3 prong outlet, which way is up?

[gfretwell]

OK got you, sorry for any confusion.

[gfretwell]

Because they don't want to limit manufacturers with useless regulation. You can buy a quad right now with the ground in all 4 orientations and they make receptacles that swivel. There are certainly arguments to be made for any of them but none convincing enough to change the law.

[GaryB]

replying to PanHandler, GaryB wrote: I agree. Some years ago my helper and I were measuring a wall with a tape measure. The tape measure slipped from my helpers hands, and went between a plug and the outlet (installed ground downward), and the outlet sparked and shorted out. A big chunk of my metal measuring tape was missing. Not a big deal, but ever since, I install outlets with the ground on the up side.

[Pete]

replying to GaryB, Pete wrote: I was always told in school and daycare construction the outlets must be installed ground up for similar reasons.

[gfretwell]

It is not in the Florida SREF (State Requirements for Educational Facilities). It never even came up in the last 24 hour CEU course I took.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Also in Florida - - I mentioned before that in a hospital they were all pin up. I was since at another hospital and they also had them pin up.

My house was built a year ago and they are pin down except for the ones that are switched.

Confusing. If I buy a new extention cord should I get one with the pin up or down?

[gfretwell]

I never heard that in the ACHA rules but it may be a convention. I notice they usually display hospital grade receptacles pin up in some catalogs where the normal ones are pin down.

Usually the only angle plugs made pin up are extension cords meant for window shakers and some appliances. I guess they assume the receptacle is lower than the equipment connection.

[Fred McKenzie]

My Florida house was renovated in 2000. All outlets except for the washing machine were installed pin-down. That outlet is higher than the washing machine. The plug was up-side-down so I turned the outlet to pin-down.

The refrigerator outlet is pin-down, but the plug is up-side-down. That outlet is also high on the wall. I've never bothered to change it.

Fred

[Wade Garrett]

No problem. Hardware store 50 foot extension cord SKU Number 496A64TJ3 has plugs on both ends of the cord-one end pin-up, the other pin-down. Just use the end that mates with your application....

[hah]

[snip]

As to the question in the subject line, "up" is the direction opposite to "down".

You can determine "down" for yourself, it is the direction things move in "by themselves" when no longer supported.

[Sam E]

Here's 50 theoretical dollars.

[DenB]

replying to DerbyDad03, DenB wrote: Are you sure? Neutral is on the right as you face it.

[Perps]

replying to john, Perps wrote: The ground prong is longer. When a cord hangs down and may start to unplug, the ground is the last to break circuit. First in last out. Safety first.

[Shawn OShea]

replying to john, Shawn OShea wrote: Somewhere around 2005 I took a class on residential wiring and codes. According to the 2002 ( I think) N.E.C all vertically mounted outlets, both single and duplex, requires the ground prong to be at the top. Horizontally mounted must have the (Common) or (Big) prong at the top.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Not true. My house was built a year ago and all are down. As are the other 400 houses here.

In offices, some inspectors like them up in case a paper clip falls on a plug and crosses the terminals if not fully seated.

The switched outlets are ground up so you can tell them apart by looking.

[Scott Lurndal]

Are you saying that the NEC doesn't require that? A single example doesn't invalidate the rule; nor confirm it (my house, built in 1970, has them all correctly oriented with the grounding pin at the top).

[Ed Pawlowski]

I've never seen it required. My house built in 1978 had them down too. I mentioned the office because when we did major work in our office in about 2005 the electrician said it was not required but the local inspector wanted them that way so he did.

The question has come up here a few times an no one vear posted a requirement either, I just checked with Mr. Google and he does not care. The electrical code allows outlets to be installed with the ground plug hole facing up, down or sideways. It's up to you, there is no standard electric outlet orientation. So that means there really is no such thing as upside down outlets.

Archtoobox Ground Pin Up or Ground Pin Down? There is an age-old debate about whether an electrical outlet should be mounted with the ground pin up or down. Unfortunately, there is not a fully accepted answer. However, it is commonly accepted that the National Electrical Code (NEC) of the United States (NFPA 70), does not provide any specific direction for the orientation of the outlet. We recommend checking local codes to make sure there aren't any local code requirements.

[gfretwell]

The NEC is silent on the issue and it always was.

[Hawk]

If I may....it is not code, which means the NEC doesn't require nor disfavor the practice. As Ed stated, it's main intent was to avoid a metal object (paper clip) from falling down the wall onto the two terminals. A ground plug on top would eliminate that.

[dpb]

On 1/13/2020 4:54 PM, Hawk wrote: ...

Not necessarily, no. It could land on the plug ground and the hot side and weld itself there on the way by...not quite as likely, perhaps, but not eliminated...

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