I have noticed in various installations that heights of switches and receptacles vary, but it most often seems in consideration of someone'/anyone's sense of style.

The most common standards I have built are 54 inches AFF (above finish floor) for switches, and 12 inches for receptacles and phones. I would also sometimes put in switches at 48 inches if someone wanted. What seemed the silliest thing was what was considered swank in the '80s to put the receptacles in sideways (long side parallel with the floor) about 2 inches AFF, so that they would wind up in the floor edging.

A couple of years ago, we rebuilt a classroom / lecture hall for ADA/Wheelchair compliance and internet access. I put the light controls at 3-foot center AFF. It started as a joke during pre-construction design meetings, but the architect thought I was being serious, so that was how they drew the plans, and that was how we built it. OK, whatever. Actually, everybody seemed happy that we considered it.

On the home front, we had a baby a little over a year ago, and from watching other little kids play with cords, plugs, etc, I thought I would do some hme "experimentation." (experimenting with your baby sounds scary, huh?) It seemed anything I could come up with could not be more dangerous than the conventional 12 inch AFF that is so cleverly designed for electrocuting toddlers.

So, I have played with putting plugs at different heights in our warehouse/home.

[Actually, it does not really qualify as a wareHOUSE in my mind, but rather more of a wareHOLE. Sort of a Possum-Lodge land if you are familiar with Red-Green. We live in a bombed out ex-industrial area of Dallas, but it is pretty handy to have three-phase power and industrial feeds right in the shop end of the place to play with "toys" But the place is such a wreck, anything we do is an improvement]

In the home end of the place, I have wired our place by running boxes and conduit around the walls at 4-foot, and mixing outlets for switches and plugs, dedicated circuits, etc. as seem needed, and it seems to work pretty well, at least from experiment end.

From my point of view, so far, the 4-foot plugs and switches seem to work pretty well. Our little carpet ape does not really seem to be able to get to anything too dangerous, the worst I have seen her doing is climbing up on a bed, out on a nightstand, and then and trying to swing on a lamp cord . . . . I suppose the fall would be more likely to hurt her than the plug . . . geeezz.

But at any rate, with the rug-rat growing quickly as the weeds, we are getting ready to put our real plans together for a more real, more long term and hopefully more civilized homestead. Although the boss-lady has not yet decided exactly where that will be. (She says anywhere but Texas) I am sure I will be told when I need to know.

However, the Mrs. is not so enthused about the 4-foot plugs, she figures they make the plug and cord an even more attractive target for a toddler. She is also less than enthused with the atheistic or visual appearance of plugs high on the wall. [I guess I better hope she does not start looking too hard at me with that mindset] I have worked on upper-end homes where the plugs are recessed in the wall, with a cover that matches the wall. The cover stays over them unless they are in use. Maybe that would help.

But if anyone has any design considerations . . . safety, ease of use, various codes, etc., with regard to plug and switch heights—not just for our warehouse, but other commercial, residential, special use, as well -- it would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil Timmons

In the area I work it is 18" for outlets and 44" or 48" for switches etc.

The 54" seems high to me and might be a problem with ADA requirements.

In our area the receptacles are hammer height, The switches are 44" to the bottom unless someone requests otherwise. Our large custom homes always have the outlets mounted horizontal in the basemolding on the first floor.

Receptacles at 48" will never be accepted. I'm sorry, but it would look like crap. Just put a safety cap in the outlets or use safety plates. One of my earliest memories is of me putting a paper clip in an outlet, I was about 3 years old and it taught me a valuable lesson.

I put all standard switches at 48" to the top and receptacles 16" to the top.
Most bathroom receptacles I put at 44" ttt so they are closer to the vanity and I put all garage receptacles at 48" ttt.

I can not understand why some people use a "to the bottom" measurement. Isn't it easier to glance at the top of the box rather than bend over, especially for receptacles, to see your mark?
Just curious.

i ususally cut a 2x4 the correct size to use as a template for outlet heights.

i was taught switches were 48" ttb. no one ever said why and it still doesnt make sense especially when a nearby counter outlet is 4" lower.

We normally put our switches at 50 inches to the bottom. At 48" t-t-b, we find it interferes with the 4' width drywall taping and the tapers end up making a mess inside our box. For receptacles, we use 16" t-t-b.

Welcome to ECN Phil,

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned "Height of a Hammer" for receptacles. (if working with someone else you'd have to "synchronize" Hammers of course). This puts the receptacle at about 13" to the bottom.

I figure 48 to the center for switch boxes makes it's easier to sheetrock, and if the Tapers don't have an attitude it really doesn't affect them.

Bill

Hey Bill,

Go back and look at my 1st post. I've never measured a receptacle except to match an existing one.

OOPS!

Sorry about that EE !!


Bill

As iwire mentioned, anything that requires ADA compliance has to be:
1. Switch-Maximum height 48" AFF to center.
2. Receptacle-Between 18" to 24" to center.
3. Thermostat-Maximum height 48" to center...S

I worked with a guy a long time ago that marked center of receptacles according to the top of his cowboy boots and the switches to his belt buckle.(6'1 tall) How bout' dem rednecks huh?

[This message has been edited by elektrikguy (edited 08-30-2003).]

As per switch height, my father installed the switches in the house he built at 56 inches. Problem was, when I was about 4, I wanted to turn the lights on or off in my bedroom. As I couldn't reach the switch, I climbed onto the bed that was next to the door and switch. Seems that when I tried to reach the switch I fell off the bed and hit the doorknob with my chin, getting a nasty cut....

We did a few child care centers (Kindercare) a couple of years back.
The receptacles were called out at +54" AFF, to keep the tykes like Electric Eagle was from accessing them. We had to apply for variances (all granted) to stray from the ADA standards. Another spec was that the grounds be up so that the recps didn't look like "happy faces" (another endless subject of its own).
I just don't see how everybody gets away with putting recps/switches wherever they want. ¿¿ Are your jobs not subject to the ADA requirements?? (I don't do much resi work)

I'll bet elektrikguy's buddy looked very strange marking the switch heights on the studs at his belt buckle level ...S

LOL, I only report the news that's fit to print......well sort of

These may be of some interest.






Figure 5b
Maximum Forward Reach over an Obstruction
The maximum level forward reach over an obstruction with knee space below is 25 inches (635 mm). When the obstruction is less than 20 inches (510 mm) deep, the maximum high forward reach is 48 inches (1220 mm). When the obstruction projects 20 to 25 inches (510 mm to 635 mm), the maximum high forward reach is 44 inches (1120 mm). (4.2.5, 4.25.3).



Figure 6(b)
High and Low - Side Reach Limits

The 30 by 48 inch wheelchair clear floor space is located a maximum 10 inches (255 mm) from the wall.



Figure 6(c)
Maximum Side Reach over Obstruction
If the depth of the obstruction is 24 inches (610 mm) and the maximum height of the obstruction is 34 inches (865 mm), the maximum high side reach over the obstruction is 46 inches (1170).

Roger

Hmmm. Interesting thread. I'm not in the US, but I think the problems are similar.

In old Swedish homes, the switches and outlets were very high up on the wall. The center of the switches could be 1.5 m (60") up. In modern homes the (center of) switches can be as low as 1 m (40") up, which is about as low as a tall guy like me find comfortable. The outles have ended up as low as 0.2 m (8") from the floor. This is too low to be comfortable to anyone.

In modern offices, public buildings and homes built for elderly or disabled people, you find outlets at the same height as the light switches. Often they are combined.
In fact, in think one outlet per room at switch height is required in all new houses.

Outdoor outlets and outlets in warehouses, industries and the like are usually mounted more than a metre above ground.

posted by electure

I am with you on that, and when I stop to think about it I have not got to decide the height on anything electrical in years, it is always specified on the print from outlets to panels it is all on the print.

Some of you may say what a bore, but when you are installing 1000s of devices at one job it takes the pressure off.

If there is an issue down the road with heights any changes will be T&M, as long as I followed the print.

We have done jobs that all wall devices had to be within 1/8" of the position shown on the print to match the millwork.

Are you going all Spanish on us, Scott?

Heights in older British homes were all over the place. It wasn't uncommon to find surface mount receptacles screwed to baseboards with their lower edge almost on the floor. Most people here today seem to consider 18" to be far too high (I've asked them about it) and expect them to be no more than around 12").

Just as C-H mentioned in Sweden, in many old properties here the light switches were often mounted at 5' or more. Even now, some people would consider 48" to be too low.

I once wired a home 48" to the top of switched and 18" to the bottom for plugs. normal for our area. The owners nephew complained that they were too high and asked us to lower them after we already finished the rough. Needless to say we agreed to do it for a price. When we heard nothing for awhile the GC told us that the owner wanted us to lower them 2". If we didn't they would contact the AHJ. We instructed the GC to have them do so, we were in compliant. When we returned for the finish we noticed all the outlets lowered 2". My partner and I glaced at each other and in unison said "Time and Material".

Blessings. Mark