visually looking I know they are switched, so treating repairs accordingly.
New stone in the mix: Does the ground go into the center?
The real problem is when one of your fingers slides down the wall.
And having one of those non-trip breakers doesn't help either.
The coins are supposed to go in the fuse box :-)
"upside down" is the direction opposite the direction opposite the direction ...
While "down" is the direction things move in when not restrained or pushed. True, but unhelpful :-)
Get a wall plug :-)
They do if the appliance is mounted on the wall above the receptacle (like an air conditioner). Actually, I did install an air conditioner recently. The plug was at a right angle so it went up from the receptacle.
The correct orientation is pointing toward the place you get coffee.
At least it wasn't 3 billion times in one day. I've seen stuff like that on another group.
They don't keep kids fingers out.
On 8/29/2008 12:53 PM Mark spake thus:
Except that, as someone else pointed out, almost all wall warts have 2 prongs and no ground pin.
I may have reached the _End of the Internet_ already.
I gleaned most of it, not worrying about 50 thousand missed messages.
DerbyDad03 wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@d77g2000hsb.googlegroups.com:
It's not necessarily safer. One of the biggest dangers is fires caused by heat from loose connections. Anything that increases the odds of bringing your attention to a loose connection is likely to be safer for that reason, even if it results in a short and a circuit breaker tripping.
Claude Hopper wrote in news:qcWdnd4q5vNB3CrVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
Why bother to have the plugs ground up? It's easier to have the burnt coins ground up. Just use a grinder.
I recently bought some power strips for the office and the plug rotates so it can be use in either direction or even at 45 degrees if you want. All the new recepticals installed during a remodel are ground up.
I just so happened to have to unplug the freezer in my garage this evening. Right angle plug, ground up. That would explain why I installed the receptacle ground up.
had some change fall off a tablew and fell just right to a ground down outlet with plug not in all the way a few years ago.
what a spark display, it took a long time for the breaker to trip. i nearly turned them all to ground up after this exciting event.
have seen some devices with accordion like rubber covers to preevent this, bet one day they are code
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