NEC Question

   / NEC Question #1  

MikePA

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National Electrical Code /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Does the code specify, for a duplex outlet, whether the grounding hole is up or down? IOW, is there a right side up or upside down orientation for an outlet?
 
   / NEC Question #2  
I'm not sure either. I know on houses I do I always put the groud plug connection down. I've done so many that any other way just looks goofy. You could go to the Mike Holtz web page and maybe get an answer or try one of the billion or so handyman pages. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / NEC Question #3  
Good question Mike, no it does not. It seems to be territorial. I whole heartedly disagree with Rex Cauldwell on this. In his book on electrical work, he prefers it be on top. Why? Because just in cause you have a lamp plugged in the wall, a metal picture frame hanging above it that falls, it will hit the ground first. OK, well, how many lamps carry a ground wire, what if it simply loosens it, if it did have a ground and bent the plug down disconnecting the ground leaving the neutral and hot live while giveng the user the false sense that it is grounded. What about gravity pulling the corded plug down. If ground is on top, it may disconnect ground by virtue of the angle at which the male prongs engage. The last contact that should be broken is ground. After that, it doesn't matter a hill of beans although I still think the ground on top looks silly. My vote goes for ground at the bottom if for no other reason then thats how we've just always done it. Folks back East tend to like it the other way and since there are more of them on this forum, they may tell you otherwise. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Rat...
 
   / NEC Question #4  
NEC® does not specify the orientation of the ground. There have been numerous proposals to change that and they all go down in flames. Absolutely no logical reason to mandate that. Of course that's my opinion and you're gonna get others that will disagree. Thats fine, we're all allowed to have one /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / NEC Question #5  
It's amazing that this question got posted, because I have been visiting family members in the local hospital this week and all the 20 amp outlets there have the ground prong up.

I have been wiring up outlets for 30 years and to me the proper way is to have the ground prong DOWN, but I never bothered to check the code. Now I REALLY wonder why the hospital does it that way.
 
   / NEC Question
  • Thread Starter
#6  
<font color="blue">...the local hospital this week and all the 20 amp outlets there have the ground prong up.</font>
Today, I was walking down the steps in a stairwell at work and happened to notice the outlets. The grounding holes were all facing up. I am used to seeing them facing down, and that's the way I install them as well, so seeing them facing up seemed unusual. I was careful to notice the outlets on the way back to my desk. Most were facing down. Being in a commercial building, I assumed that the electrical contractor would have done things according to code. So, I thought I'd ask my fellow TBNers.
 
   / NEC Question #7  
I think most 90 degree appliance cords will hang properly if the ground is on the bottom. In this case, if ground is on top, the cord will be pointing up and the weight of the cord will be kinking it downward.
 
   / NEC Question #9  
not sure if there is a right or wrong way /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif i always put them down, just seems right, don't ask me why. i can;t explain it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / NEC Question #10  
As my other esteemed collegues have stated, the NEC does not dictate the proper position of the ground hole. Like the hospital that was mentioned, all the outlets install on the facilities (large pharmaceutical compnay) I work in have the ground hole pointing up. My boss, the corporate cheif electrical engineer, says "that's the way I want them". /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
I've seen this debated many times with no clear winner.
 

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