Did you guys know this about outlets? I didn't!

[LittleBill21]

Cover your bases.

but if you look the item is placed in the box ground down. thus 2 vs 1, ground down wins!

 

[MossRoad]

but if you look the item is placed in the box ground down. thus 2 vs 1, ground down wins!

Look closely to the left of the center nut on that outlet. It says 125V upside down. Hence, that outlet is in the box upside down.

 

[CoyPatton]

Many codes, including the CFR's are written in blood, and some are purely academic or based on theory and conjecture. There should be documented proof of why a code exists - ground up or down.

1st it DOES NOT exist in NEC.
It may in a local code, and often there is no rationale provided why.
I have even seen a few local codes, which are in conflict with NEC. Usually these end up being found to have been written years ago either by someone that was ‘old school’ and not updated as NEC was updated.

 

[WranglerX]

 

[k0ua]

Maybe it's just me, but why would one ever remove a cover with a cord attached? I know a lot of people have done it, but why? I usually put them in ground down, but I have them both ways. I also have right angle cords oriented both ways. Always the wrong way for my outlets.

When installing surge suppressors with a tab that the screw goes thru, you have no choice. You must remove the screw, hence the cover has a chance to fall down due to gravity. If this is a plastic or Bakelite cover, no problem. if this is a steel cover, it can be a problem if it falls across the hot and neutral prongs as you attempt to install the suppressor. Of course if the outlet was mounted with ground prong up and the steel cover falls on the ground prong, there is no problem, nothing happens. I hope this helps.

 

[MossRoad]

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Well heck!

 

[Bob Rooks]

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Totally arbitrary.

 

[Bob Rooks]

1st it DOES NOT exist in NEC.
It may in a local code, and often there is no rationale provided why.
I have even seen a few local codes, which are in conflict with NEC. Usually these end up being found to have been written years ago either by someone that was ‘old school’ and not updated as NEC was updated.

I understand it isn't in the NEC. There needs to be a rationale.

 

[grsthegreat]

No there doesn’t. And really, what does it matter. There are millions of houses with grounds down. If there was ever a real safety issue, there would be a NEC code to make out lives miserable.

 

[k0ua]

No there doesn’t. And really, what does it matter. There are millions of houses with grounds down. If there was ever a real safety issue, there would be a NEC code to make out lives miserable.

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