Installing Duplex Outlets

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 7:00 pm

[quote="Billdit"]In new home construction, or remodeling, the electrical contractor will put the outlets in "ground down" if the customer has been OK to work with... "ground up" means the customer was a PITA. Finish carpenter will "code" the same way by putting locking knobs on closet doors. These guys get bored doing the same thing day in and day out... ]

Now I like that answer for the reason why some mount ground up and some down.
I found a website with this discussion on it. http://www.mikeholt.com/technical.php?i ... 20(9-23-99)

Interesting reading.

judaspre1982 · Post by **judaspre1982** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 8:35 pm

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ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Sat Aug 11, 2012 9:46 pm

I go with the ground outlet down.

BPR

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Sun Aug 12, 2012 2:10 pm

judaspre1982 wrote:Just wondering how most of you install your electrical outlets.

Do you install them with the ground socket facing down or up?

I noticed in many commercial applications they install them with the ground socket facing up, which led me to seek why. I now know why and was wondering if anyone else ever wondered the same thing or knows the answer as to why duplex outlets are sometimes installed with the ground socket facing up.

Only one guess per customer:D

Dave

pin the tail on the donkey in the dark?

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Sun Aug 12, 2012 2:14 pm

wa2crk wrote:The theory is that if a metal object such as a straight edge were to fall in such a manner as to get behind a plug that was not fully inserted the wall outlet then the first pin on the plug that would be contacted by the metal object would be the ground pin. This scenario is considered to be safer.
That is my opinion and I am sticking with it!! I am VERY opinionated!!:D
Bill V
P.S. When my house in Fl was under costruction I asked the electrician why some of the outlets were ground pi up and other were ground pin down. His answer was that the ones with the ground pin up were the ones controlled by the switch near the room entry door.

Nice theory!
About the switch control-- kinda doubt it. A fairly standard practice is to have the top of the duplex unswitched and the bottom switched. Not a bad idea tho, if the whole duplex powered in one circuit.

keakap · Post by **keakap** » Sun Aug 12, 2012 2:22 pm

What great answers!
And what a great question. From now on I am going with the ground up, mostly for safety. (Hm, been doing it that way anaway, but now I have a good reason.)

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:14 pm

Related question.

Why do molded plug/cord folks make them with the ground pin further from the end? i.e. more suitable for use with a ground down receptacle.

Consider the wire congestion when wired from the bottom.

I had a text 'illustration' here, but the forum editor compresses spaces.

Any one have a way to kill the compression?

My 'guess'.

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[Wordpad sucks also!]