Power receptacle orientation, ground prong up?

[RKyleM]

Does current code require that the ground prong for a grounded, 115V reeceptacle be the top prong? Most often, the phase and neutral prong are installed at the top.

 

[davidbeach]

If the strap has the word "top", then that must be installed at the top, otherwise there is no code requirement. If the strap indicates top, the requirement to follow all installation instructions of a listed device requires it to mounted top up.

 

[dpc]

Agree with David - there is no NEC requirement on up or down.

David Castor

http://www.cvoes.com

 

[umrpwr]

There are no code requirements which specify the direction that the ground prong and hot or neutral need to be oriented. I would agree with David that if the device is listed and manufacturer instructions indicate which direction it needs to installed then you need to follow that. I am not aware of any UL requirements which specify this. In the absence of that here is the what I was taught when I worked as an electrician and went though my apprenticeship. Especially in the case where you are using metal device plates and the receptacle is mounted vertically the ground prong should be on top or the neutral prong if the receptacle is mounted horizontally. The logic here is if you have a device plugged into the receptacle and the male prongs on the cord aren't fully seated in the receptacle and the metal plate falls on to them you will have a short. Same issue with the horizontal installation. Although an unlikely occurance I have seen pictures where this has happened. I wouldn't consider this as much of a code issue as it is workmanship issue and what you feel makes for a better installation. I have seen a majority of receptacles installed with the hot and nuetral on top. An agrument could also be made for this as well that if you did have a short such as scenario described above it would preferable that an upstream protective device clear it immediately.


Below is a link to a website which also has much of the same discussion that I summarized in my post above.

http://www.mikeholt.com/technical.p...ptacles - Ground Up or Ground Down? (9-23-99)

 

[waross]

The Canadian code has a couple of hints;
1> Mobile home and recreational vehicle parks.
Rule 72-110 (3) Receptacles, when mounted in other than a horizontal plane shall be oriented so that the U-ground slot is uppermost.

2> Installation of electrical equipment.
Rule 26-744 Supply connections for appliances.
(5) The receptacle required by subrule (4)[Free standing electric range, 50 amps or less]
(c) with the U-ground slot orientated(sic) to either side.

3> Diagram 1
CSA configurations for non-locking receptacles.
All configurations are shown with the ground pin uppermost.
We were once called on this and had to send someone to reorient all the receptacles on a small job. It was easier to change the receptacles than to argue!
Are there any similar (partly conflicting) rules in the NEC

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[jraef]

As yopu hopefully have realized now, there is no standard, nor is there even an agreement. I always did Ground pin up because of the idea of something falling on a partially extracted connector. But the other side refers to weight of the cord and/or someone stepping on it to justify Ground pin down so it's the last pin to pull out. I on the other had see people ALL THE TIME who are too lazy to reach down and pull a cord out by grabbing the connector cap, so they yank on the cord itself, and it is always an upwards yank. So that brings me back to Pin-Up.

But my standard joke when someone asks me is, you install it with the U of the Ground pin pointing up, because if it's pointing down all the electrons will leak out onto the floor...

"Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum."
— Kilgore Trout (via Kurt Vonnegut)
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[dpc]

Bill,

This question comes up fairly frequently and AFAIK, the answer is always the same - the NEC is silent on the orientation of receptacles. I've discussed this with a few inspectors as well.

I'd put the ground pin on top using similar logic to umrpwr - if something metallic is dropped on a plug that is halfway out, it is more likely to contact ground rather than the hot pin. But that's not much of an reason.

Cheers,

dpc



David Castor

http://www.cvoes.com

 

[waross]

Thank you David.
Yours
Bill

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter