Proper orientation for NEMA 5-15 outlets

Mahindra35 · Jan 19, 2007

Are you a Liberal or a Conservative??

Left or Right

dynasim · Jan 20, 2007

My FIL is an electrician who does some Gov paid work(handicapped stuff). Their standards, which are reviewed by the case agent, are ground up. He says he put them ground down in other work, except in his own house(which is ground up).

Chris

Superduper · Jan 20, 2007

While standard straight cord plugs don't care which orientation, I can say that every angle plug I've seen is designed with the ground pointed down. If one were to plug it into a receptacle with the ground facing up, then the cord would be upside down and cause strain on the cord, receptacle, what have you, instead of hanging in it's natural down position.

In fact, if all the outlets were installed with the grounds facing up, most observers would conclude that the installer did an improper installation job and did not know what he/she was doing, justified as that conclusion may be or not.

For the reasons cited for reversing the prevalent orientation, I personally don't believe they are justified enough to make that change to our known and comfortable positions. The risks are small at best and every code requires proper over current protection anyhow.

Just MHO...

450EXC · Jan 20, 2007

I did a service call where the grd was down it caused the breaker to trip. A drinking fountain in a grocery store. The fountain settled down on its hanger and made contact with the blades of its plug. It must have energized the fountain briefly

then tripped the breaker. luckily no one was hurt.

So there is a good reason for it and it has happened in real life. I never thought I would ever see it though.

Edit: The electrical box for the plug was roughed in at the wrong elevation during original construction.

GT2 · Jan 20, 2007

In my house, ground down. In the garage, ground up.

Superduper · Jan 20, 2007

450EXC said:
I did a service call where the grd was down it caused the breaker to trip. A drinking fountain in a grocery store. The fountain settled down on its hanger and made contact with the blades of its plug. It must have energized the fountain briefly then tripped the breaker. luckily no one was hurt.

So there is a good reason for it and it has happened in real life. I never thought I would ever see it though.

Edit: The electrical box for the plug was roughed in at the wrong elevation during original construction.

Of course, had the box been roughed in properly, then this would not have occurred either. And of course, the breaker tripped functioning exactly as it should have to alert that a serious problem exists. Were the ground installed oriented upward, the fountain would have made contact and the breaker would not have tripped, and no one would have been alerted to the problem which needed attention. And finally, of course, if a GFCI is installed at that location, which I believe is required based upon code and common sense, then users of the fountain should be reasonably protected against fatal electrical shock. Of course, were this a perfect world....