Community Forums

Pepper2 · 05-16-2019, 06:03 AM

Hospitals have been doing this for a long time.

Spk64 · 05-16-2019, 06:15 AM

We had a house built and also had some outlets installed ground up. I questioned the electrical contractor on why he did that. Was given some of the reasons above. Then I checked all the outlets, they were installed 50/50 some up and some down. Contractor was a lone operator so I then dismissed his reasons and determined it was just a random choice at each location.

f14av8r · 05-16-2019, 06:03 PM

I looked at literally hundreds of outlets in RVs from every manufacturer today at LazyDays Tampa. I did not find one single outlet that had the ground lug up other than on the Tiffin Wayfarer models. Not saying what's right or what is wrong but the folks in Winfield Alabama clearly set a different electrical standard.

ransil · 05-16-2019, 06:23 PM

Everyone know the Amish are expert electricians

ernieh · 05-19-2019, 11:55 PM

If you look at plugs that have the cord at a 90 degree angle to the prongs, the ground will almost always be at the top.

rarebear.nm · 05-20-2019, 12:12 AM

I have installed them both ways. I've heard all of the above reasons and have read the NEC. No mention which way is right. Does not preclude some local code. I have since gone back to ground down in most all cases. Reason is that some of our plugin devices require that configuration. Examples plugin CO monitors, emergency flash light/nite light devices, etc.

I've never heard of a real case where a metal object slide down a wall and got caught on the hot/neutral contacts and caused a problem. Anyone have a verified reference? IMO- there's bigger and more real safety issues to be dealt with beside up/down on an outlet.

harleyjt · 05-20-2019, 12:22 AM

I think it’s a local thing. All the homes in the Memphis area are ground down. But up in the Nashville area it seems to be ground up. My buddy’s place up that way was the first time I recall seeing it that way.
jt

Arch Hoagland · 05-20-2019, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ransil

Everyone know the Amish are expert electricians

LOL Might be on to something there....

DeWat · 05-20-2019, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernieh

If you look at plugs that have the cord at a 90 degree angle to the prongs, the ground will almost always be at the top.

If the cord is coming out at a 90 degree angle, how do you know which way is up? The cord would simply be coming out the left or right side. Now I do have a couple power strips where the cord comes out at a 45 degree angle, and those the ground is down... unless you want the cord sticking up against the wall.

ernieh · 05-20-2019, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeWat

If the cord is coming out at a 90 degree angle, how do you know which way is up? The cord would simply be coming out the left or right side. Now I do have a couple power strips where the cord comes out at a 45 degree angle, and those the ground is down... unless you want the cord sticking up against the wall.

My statement wasn't intended to be a test. Turn your 45 degree cord another 45 degrees and you will see the answer.

Persistent · 05-20-2019, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernieh

If you look at plugs that have the cord at a 90 degree angle to the prongs, the ground will almost always be at the top.

Not so! My 90 degree plugs all have the ground down. Some of my home outlets are ground up and some ground down.

LETMGROW · 05-20-2019, 03:47 PM

My wife was in our MH yesterday doing the spring cleaning before packing the MH back up for the summer. She asked if I would plug the power in so she could use her vacuum cleaner. I pulled an extension cord off a shelf in my garage and plugged it into my garage wall outlet. The cord goes into the plug at a 90 deg. angle to the plug's prongs. The cord hung down along the wall.
I was working on a backstop for target shooting on my range and needed my power saw. I went to the shelf and pulled off another extension cord. This cord also has a plug which the wires come out of at a 90 deg. angle. I bought these cords last Christmas time at the same time at the same store out of the same bin. When I plugged the cord in the cord pointed straight up and had to make a loop to hang down the wall.
I checked each wall outlet and they were both installed with the ground prong up. The ground prongs on the extension cords were reversed.
From now on I will only buy extension cords which will let the cord hang relaxed when plugged into a wall socket.
This sort of tells me there is no standard for ground position.
I'm not totally unhappy though. A check later discovered every outlet in my house is installed ground prong down.
Strange part of all this is I built both my house and my garage myself including all the wiring.
Lynn