Orientation of wall sockets

[Stephen Tashiro]

Night lights or other devices that plug into wall sockets may have a right-side-up orientation to them. Whenever I go to plug one of those into my wall sockets, they want to sit upside down. Is there a standard convention for wall sockets that tells whether the larger plug in a polarized plug should go on the left or right hand side (or top or bottom) of the wall socket? (My house was built in 1941. I assume the polarized sockets were installed later.)

[David G Baker]

Don't think there is any code that dictates orientation of wall plugs. I put all of mine with the ground leg down unless I have a reason to use it the other way up. Some appliances have angle plugs on them so in order to relieve the strain on the cord at the plug I will turn the receptacle the other way up.
I wish there was a dual plug the was oriented so both receptacles were side by side on a horizontal plane. If they exist I haven't found them.
I install receptacles level with the top of the door frames when I want a night lite in a room. I have the emergency night lights that turn into LED flashlights when the power goes out. I can maneuver through my home in the dark during power failures with out banging my shins.

[Bruce Page]

When I was updating all of the outlets/switches in my home an old electrician friend of mine told me to always install the outlets with the ground up. His reasoning was that if you ever had something come down on a plug that was only partially pushed in, the ground lug would prevent it from shorting across the plugs blades.

It made sense to me so that’s how I installed them.

[Scott Shepherd]

When I was updating all of the outlets/switches in my home an old electrician friend of mine told me to always install the outlets with the ground up. His reasoning was that if you ever had something come down on a plug that was only partially pushed in, the ground lug would prevent it from shorting across the plugs blades.

It made sense to me so that’s how I installed them.

Had an electrician tell me the same thing not long ago. Made sense to me too!

[Von Bickley]

I wish there was a dual plug the was oriented so both receptacles were side by side on a horizontal plane. If they exist I haven't found them.


Just for info..... I was in Lowe's to-day and saw duplex receptacles that each receptacle rotated 360 degrees. Never seen these before.

[Chris Kennedy]

Last week, I got to tour a new building on our campus. I noticed a lot of sockets with the ground at the top. That being said, there were also banks of sockets (four junction boxes of four sockets each) all oriented with the ground at the bottom.

All of this is new construction started within in the last year.

Cheers,

Chris

[Jim Becker]

The electrician who did the work in our addition put them with the ground "up"...citing the reason that Bruce brings up. But it sometimes causes problems with certain types of devices...err...wall-warts or certain types of surge suppressors...that were obviously designed for the ground being "down". I've had to rotate a few post installation to deal with this. In hindsight, I would have insisted that they be installed ground "down" to avoid the inconvenience.

[Mark Beall]

I've heard and read the same thing (ground up). However in the several houses I've wired, everyone expects them to be ground down - so I've given up even asking (I'm not an electrician, I just always seem to get sucked into doing this for friends since I've done it before).

A book that I've found very useful for electrical work is "Wiring a House" by Rex Cauldwell, it's not a "for dummies" book, but rather a good explanation of what to do and why things are done that way. I have an older edition, Amazon shows a newer one coming out soon. The question above is addressed in that book with the explanation given above (if something falls on the plug and it's not pushed in all the way, you won't get a short between hot and neutral - 50% chance it will be between neutral and ground and it won't stay there for long due to the angles).

mark

[Doug Fowler]

This was the explanation given to me many years ago by my electrical shop teacher.

The easiest way to remember is, just refer to their proper name ie; U Ground Receptacle. They are not called n Ground Receptacles.
The reason to put the pin on the bottom is to prevent you from accidentally grabbing the hot "pins" of the plug. You may not see that you are beyond the end of the insulated portion and thus could touch the "hot" pin and neutral.
The reason the top pin idea, that was mentioned, is not as valid is that you can see where you are grabbing the plug and therefore adjust your grip to prevent touching the pins.
AS stated there has always been arguments about this subject so this is some more fuel for the fire ha ha.

Cheers Doug

[Chuck Saunders]

On Mike Holt's electrical forum the topic of receptacle orientation is banned due to the neverending argument on the subject. Pick an orientation and defend it to the death with whatever reasons you can imagine, you're just as correct as everybody else.

[Rob Young]

Just for info..... I was in Lowe's to-day and saw duplex receptacles that each receptacle rotated 360 degrees. Never seen these before.

Ummm, unless I'm missing something, you rotate 360 degrees, it will look the same (full circle). If that is truly what you meant, then yes, I've seen those too. ;) In fact, I've seen ones rotated 720 degrees. :cool:

Did you mean to say a duplex receptacle with the two receptacles rotated 180 degrees to each other?

[Don Bullock]

...I have the emergency night lights that turn into LED flashlights when the power goes out. I can maneuver through my home in the dark during power failures with out banging my shins.

I have those lights in my new home as well. Fortunately all my ground plugs are on the bottom so the lights fit in the top plug.

[David G Baker]

Don,
The only problem I have had with the lights is that nothing else can be plugged into the other receptacle. I have one mounted in my basement close to my primary sub panel where I switch power sources to generator during a power outage.

[Von Bickley]

Ummm, unless I'm missing something, you rotate 360 degrees, it will look the same (full circle). If that is truly what you meant, then yes, I've seen those too. ;) In fact, I've seen ones rotated 720 degrees. :cool:

Did you mean to say a duplex receptacle with the two receptacles rotated 180 degrees to each other?

A duplex receptacle with the 2 receptacles that will rotate 0 - 360 degrees separately.

[russell lusthaus]

I always thought that you install them with the ground down, so that, if a plug ever comes loose in the outlet (gravity) the ground is being pushed into the outlet - at least keeping it safer if the same were to happen with the ground up and being pushed out.

[Bas Pluim]

I'm installing some 220V outlets in the workshop, using surface mounted conduit & boxes. To keep things from sticking out too far from the wall, I'm using an angled plug like this one:
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/032664/032664536854md.jpg

Since the cord has to come out the bottom, the ground has to be on top. And being a stickler for consistency, I decided to do this for the 110V outlets as well. Also, the writing on the 110V Cooper receptacle I bought at Lowes is legible when the ground is pointing up. So I think that's what the manufacturer intended.

[Dave Wagner]

Our house has them both ways, and even horizontal boths ways...geesh...

[Rob Young]

A duplex receptacle with the 2 receptacles that will rotate 0 - 360 degrees separately.

Ah ha! Now I understand.

[David Hostetler]

I have a couple of books on the subject of wiring, one from GE, one from Stanley, and of course the Wiring 123 book from Home Depot.

ALL of them state that for 110 wall mounted outlets the orientation is...

3 prong grounded outlets, the ground port (the round hole looking thingy) goes DOWN.

According to my house inspector, that is code as well...

I can't tell you about non grounded receptacles as those are obsolete now, and while legal to replace like for like, not a good idea. IF you can ground a circuit, do it... And depending on the situation, use a GFCI with it...

My guess would be, since the grounded ones, with the ground down, the wide blade is on the left, so for the polarized plugs, the wide blade should go left...

[Rollie Meyers]

I have a couple of books on the subject of wiring, one from GE, one from Stanley, and of course the Wiring 123 book from Home Depot.

ALL of them state that for 110 wall mounted outlets the orientation is...

3 prong grounded outlets, the ground port (the round hole looking thingy) goes DOWN.

According to my house inspector, that is code as well...

I can't tell you about non grounded receptacles as those are obsolete now, and while legal to replace like for like, not a good idea. IF you can ground a circuit, do it... And depending on the situation, use a GFCI with it...

My guess would be, since the grounded ones, with the ground down, the wide blade is on the left, so for the polarized plugs, the wide blade should go left...


Most home inspectors are i***ts at best, and anyone who says that ground up or down is correct is FLAT wrong, NEC code committies have refused to touch that issue & for that reason you will not find anything in the National Electrical Code on that issue,local codes are a different matter......

If anyone say it's "code" they need to cite the section or it's a urban legend.

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I'm installing some 220V outlets in the workshop, using surface mounted conduit & boxes. To keep things from sticking out too far from the wall, I'm using an angled plug like this one:
http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/032664/032664536854md.jpg

Since the cord has to come out the bottom, the ground has to be on top. And being a stickler for consistency, I decided to do this for the 110V outlets as well. Also, the writing on the 110V Cooper receptacle I bought at Lowes is legible when the ground is pointing up. So I think that's what the manufacturer intended.

Most plugs that look like this can be rotated in 8 directions. So you could have done it the other way.

The other argument I have heard for ground down is that if it is partially plugged in the ground is still going to be touching (that is why it is longer anyway).

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Most home inspectors are i***ts at best, and anyone who says that ground up or down is correct is FLAT wrong, NEC code committies have refused to touch that issue & for that reason you will not find anything in the National Electrical Code on that issue,local codes are a different matter......

If anyone say it's "code" they need to cite the section or it's a urban legend.

Rollie,

The NEC code is just a guide line for local codes. The local code can include or surpass the standards set by the NEC. Local codes could well demand that the ground be up or down. I'm not saying I agree with it but they could.

I disagree with your statement on building code inspectors too. Most that I have experienced are nice, helpful and are just doing a job. The code is there to protect the average homeowner from themselves and from unscrupulous contractors who would less than safe work.

[Jason Roehl]

Personally, I prefer to put all mine on a diagonal, with the neutral slot up. :D

[Kent A Bathurst]

Personally, I prefer to put all mine on a diagonal, with the neutral slot up. :D

Hadn't tried that yet - so far, I've just concentrated on getting the holes facing out, and the wires facing in.

[Art Mulder]

I have, personally, been in the situation where a plug was partly out, and some metal dropped across the two hot lines and blew the breaker.

In my situation I was working in a computer lab ('91-95) when the security cable that secures the CPUS fell off the back of the table and dropped across the two hots. Killed the entire lab.

So there is at least one datapoint that would support the idea of putting ground UP.

...art

[Ben Franz]

Some of the electricians I've used install most receptacles with the ground pin down. If the receptacle is switched or half switched (my preference), the device is installed ground pin up. Seems like a helpful idea but any future owners or residents probably wouldn't know this so perhaps not. I just put the pin down on everything because the other way just looks "wrong" to my overly "retentive" eye.

[Nick Mastropietro]

I was lead to believe that both ground up and ground down were correct installations, it just depends where the outlet is installed. for example there isnt much risk to some conductive object falling on to a connected plug inside a residence, however, in a shop or garage or other industrrial area where metal, tools or equipment could come into contact with the plug, these outlets should be installed ground up. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.

[Rollie Meyers]

Rollie,

The NEC code is just a guide line for local codes. The local code can include or surpass the standards set by the NEC. Local codes could well demand that the ground be up or down. I'm not saying I agree with it but they could.

I disagree with your statement on building code inspectors too. Most that I have experienced are nice, helpful and are just doing a job. The code is there to protect the average homeowner from themselves and from unscrupulous contractors who would less than safe work.


I was not refering to building/electrical inspectors, my comments were directed to Home Inspectors. I did leave out local rules due a wide variety that can be on the books....

[Rollie Meyers]

Most plugs that look like this can be rotated in 8 directions. So you could have done it the other way.

The other argument I have heard for ground down is that if it is partially plugged in the ground is still going to be touching (that is why it is longer anyway).


The grounding prong is longer so it is the first to make contact & the last to break contact.

[Jason Roehl]

I guess the real solution would be a switch to a coaxial configuration, with an outer ground collar and either two central rings for hot and neutral, or two central prongs. But the changeover would be a clusterf...problem.

[Richard Jones]

I was not refering to building/electrical inspectors, my comments were directed to Home Inspectors. I did leave out local rules due a wide variety that can be on the books....

Thanks, I feel better now!!! Would love to discourse on your home inspector comment, but alas, professionalism rears it's ugly head. And thanks to Ken F. for a nice compliment.

Now let's beat this horse some more...............

In some institutions, like hospitals, the A/E will spec. the orientation of the device. If you look at some mfg.'s info, like Hubbell, all of their receptacles are ground up. Maybe they photograph better that way, dunno.

IIRC, some mfg's. used to specify the install orientation, altho' I can't seem to find any that do now. If anyone is truly concerned about this, maybe installing an arc fault breaker will allow you a good night's sleep. Stuff happens, that's what breakers are for.

Another way would be to install two of the "rotatable" duplex's in a two gang box and orient each in a different way. One of 'em's gotta be right, eh? http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon10.gif

Rich (CBO) in VA

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

no code requirement exists
However if you are installing 'em and get 'em flipped around so they are inconsistent the inspector might reject you.

Might because he really can't cite to any code that would support his rejection other than his personal opinion that it's not workmanlike.

[Bill Fitch]

Since I am about to add some 240V receptacles to my garage, this thread has caught my interest. I did find something in a book "Practical Electrical Wiring", 20th edition. In that the author states:

The NEC takes no position on the orientation of the ground hole on a receptacle, up or down (or left or right). Some prefer to mount the ground hole up, based on the ground pin providing some protection against a metal object dropping against a partially inserted plug and potentially contacting the hot blade. Others prefer the ground pin down, based on the orientation of multitudes of angle cord caps that prevent the cord from hanging straight down unless the ground pin is in the lower position. Many receptacles are mounted horizontally, and many cord caps orient a 45-deg angle from the ground pin so they can be used in either vertical or horizontal recepticals. It is impossible to make receptical orientation into a rule, so let the owner decide.

I think this represents the general consensus. But it is noteworthy that the author is the senior member of NEC's Code Making Panel 9.

I also highly recommend the book. It is easy to read and understand.

[Wayne Cannon]

My book based on the 2002 NEC says that there is "no actual Code rule on positioning receptacles", but that it is "recommended" that the grounding hole be at the top in case something metal were to fall onto the blades of a plug. For years, it was recommended that the grounding hole be at the bottom, explaining why some devices expect the grounding hold on the bottom.

If the receptacle is mounted horizontally, the neutral blades should be on top (making the grounding hole on the left).

My reasoning: The grounding connection always grips better than either the neutral or hot terminals. When the grounding hole is on the bottom, the plug tends to pivot to open a gap at the top, exposing the neutral and hot terminals (or the two hot 240 V terminals). With the grounding hole on top, the plug pivots to close the gap -- safer.

[Ken Higginbotham]

Sounds like the consensus is that technically it don't really matter which way they go. :p

I turned the ground down on the 220 plug for my table saw because the cord did a right angle down instead of up :confused:

[Curt Harms]

Some of the electricians I've used install most receptacles with the ground pin down. If the receptacle is switched or half switched (my preference), the device is installed ground pin up. Seems like a helpful idea but any future owners or residents probably wouldn't know this so perhaps not. I just put the pin down on everything because the other way just looks "wrong" to my overly "retentive" eye.

That is an excellent idea, how often does one want to switch 2 devices? Less often than having one device switched and one hot all the time, I bet. Having said that, I could imagine as a builder getting phone calls about "half my outlet doesn't work!"

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curt,

Having one outlet switched and one hot all the time in the same receptacle is exactly how they wired the receptacles in my living room.

I can plug a lamp in one outlet and clock or telephone into the other outlet in the same receptacle. I control the lamp via a switch while the clock or cordless phone remains powered.

I forget now whether the top outlet is switched or the bottom outlet is switched.

[James Fleming]

I dealt with this issue in my shop, at least with the 120v outlets, by installing square boxes with two duplex outlets. One ground up and one ground down. Not a perfect fix, but it helps avoid some frustration. I install the single outlets whichever way matches up best with what will be plugged into them.

[Sean Tracey]

On Mike Holt's electrical forum the topic of receptacle orientation is banned due to the neverending argument on the subject. Pick an orientation and defend it to the death with whatever reasons you can imagine, you're just as correct as everybody else.

If you install receptacle's with the ground up, you have to install all of the toilet paper rolls so that they unroll from the backside.

[Chris Padilla]

Curt,

Having one outlet switched and one hot all the time in the same receptacle is exactly how they wired the receptacles in my living room.

I can plug a lamp in one outlet and clock or telephone into the other outlet in the same receptacle. I control the lamp via a switch while the clock or cordless phone remains powered.

I forget now whether the top outlet is switched or the bottom outlet is switched.


In doing some minor rewiring in my living room, I learned about a neat trick (well, it wasn't that tricky...only that I hadn't thought of it before) the electrician's did. They simply ran 14/3 everywhere and if an outlet was to be switched, the red switched wire would be hooked up. Ohterwise, it was wire-nutted and folded back into the box. So I did this in the living room and now any outlet can be switched to my heart's content or as often as my wife decides on a major rearrangment of the furniture! :D