# up or down



## sdbrown1 (Sep 15, 2004)

Hello and thank you in advance. My question is this, should the ground recepticle on an outlet be on top or bottom when installed? I have seen it both ways as well as side ways.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

Stop it. :furious:


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

NoOoOoOoOoOoOOOOOOO!!!


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Hey, these guys are pulling your leg. Just ignore them. There is actually building code on this that is strictly enforced around here. The correct answer is yes, it should be.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

*THIS IS THE #1 MOST STUPID ELECTRICAL QUESTION IN HISTORY. *

*YES, I SAID STUPID. *


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

sdbrown1 said:


> My question is this, should the ground recepticle on an outlet be on top or bottom when installed? I have seen it both ways as well as side ways.


No, no Marc. Thom is absolutely correct. 
The answer is a definitive yes.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

What's the building code article number? I don't see anything in the NEC that backs your claim, Thom, because there is no code that requires electricial receptacles be installed up or down.


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## jproffer (Feb 19, 2005)

I could be wrong but I think thom was being funny...

The OP asked (more or less) "if the ground should be up, down, or sideways"...and the answer absolutely is....

yes.:thumbsup:


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## K2 (Jul 8, 2005)

jproffer said:


> I could be wrong but I think thom was being funny...
> 
> The OP asked (more or less) "if the ground should be up, down, or sideways"...and the answer absolutely is....
> 
> yes.:thumbsup:


No way!!


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Box should be mounted at a 72º angle!

A good question would be this:

When mounting w/p boxes horizontally, do you install the ungrounded portion of the receptacle up or down?


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

Magnettica said:


> What's the building code article number? I don't see anything in the NEC that backs your claim, Thom, because there is no code that requires electricial receptacles be installed up or down.


Actually, they must always be mounted right-side-up. Code requires you follow manufactures recomendations. Unless you can read those recommendations up-side-down, you must mount them right-side up. 

So, the answer is still yes, when mounting vertically, you must mount the receptacle with the ground hole up or down.

Now, and you should know this magnetta, it gets really trickey when you mount the receptacle horizontally. Because gravity pulls more strongly on the positive electrons one must mount the hot side up so it is farther from the center of the earth and has less gravity pulling on it. If you don't do it this way, the positive electrons will leak into the cold side (that would be the side that's not hot) thus constantly wasting electricity.

I once saw a guy try to mount a receptacle horizontally, but that belongs in another forum.


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## ron schenker (Dec 11, 2005)

Left or right of the stud?:laughing:


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

Fair enough, Thom. Down in my van I have a box of Leviton, and a box of Pass & Seymour 15-20 AMP receptacles. I will check both boxes tomorrow for manufacturers specifications. And if you're right, you're right.

Gravity pulls electrons?


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

The correct procedure according to the NEC:


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## Heritage (Mar 20, 2007)

I thought I understood the answer (Yes) until you came up with the diagram. So do tell, what about ceiling and floor outlets (like so many of my previous jobs) where previous electricians :shifty: who ran out of wire placed their plugs. I believe its down for walls, sideways for floor and definately up on ceilings!

These seasoned electricians wont answer your question because understandably its beneath them. But I, a non electrician can re-assure you that it doesnt matter what so ever:no: .


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

And, the winner is Mickeyco with BS110.3.


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Heritage, the reason we don't like to answer this question is because we all have. Many, MANY times. It has nothing to do with being "beneath" anyone.

This question has been asked about 1,348,934 times on 957,372 forums. The answers are ALL the same, it winds up with a different argument and explanation from every different poster, when
*THERE IS NO CORRECT ANSWER*,
only opinions.

If more folks would use the search function of forums like this we would not have to go through this every six months.


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## sdbrown1 (Sep 15, 2004)

*up or down answered*

Alright jokers, now that you thrashed my self esteme. I need to give thanks to mickeyco. Guess I will go and play with some current.


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## Jeff (socal) (Sep 30, 2006)

On the NEC 2002 code book there is no code on whether the ground is up or down.


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Jeff, not only is it not in 2002, it is not in ANY code book. 

sdbrown, the intent was not to trash anyone. The point was that this is a topic beaten beyond death, and it does not fail to rear it's ugly head every six months or so.

BTW, that illustration Mikey gave is a bogus one. That was posted in humor. 
It does not exist in any code book I have ever seen. There is NO such thing as "BS110.3".
That illustration is from the "Definitions" article under "Receptacle".


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

mickeyco said:


> MD, you'd like this building, cloth wiring and a Federal Pacific breaker panel for the common areas (Pushamatic's for the individual units).


Not really. :laughing: The PushMatic's are great, but you can have the FPE and the braided romex.


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