Elect. Outlet which way up?

[LarryG]

Apparently the National Electrical Code doesn't have any rules regarding proper positioning of outlets. (I haven't seen it in my looking through the NEC, but I wasn't making an extensive search).

I just now read Article 406 - Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps), of the 2008 edition of the NEC in its entirety. If there's anything there about receptacle orientation, I don't see it. Section 406.4 covers receptacle mounting, and includes paragraph (D) Position Of Receptacle Faces. This states that the receptacle shall be flush with or project from the surface of faceplaces made of insulating material, and shall project a minimum of 0.4mm (0.015") from metal faceplaces. If there was a requirement for orienting the ground terminal, I'm thinking it would be here. (I've also looked elsewhere in the Code, and am not finding anything in other articles.)

Local practice may dictate more than anything else. When I lived in Alaska and worked in construction there, the electrical subcontractors we worked with installed the ground terminals up. When I moved south, I noticed they were all down and for a time this looked "wrong" to me.

[RAFlorida]

I retired from the electrical field

a few years back. In the time I worked in construction, it was the electrical contractor who dictated ground up or ground down. There's no code to specify one way or the other. Mine were always down, unless the contractor said otherwise. What Cgallery posted is what many electricians look at for the ground up position. If something (metal) falls down the wall and the plug is partially pulled out, the ground would prevent the object from coming in contact with the small 'hot' spade of the plug. Where-in there's some truth to that. If it's a lady's necklace or chain, it will still make contact and short out though.
Anyway, it just looks "right" for ground down, and that's all there is to it.

[HarmsWay]

I remember thinking it was strange that the writing on the receptacle was upside down when installed ground down. I'm not sure I've ever seen a ground up installation so maybe it's a local practice. Also, every single flush three-wire cord I've seen assumes ground down (cord down instead of up).

[os1kne]

This very topic perplexed me a few years ago. I looked in the NEC at the time, and found nothing. After paying attention to the outlets in several structures, I've come to the conclusion that around here; commercial buildings are ground-up and residential is ground-down. Not sure why, but it seems to be the common practice around these parts.

[Mr__Bill]

I remember thinking it was strange that the writing on the receptacle was upside down when installed ground down. I'm not sure I've ever seen a ground up installation so maybe it's a local practice. Also, every single flush three-wire cord I've seen assumes ground down (cord down instead of up).

Ah, well, I'll have to send you some of mine. I have some both ways and then there are the ones at an angle. We have a duplex, one refrigerator has the ground up on the plug and the other ground down. APC surge arresters/UPS migrated through up, down and some of the last ones I bought were at an angle. I also have two prong polarized plug in transformers that have to be plugged in upside down and some right side up, what a pain.

The bottom line is, somewhere at some time someone decided one way was right and then changed their minds. We are left with the confusion. Personally I like the face motif.

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[DaveS]

Far Fetched, but possible. DAMHIKT.

Me too.

[DaveS]

Every outlet it my house is ground side up (except the ones I have replaced).

(In addition, all the light switches are 6" too high... drives me crazy)

I had to replace many (most) of the outlets as the little piece strip of plastic between the "top" of the ground and the edge of the outlet was broken.

I think that the natural tendency when unplugging something is to pull out and up at the same time. If the hot/neutral us up, there is more plastic there to bare the strain.

[RyFitz13]

Interesting... I'm also in the "ground down, just because it looks right" camp, though some of the reasoning behind ground-up seems awfully sound (new info to me!).

Interestingly, DaveS, I just moved around (and promptly replaced) a couple outlets in my basement shop for exactly the same reason. They had been ceiling mounted, so plugs were typically plugged into / pulled out of them straight, with less likelihood of being pulled out at an angle. Yet still the plastic directly "under" the ground lug was broken on each of them.

[Garasaki]

If you install outlets "ground down", electrons continue to fall out of the outlets even when not in use.

Over the lifetime of an outlet, these wasted electrons can really add up, costing the building owner potentially millions of dollars.

This is why you most often see utility conscious commercial owners requesting the "ground up" installation, which causes the electrons to pile up in a dam at the top of the outlet, and eventually the "electron leak" (as it's known in the industry) slows to a trickle and eventually stops.

Furthermore, electron piles on tile floors require continuous sweeping, otherwise the floor becomes slick with a thin layer of electrons, and creates a potential "slip and fall" lawsuit

"Ouch, my neck...my back...my neck and my back!!" (from Friday)

[BerniePA]

If you install outlets "ground down", electrons continue to fall out of the outlets even when not in use.

Over the lifetime of an outlet, these wasted electrons can really add up, costing the building owner potentially millions of dollars.

This is why you most often see utility conscious commercial owners requesting the "ground up" installation, which causes the electrons to pile up in a dam at the top of the outlet, and eventually the "electron leak" (as it's known in the industry) slows to a trickle and eventually stops.

Furthermore, electron piles on tile floors require continuous sweeping, otherwise the floor becomes slick with a thin layer of electrons, and creates a potential "slip and fall" lawsuit

"Ouch, my neck...my back...my neck and my back!!" (from Friday)

Well, there you have it!!! I knew someone would come up with the definitive answer!!!

[Mr__Bill]

If you install outlets "ground down", electrons continue to fall out of the outlets even when not in use.

Over the lifetime of an outlet, these wasted electrons can really add up, costing the building owner potentially millions of dollars.

This is why you most often see utility conscious commercial owners requesting the "ground up" installation, which causes the electrons to pile up in a dam at the top of the outlet, and eventually the "electron leak" (as it's known in the industry) slows to a trickle and eventually stops.

Furthermore, electron piles on tile floors require continuous sweeping, otherwise the floor becomes slick with a thin layer of electrons, and creates a potential "slip and fall" lawsuit

"Ouch, my neck...my back...my neck and my back!!" (from Friday)

Gee and I thought you needed terminator plugs,,,,,

[williwatt]

There is a reason for installing the receptacle ground down!

I have not seen anyone mention that there is a functional reason for installing a receptacle with the ground down. Every time I go to use one of my outdoor receptacles I would like to choke the electrician who wired them. How are you going to plug in a device with a transformer or GFCI device on the plug? You can't because the cover is in the way. I have one receptacle that the cover opens horizontally that is not a problem, but all of the others are unusable.

[os1kne]

One reason that I always thought that "ground-down" was the proper way is due to the way they are wired. When compared to a switch (which has a known top and bottom side) - the hot wires are on the right side of the fixture (when looking at the front) and the ground connection is on the lower left. When an outlet is wired "ground-down" it has the same orientation. "Ground-up" places the ground connection in the upper-right and that just seems odd - especially if the box has both switches and outlets.

[JeffG78]

I am also a ground down person. Besides all the reasons given, all transformer plugs (chargers, for example) are wired this way. If the ground is up, the transformer is upside down and the cord points up and then bends 180° back down due to gravity.

One thing I know for sure is that the screws securing all outlet and switch cover plates MUST be oriented the same way. I prefer the slot to be vertical. Crooked screws really bug me!

[chopnhack]

Its dumb, I know...but it bugs me too!

I am also a ground down person. Besides all the reasons given, all transformer plugs (chargers, for example) are wired this way. If the ground is up, the transformer is upside down and the cord points up and then bends 180° back down due to gravity.

One thing I know for sure is that the screws securing all outlet and switch cover plates MUST be oriented the same way. I prefer the slot to be vertical. Crooked screws really bug me!