I have been in the trade for 22 years and worked in several states but this amazed me.

Which way is up?
When you mount a 120v duplex receptacle do you put the ground socket to the top or bottom?

I don't recall any code references to this.
And I have seen a few installations with the ground socket to the top, but predominantly
the ground is down. ('.')
('.')
It's seems I remember way back when that I was told this was accepted as good workmanship, that if someone stepped on a cord it would be pulled downward, minimizing the chance that gnd would break first even though it's longer.

Here's the kicker, I did a job, but wasn't there when the inspector showed. Was written up and told receptacles all had to be flipped over(ground on top). Why? I was told it was a local ordinance and was implemented because with the ground on top a cord has more support and less tendency to fall out.

This is news to me and sounds ridiculous.

What do you think? Please include the state your in.

Good Morning TE:
This subject has really become a can of worms lately around here. When you have time, cast an eye on another thread in this area; it's on page three of this forum...

"Receptacle Ground Up or Down?".

Some good viewpoints on this subject here.

Mike (mamills)

[This message has been edited by mamills (edited 08-27-2002).]

UH-OH,

Not again!

Sideways anyone???????

hooboy!

TE ...perhaps you don't realize.....

this has burnt gapping holes in cyberspace and sent tenured tradesmen into catatonic fits...

hats off to your AHJ for fanning the conflaguration alive once again!

Welcome TE!

This thread is the one Mike referred to above.

You'll find some more on the question here .

i vote with george , put'em sideways then maybe everyone will be happy. personally i always put'em down, looks better i think. just my two cents.ERWIN

Funny, new man came to work for me today. The first recept he put in was ground up. Of course we are ground. We argued for about five minutes on the subject and moved on.

Go to the Chicago area, most of them are sideways there....

For the record. Sparky66WV and I had this discussion a bit ago. Using my full title (which impresses some.......never the ones you really want ) I sent inquiries to Arrow-Hart, Leviton, and Hubbell. I got NO replies back, so the manufacturers are not going to ring in on this one. Just thought I'd pass this one along.

George,

I had seen the P&S with TOP stamped on the strap. I emailed them, I believe their answer was it didn't matter. So why indicate TOP?

The P&S 20A recepts have top stamped on them, which is ground up. But the 15A recepts do not.

i work maintenance in a factory and i always put them up. because of the metal face plate were to come loose it will not hit the hot line of plug.

I always give the customer a choice and discuss with them the why's and why not's. Most seem to like the ground down. When I put the receptacle sideways I put the neutral side on the top.

TE,

Here's the solution:




Bill

Bill, you didn't put your plate screw straight up and down. Go back and fix it please.

I figured diagonal would be best under the circumstances.


Bill

I just read the old threads on this topic.

Sorry I reopened this can of worms for you all.

You could just all move to England where this isn't an issue. Probably a bit of drastic solution to avoid the problem though!

hey bill, where can you buy these you posted in your pic? i'll take a 100.

I own the original product I had it developed for me in 2000 while in Cochella Valley, California. I have submitted it for testing and approval, but, I am still waiting for that permission before it can be marketed.

I hate to be the one to point this out, but Bill's picture is upside down.

Roger

How long does the approval process take? Can't you manufacture them and sell them without the UL listing?

I wish you luck. Let us know when these things hit the market!!!! I'd love to buy one ....especially for the outlet next to my icebox...

TE,

As stated, the NEC has no mandated direction for the Receptacles in question [5-15R or 5-20R].

I noticed from other posts that you may be from So. California.
If so, was this Inspection [the one with the Non-Compliance issue for the Receptacle] in So. Ca.?
If yes again, where was this? [sounds like a certain new one-hat Inspector that many ECs have dealt with for the last 4 Months].

Finally, did you ever check into that AHJ's Requirements about the orientation of Receptacles?

As far as I know, this wasn't in the 1997 CEC, but I should check again.

Scott S.E.T.

Ages ago the ‘brand-H’ name was right-side up with the ground pin on top, but the embossed name was very small. Recently came across a duplex GFCI with the buttons embossed “test” and “reset” as stacked and reversed pairs—readable regardless of ground-pin position.

The u-ground position has been hashed out for decades. One view is this: if it is mounted 'up' on kitchen-counter receptacles, the loose end of a roll of aluminum foil on the counter could more likely contact the hot/neutral pins from contact underneath; if reversed, the U-ground pin could limit that. This was in all seriousness discussed at an IAEI chapter meeting some years ago.

I can see where a receptacle like this would have the advantage of accepting 2 Right-Angle plugs. (If gr. pin was below)

I haven't looked recently, but for awhile I've noticed the the writing on the yoke of standard-grade Leviton SP switches was upside-down when the switch was in the correct position. (Up = 'On'). Anybody else notice that?

Bill

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 09-03-2002).]

Scott35

Never had this issue in SoCa

This was in a small midwest city.

I blew him off. They got occupancy and haven't heard anymore about it.