Receptacle ground up or ground down?


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Old 01-22-02, 07:05 AM
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Receptacle ground up or ground down?

Is there anything in the NEC 2002 about orientation of common receptacles. I have seen them installed in the past, and in every home I've owned, with the ground pin down towards the floor. Lately in some new construction I have seen the ground pin face up towards the ceiling.
Which wasy is correct, or does it even matter?
 
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Old 01-22-02, 07:39 AM
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Code is silent. Install it ground up, ground down, ground to the left, ground to the right. Install it at a 45 degree angle.

Normal is ground down. Some advocate ground up as a safety improvement, but it's a small difference indeed (the "what if I drop a piece of sheet metal on the plug" argument). Some plugs work better with ground down, and many people think ground down is the only "right" way (the way God intended).
 
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Old 01-22-02, 08:22 AM
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Thanks again John. Ground down it is.
I think I am more apt to accidentally let my index finger slip forward and touch the bottom conductor while plugging in an appliance than I am apt to dropping a sheet of sheet metal down the wall!
 
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Old 01-22-02, 08:24 AM
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45 degree angle.....never thought of that...hmmmmmm
 
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Old 01-22-02, 09:24 AM
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I have installed them ground up throughout my new house. Because of the "sheetmetal" argument. The only drawback, is many plugs are polarized and become weird when plugged in. Ex. small device transformers for the phone, night lights, etc.
 
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Old 01-22-02, 02:27 PM
Jxofaltrds
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No code requirement.
Almost every book and manf. shows the ground up.
 
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Old 01-22-02, 07:22 PM
hotarc
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Receptacle installation with the ground up prong up is intended to prevent a loose metal faceplate from falling and contacting both conductors simultaneously. Doesn't seem like much of an issue in a residence where metal plates are seldom used.
 
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Old 01-23-02, 03:13 AM
joeh20
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Receptacle ground up or ground down?

I always was told all neutrals to the left. The guy I wired for was a union electrician IBEW and always walked around preaching all neutrals to the left, for whats it worth. Now if that meant the ground went down it went down. I think in some older homes I've done work in they didn't have the ground on them and the neutrals were on the left.
 
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Old 01-23-02, 06:37 AM
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Neutral on the left, has no basis in code. Maybe a local tradition.
 
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Old 01-23-02, 06:47 AM
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Thanks for all the input. My local imspector said that some cities surrounding us are pushing the ground up method. He doesn't care though...I opt for ground down. I see alot of products out there that are designed that way. Renus-it air fresheners dump out with ground up for example. Most of my transformers are elongated to hang ground down and the cord then comes out the bottom, these tend to fall out when mounted the other way. I have no metal faceplates or else that arguement would make sense.
 
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Old 01-23-02, 08:35 AM
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The basis for "neutral on the left" is from the old knob and tube days where the neutral was always on the left. I don't know if it was ever in the code that way, but if installed by a professional it was always installed that way. When the 3 wire receptacles came out, it was just automatic for the electricians to install them with the neutral on the left which puts the grounding pin on the bottom.
Don(resqcapt19)
 
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Old 01-24-02, 01:01 AM
joeh20
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receptacle ground up or ground down?

Thanks for the neutral on left explanation. The guy that I worked for was taught to wire houses by his grandfather, and that explains his point of view. We never really got into a detailed conversation about where he came up with it. But I just know he always brought it up. His father was a contractor, and he would want to install the receptacles with the writing up. This would put the ground up. We always changed them to down after he left. The local inspector never gave an opinion. Thanks for Joeh20
 
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Old 01-24-02, 10:13 AM
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In the state where I live, the electrical inspectors require that equipment be installed per the manufacturers' instructions (NEC 110-3(b). The Illustration on some marketed receptacles' packaging shows the ground mounted down.
 
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Old 01-24-02, 12:15 PM
resqcapt19
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The illustration on a box is not a listing and labeling instruction that must be complied with per 110-3(b). I am not aware of any manufacturer that has included a listing and labeling instruction for the position of the ground pin. A number of manufacturers have a recommendation, but it is not a requirement or instruction.
Don(resqcapt19)
 
 

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