Upside down receptacles.

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David Channell

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Sacramento Calif.
A few years ago I saw a notice that 15 and 20 amp duplex outlets were to be finally required to be installed with the ground pin up instead of down. I've been laughed at when I tried to inform field electricians about this. I've tried to find the information in the code book without success. I was able to show them the pictures in the handbook that now shows the duplex with the ground pin on top, but where is it spelled out in the NEC ?

David Channell, Service Station Electric Inc.
 
I mounted grounds down inside my house. However, I mounted the grounds up in my garage. In the backsplash of my kitchen all grounds are pointed towards the sink. In the bathrooms, they are pointed away from the sink.
 
up or downnnnnn

up or downnnnnn

David Channell said:
A few years ago I saw a notice that 15 and 20 amp duplex outlets were to be finally required to be installed with the ground pin up instead of down. I've been laughed at when I tried to inform field electricians about this. I've tried to find the information in the code book without success. I was able to show them the pictures in the handbook that now shows the duplex with the ground pin on top, but where is it spelled out in the NEC ?

David Channell, Service Station Electric Inc.
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Hi David,

Needless to mention, There is no mention of ground prong up or down orientation in the NFPA 70. There are other sources that do imply ground up in hospital life-safety requirements.

If residential or multi-family is being considered, the following may be of help when looking at reality conditions,

Consider safety first in certain conditions where close-to-wall hanging down profiles are needed. "The 90 deg angle connector plug contact arrangements have the grounding 'prong' positioned in a down position in most appliance cord cases. The angled connector is also used on practically all electrical power adapters with the mass weight and grounding socket in a down position. Three-prong receptacle testers are manufactured with the ground pin down for relative to an LED 'up' readout majority.

The theory of having a receptacle 'grounding prong up' is to prevent a shorting hazard based on a metal object falling down a wall thus hitting and shorting plug contacts. Test cases reveal that wall plates and cord caps tend to deflect falling objects and in most cases cause damage regardless of the ground position key.

Interestingly enough, two prong connectors are the majority in-home use for lamps, radios, clocks, kitchen ware, and non-conductive non-grounding case electronics and tools that render the 'grounding prong-up' concept ineffective." (Above quote given with permission from publisher of 'Illustrated Residential Wiring by Electricians and Contractors.')

Food for thought....you be the 'decider' if not specified. :] rbj
 
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gndrod said:
The 90 deg angle connector plug contact arrangements have the grounding 'prong' positioned in a down position in most appliance cord cases.
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Ground up. makes no difference... depends on the cord.

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Someone please close the thread now :wink:
 
David, I will close this thread, there is nothing in the NEC that specifies which way up to install devices.

The manufacturers have even stopped putting 'top' on devices so no one can be cited for a 110.3(B) violation.

If you want to read more about grounds up vs down do a forum search and you can find 100s of pages devoted to that very topic.
 
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