Electrical Outlets Upside Down? Code?

[Clare Snyder]

If the inspector is that anal he'll want the ground to the left (neutral up)

[Louie]

Regardless of orientation, when a plug starts falling out of a receptacle, it's time to replace the receptacle.

[sam F]

replying to trader_4, sam F wrote: receptacles are UL listed with the ground 'up', that is the proper way to install one...

[gfretwell]

Bullshit. The code and U/L are both silent about how you orient a receptacle.

[gfretwell]

The point is the U/L and NFPA (the NEC) are both silent on this When in doubt, install one of these and make everyone happy

[Tekkie®]

[e-mail] posted for all of us...

This topic seems to make it's bi-monthly appearance...

[Tekkie®]

Oren posted for all of us...

That's the code for ya!

[Brelvis]

replying to hrhofmann, Brelvis wrote: The reason is simple. SAFETY. Back in the day, the outlet covers were metal. Id a plate happened to come lose, fall on the hot conductor of the cord, YOU became the ground if it were to be touched. If it were to fall on the grounded prong, no harm done. Read this explanation in an older text book back in the

80's.

[thekmanrocks]

TomR:

If you look closely at the front of a bare(uninstalled) receptacle, you'll see tiny writing on many that is legible only when the receptacle is held so that the ground is on top. There's a major clue for all the "looks silly with ground on top" crowd! ;)

[trader_4]

It's rather odd that if that was the intent, that 99% are installed with the ground prong down in the USA and passed inspection. That's my survey from traveling widely in the USA, it's rare to find one with the ground prong up. Why are almost all electricians doing it wrong?

[trader_4]

I was thinking similar, but couldn't think of a good example. You're right, the new fridge here has the same thing, a flat plug designed to not stick out. If you put it in ground pin up, there would be stress on the cord. But to me, the obvious thing is that the vast majority of receptacles are installed ground pin down. In my experience, I'd say it's 99%+. It's rather odd if there was an intention they be put in the other way due to the safety issue, that so many electricians are doing it wrong. Also, so many safety things are specified in the code, but nothing on this.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yet my 20 year old Fedders air conditioner should have pin up.

[gfretwell]

No A/C plugs are made to assume the unit is mounted higher than the receptacle so the cord is oriented up.

[gfretwell]

I mark the switched side with a red sharpie.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I have a receptacle where both halves are (separately) switched. One side is marked with red tape, the other with green tape. The receptacle is meant to be used for Christmas lights.

[Oren]

Mine were marked via an adhesive blue dot. First time I saw it, in my present home I wondered what was up with that. Finally figured it out :-)

[Ed Pawlowski]

Yet every window in the house is higher than every recepacle in the house.

[gfretwell]

The cord goes up too, in the direction away from the ground pin. On a washer, the cord goes down in the direction of the ground pin ... assuming you install the receptacle ground pin down.

[Clare Snyder]

Which is "standard procedure" in better than 95% of North America.

[thekmanrocks]

Mark wrote: "I'm in the Chicago area and it was company policy to wire outlets hot - up neutral - down and ground to the right "

Of course, help the insurance racket by putting the hot leg in the most vulnerable position! smdh