Outlet ground prong orientation

[Sullivan]

Found this thread via Google search and I wanted to add two items:

1. A house I was in that had been built in 1985 or so had the grounding hole "up" only for outlets controlled by a switch. This was the installer's way of letting you know "these outlets are different." An interesting idea, but I've never seen it done since then.

2. A friend of mine had a shallow, but not completely stable, dish full of spare change sitting on top of her TV... and the TV was directly in front of its receptacle. There was a multi-tap adapter in the top outlet of the receptacle, and its plug was not fully in the socket. One day the dish was knocked backward and coins fell behind the set. Sure enough, a coin landed squarely on the hot and neutral prongs. *blam* So, it *can* happen, and not just from kids with toy remote control antennas.

[Bud Short]

The thread is NOT ridiculous, it could be possible that the National Electric Code would have a preference or standard for the orientation of a standard electrical receptacle. This thread has informed us that with the historic exception of hospitals, there is no preference. This is good and valuable information. The only discussion left is about preference, not code.compliance.

[jadnashua]

Some stuff is designed for the ground terminal to be down (many small plug-ins like nightlights, etc). Some stuff doesn't care. Then, there are cord plugs that, generally, you want to go down, verses up. Straight plugs aren't an issue. Pick your poison...

[Speedy Petey]

WOW!! Did this REALLY need to be drug up from 2008?????

[hj]

When my house was wired, all the outlets were installed with the ground "opening" at the bottom EXCEPT for the ones which had the bottom outlet wired to a switch.

[BobL43]

WOW!! Did this REALLY need to be drug up from 2008?????

I agree, but it is interesting nevertheless, and I see, that with all due respect, with some people who seem difficult today, it is not just a new thing. It is always with good intentions, but just the way it comes out. lol ( I did not have YOU in mind, by the way).

I do tech support over the phone on very complex , very, very
expensive (million dollars) computer controlled, frequency drive powered machinery. All I'm trying to say, is that it is better to speak respectfully with people than not. I don't have the luxury to piss off my customers. I was asked to come back after a year and a half of being retired to handle this department .Toot toot.

Advice here on this forum is free, but that does not mean its OK to make advice seekers sound like complete idiots.

If somebody needs to be made a fool of, all they need to do is visit alt.hvac. if they have usenet newsgroups available, and get themselves ripped a new anus when they ask a question. Things are better at Terry's for sure, but not always, and not everywhere

OK Bob, off soap box.

[DonL]

I mount mine sideways with the neutral up.

That avoids confusion.

[BobL43]

I mount mine sideways with the neutral up.

That avoids confusion.

Don, stop being so nasty. I knew you'd see my post

[hj]

qutoe; I mount mine sideways with the neutral up.

That probably drives interior decorators crazy, since they are used to having receptacles vertical except over counter tops. Especially if they, such as my wife, are trying to use fancy decorative plates which are created for vertical receptacles, and few, if any, for horizontal ones.