3 prong outlet, which way is up?

Ground down. How often do dropped coins slide down a wall?

Ground down. the other way looks stupid.

But little kids dont think its a face. When my daughter was little the only outlet in her room that she could see frightened her until I turned it with the ground up.

Jimmie

On 8/28/2008 3:07 PM Steve Barker DLT spake thus:

That's probably as good as answer as any (basically, "it's completely arbitrary, so orient it the way 99% of other outlets are oriented".)

However, there are good reasons to put them in "upside down" (i.e., ground pin up). Last time I was in a hospital, I noticed that almost all the outlets were "upside down", and later heard/read that this is to prevent sparks and shocks should a metal implement fall down along the wall and contact a plug in an outlet. Makes sense. I'm even starting to put in some outlets this way.

Oh, and I've also noticed that having the ground pin on top tends to hold 3-prong plugs in the outlet more tightly and resist the plug falling out, like when you're using an extension cord and tug on it.

I prefer the ground at the bottom. All outlets should have the same orientation.

Yahbut, it's good that little kids are frightened of outlets? Perhaps you should've plugged in those little plastic 'childproofers' into the outlets to disguise them?

Horizontally. Then everybody can obsess about trivialities. Geesh!

Discussions here have centered around ground down, except when the outlet is on a wall switch. I doubt most people would know that code if they didn't own the home when it was under construction, but those who pay attention could notice the difference and ask or figure it out.

I have 3 receptacles on wall switches. I should check them..... The one I can get to is ground down, like the other outlets in the house. That's what happens when the electrician is a durn furiner.

I read that here too, and is my nature, I believe things when I first hear them. But in my life, I've only dropped coins in the middle of the bedroom when I take off my pants, and off the front edge of kitchen table. I also don't have any loosely plugged in plugs, and if I did, I can't imagine a coin getting in one.

But that wouldn't be true if we grew up standing on our heads.

Yea, I have a pile of burnt coins on the floor. I'll have to turn my plugs ground up.

I like my outlets on the floor. The ones on the counter are sideways.

Calling someone stupid for asking a question is...stupid.

Oh-oh. Now which way should they be oriented? North (up on a map)? Toward the power company? Toward Mecca?

You better do it right or you may get called stupid.

But little kids dont think its a face. When my daughter was little the only outlet in her room that she could see frightened her until I turned it with the ground up.

Jimmie

I didn't call anyone stupid. I said upside down outlets look stupid. And they do.

Also to be considered is that plugs mounted 90 degrees to the cord don't work very well with ground at the top.

Ground left or right? Please advise.

john posted for all of us...

What is this? About the 3 billionth time this has been discussed?

"Steve Barker DLT" wrote in news:gv-dnRwwW5savCrVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

Direct quote from the NEC I bet :-)

Lurfys Maw wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

When was anyone called stupid? He just said the other way looks stupid.

OK, he insulted a duplex outlet just because it's orientation is different. In some states it is a Hate Crime to discriminate because of orientation. He should expect to be served with a lawsuit from the National Brotherhood of Duplex Outlets shortly.