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Electrical Wiring

Question - For My Own Curiosity

16 years ago

Is there a Right or Wrong way to install Duplex Outlets ??

I have seen them installed with the Ground Hole at the Top, and in other places I have seen them with the Ground Hole at the Bottom.

Or is it just a matter of Personal Choice ???

Thanks,

Lou B.

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Comments (14)

spencer_electrician
16 years ago
The code has no say. Some people put the ground up believing that it adds safety. Reason being, a person that doesn't pay attention may have their fingers touching the blades as they insert the plug. If the ground is up, they are more likely to grab the ground than the hot blade down at the bottom. Others say that if the plug was hanging there loose and something metal fell down, it could land over hot and neutral and arc around possibly starting a fire. All are very rare situations so most of us place the ground down.
joed
16 years ago
You can install them at any angle you like. The code is silent on this.
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cobraguy
16 years ago
I don't know about other parts of the country, but around here (Phoenix) if you see a receptacle installed upside down, it means it's controlled by a wall switch. Pretty good idea when you think about it.
doc8404
16 years ago
Not to stir the pot Cobra but what is "upside down"? :)
rysox
16 years ago
I dont know if its a regional thing but in Chicago you also see the boxes at outlets mounted sideways.
cobraguy
16 years ago
doc...excellent question! When the receptacle is ground pin up, it's controlled by a wall switch. Better? :)
joed
16 years ago
That is not a code thing either but it is a common practice to reverse switched receptacles.
steve_fl
16 years ago
This question begs to be asked-
If switched recepticles are put in upside down (ground pin up) and normal recepticles are put in right side up (ground pin down), how would you mount a duplex recepticle with only 1/2 switched?

Just a bit of humor!
davidandkasie
16 years ago
steve, i was going to ask the same thing!

one local city REQUIRES that all 3 prong outlets be installed ground pin up. when asked, they tell you it is for safety reasons such as above. if the plug were pulled partially out and something metal dropped across it then it only touches the ground.
Ron Natalie
16 years ago
Yeah if the plate hangs balanced on the ground pin, but a decora plate or even a traditional one if it swings a bit will hit one of the blades (potentially the hot one).

With the ground pin down, at least it's more likely to short across and trip the breaker.
joed
16 years ago
Here's another theory I heard for ground down. If someone or somehing gets on top of the cord and pulls it out of the wall in a downward direction the ground pin will be the last pin to come out.
There are many theories and reason for putting them in either way. NEC is silent on the issue.
hendricus
16 years ago
I place mine ground up, but I also run my outlets at 30" and the larger prong on the ground keeps the weight of the cord from pulling the plug down.
pudge565
16 years ago
My shop teacher at Berks Career and Technology Center has us intall all recepticals ground pin down. He told us to do it this way because if you look on most devices (eg. switches) the ground screw is on the bottom left. so he said if the receptical was meant to be put in ground pin up they would have put it so that the ground screw was on the bottom left when installed ground pin up.
hrajotte
16 years ago
When mounted vertically, install the receptacle with the grounding slot on the bottom. Try plugging in a nightlight with fixed polarized prongs, or a refrigerator with a 45 degree 3-prong plug on the cord and it's perfectly clear why the ground slot should be on the bottom.

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