Gfci prong position question clarified:

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Braddon

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I had a request to install a standard plug horizontally, however, the customer wants the ground plug facing down, intead of the standard postion.
The plugs are lined up as such [-: -:] where the dash is the ground. My customer would like the plugs themselves rotated 90 degrees with the whole assembly being still horizontal to the floor as such: ? ? where the o is ground.

I haven't been able to locate such an item, and was wondering if there was a reason related to the NEC that they aren't manufactured that way?
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

There is no code prohibiton to a manufacturer creating a receptacle like you describe (outlets side by side rather than one above the other). Most manufacturers do not make them like this as the manufacturing costs would be very high. Personally I have never seen one like this except in a TV commercial.
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

OK. Before anyone jumps on this one, this is NOT a "ground up versus ground" down question. The question is whether (or if not, why not) anyone makes a duplex receptacle for which the two positions are side by side, and for which the hot and neutral slots are vertical, with the round ground hole being below (or above) the two slots.

I think it is not manufactured by anyone. That is a guess. But here is my reason. In the conventional duplex, the two hot slots are one above the other, and the two neutral slots are one above the other. That makes it easy for constructing the internal metal connections. A simple vertical bar can connect the two hot slots to each other.

But if you had a horizontal, side-by-side duplex receptacle, and if the slots (reading from left to right) were "hot, then neutral for the first device," followed by "hot, then neutral for the second device," the internal wiring or connectors would be much harder to manufacture. Given a small demand for such things, if any demand exists at all (other than Braddon's one customer), I just doubt that such things exist.
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by allenwayne:
Originally posted by Braddon:
I had a request to install a standard plug horizontally, however, the customer wants the ground plug facing down, intead of the standard postion.
The plugs are lined up as such [-: -:] where the dash is the ground. My customer would like the plugs themselves rotated 90 degrees with the whole assembly being still horizontal to the floor as such: ? ? where the o is ground.

I haven't been able to locate such an item, and was wondering if there was a reason related to the NEC that they aren't manufactured that way?
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Actually my house has one of those receptacles on the porch,but it is now 52 degrees outside (honestly) and when it warms up I`ll see who manufactured it. :D
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Hey Allen,

Actually my house has one of those receptacles on the porch,but it is now 52 degrees outside (honestly) and when it warms up I`ll see who manufactured it.
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If you live in a warm climate 52 degrees, why do you have to have it warm up? :D :D
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

This one is made by Eagle which I believe is owned by Cooper.

EagleGFCI.JPG


Roger
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

That`s the one I have outside and why do I have to wait for it to warm up? I don`t come to life till it hits 70 and that is 90% of the year here sorry that you live in MI but to me that is a place polar bears need to be and not humans :p
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Let's hope Braddon or anyone else doesn't have to rely on people like Allen for other important matters. :roll:

Roger
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by Braddon:
I had a request to install a standard plug horizontally, however, the customer wants the ground plug facing down, intead of the standard postion.
The plugs are lined up as such [-: -:] where the dash is the ground. My customer would like the plugs themselves rotated 90 degrees with the whole assembly being still horizontal to the floor as such: ? ? where the o is ground.

I haven't been able to locate such an item, and was wondering if there was a reason related to the NEC that they aren't manufactured that way?
Click to expand...
I was thinking that would be a good idea for all the baseboard mounted receptacles - but it occurs to me it would be a problem with all the wall warts that seem to fill out daily lives. They won't work well in a side-by-side environment.
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by Mike03a3:
They won't work well in a side-by-side environment.
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Why not?

Roger
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by allenwayne:
That`s the one I have outside and why do I have to wait for it to warm up? I don`t come to life till it hits 70 and that is 90% of the year here sorry that you live in MI but to me that is a place polar bears need to be and not humans :p
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I'd rather freeze than live in that state. At least until they require education for inspectors. :p

16 degrees this morning while installing service on house. Nothing like driving ground rods into frozen ground, as if the rocks were not a big enough pain.
First time I have ever seen se cable jacket crack.

As for the topic at hand i have not seen one of those gfci's in years. I think Hubell made some like that at one time.

[ February 10, 2006, 09:03 PM: Message edited by: electricmanscott ]
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by electricmanscott:
16 degrees this morning while installing service on house. Nothing like driving ground rods into frozen ground, as if the rocks were not a big enough pain.
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It's a nice warm 21 F this morning and I am heading out soon to do a service change with a buddy. :)

As far as the ground rods we will sink them with a demo hammer or if the ground is to frozen I have a 1/2" x 30" bit that I can use to get through the frost.
 
Re: Gfci prong position question clarified:

Originally posted by iwire:

As far as the ground rods we will sink them with a demo hammer or if the ground is to frozen I have a 1/2" x 30" bit that I can use to get through the frost.
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At least someone else here knows... "the heat is in the tools..." :D

Do Southerners feel strange getting Christmas cards showing snow scenes? Are they dreaming of a white-hot Christmas? :confused:
 
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