Why are all our 120v receptacles UPSIDE DOWN?
#1
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Why are all our 120v receptacles UPSIDE DOWN?
Inside the house and outside. Small hole on top and the two pos/neg holes are on the bottom.
Vas?
Vas?
#2
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Sorry, there is no such thing as upside down. Either end up is allowed. Some people will swear by one way or another, but they can legally and safely be either end up. Don't like it? Change it.
#3
Grounds up is more common in commercial buildings; perhaps your house was wired by a contractor who typically does commercial. Any orientation for receptacles is allowed by code, so there is no technical "correct" way. Some people prefer grounds up with the rationale that if you drop some metal object onto a plugged-in cord such that it knocks the plug loose from the receptacle, it's safer for that object to contact the ground pin instead of the hot or neutral pin. If you need to change one to accommodate a "wall-wart" transformer, you may flip it over.
#6
Upside down
Well, as he said...it depends on the person. Had an old electrician tell me...above 2ft.. ground up, so if you pulled it out with your thumb on the plug...no worries if you touched the prong.
He also said ground down below 2ft, I guess because you have a tendancy to wrap your fingers around the bottom of the plug at that angle?
I've never gotten bit plugging or unplugging from a wall socket, so i cant say one or the other...
I think its esthetics.
He also said ground down below 2ft, I guess because you have a tendancy to wrap your fingers around the bottom of the plug at that angle?
I've never gotten bit plugging or unplugging from a wall socket, so i cant say one or the other...
I think its esthetics.
#7
There are probably 100's of other reasons for one way or the other , Some logical, others downright ridiculous, But a s RACRAFT mentioned , Ya dont like it Change it. There is absolutely nothing code or legal, that prevents you from spending a saturday afternoon Flipping them.
WITH THE POWER OFF OF COURSE!!!!!!!
Side note to pro's.....What about length wise , or horizontal???- Are these fair game too?
WITH THE POWER OFF OF COURSE!!!!!!!
Side note to pro's.....What about length wise , or horizontal???- Are these fair game too?
#8
Yes, horizontal is okay, diagonal is okay. But, it brings up yet another debate about whether the neutral blade goes up or down.
#9
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Just to throw one more factor in the mix, if you have two or more duplex receptacles installed side by side, they will usually accept more "wall-wart" style transformers and/or right-angle plugs if the receptacles have alternating orientations - there is even someone who makes a combination "dual outlet/plate" with the receptacles aligned on the diagonal for just this reason.
#10
A while ago, someone posted a link to a manufacturer who was producing duplex receptacles in which each socket could rotate independently so that you can plug in cords and warts at arbitrary angles.
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I did all my basement outlets upside down. I felt that the ground up, falling object rational made enough sense. Not like I go around plugging in a lot of things except for the vacuum, for this to bother me.
#13
for me in the resdentail area it dont matter which way it is up or down grounding slot is but normally i useally leave grounding slot down majorty of the time and used the inverted grounding slot aka upside down type that useally remind that is a switched repectale that about it.
but get in commercal / industrail most of the EE [ electrical engineer ] useally ask the grounding slot up most of the time.
but in fact in the NEC code there is nothing that must be in one way of being upside down or right way.
this kind of topic releated about grounding slot up or down been debated too many time not only in this fourm but other forum i did see it as well.
Merci, Marc
but get in commercal / industrail most of the EE [ electrical engineer ] useally ask the grounding slot up most of the time.
but in fact in the NEC code there is nothing that must be in one way of being upside down or right way.
this kind of topic releated about grounding slot up or down been debated too many time not only in this fourm but other forum i did see it as well.
Merci, Marc
#14
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Just to throw one more factor in the mix, if you have two or more duplex receptacles installed side by side, they will usually accept more "wall-wart" style transformers and/or right-angle plugs if the receptacles have alternating orientations - there is even someone who makes a combination "dual outlet/plate" with the receptacles aligned on the diagonal for just this reason.