Grounded receptacle mounting - pin up or down?

I recall seeing (some decades ago) receptacles from a major manufacturer that had a "Top" label. That made me dead certain (for a few years) that there was a 'correct' direction.

I am fairly sure that the similarity to a face can cause some people deeply unsettling feelings. Logic or even awareness are not necessarily involved.
 
And that debate does rage on... Just last week in an electrician's forum it was heated but polite.... "Tradition!" And in a defemce, a refrigerator right angle plug might not have an outlet set up for it's cable swag I think rational best reason. Lots of resons for as they say "happy face" to realistically to be... unhappy including plug retention (sustainability) and the presented to code years ago but not adopted concept of why for safety... that kid sliding a butter knife down the wall, or I believe it was some picture metal plate falling was the example.... Why ground up or neutral up amongst lots of reasons and some hospital examples of adopting the concept. I remember a code change for this many years ago proposal which did not go thru, but which I follow in no code rule in not doing so.

Easy fight in requirement in often not specified is that in a horizontantal mounted Editon outlet, or other outlets where ground is in the center... At least the neutral should be up. Easy enough to specify and get done for work..... Somewhat win.

On an install, we normally don't discuss such things as less important than coordinating our work. On a L21-30 ourlet I might fight for neutral up, but for also industry norm. (That and to have all of them wired correctly - you did test your work correct?) Could be a reason many of my "factory" outlet install panels were up-side down, but more that where the power verses data in was the opposite and the install electrician's were too lazy to flip the panel over in also allowing circuit breakers to be up side down. Once mentioned... fixed but the rest was up to me to fix basically all. Not a fight about grund up or down, the contractors did their work and after that unless specified to do something, they did common.

One of my assistants (My assistant Department Manager) for some power supplies wired up for me some white DMX wires for pin 2 of DMX whips. Made my head spin in concepts I only really adapted, head spin! It pissed me off some in another assistant wanting duplicate his work on the female jumpers in questioning it. I guess we have to now, and I will have to remember in wiring the control that White is negitive!.... on the power supplies.

I'm getting old at 55 years old and 56 coming soon. At best I have 15 years left before I can retire... at best (this assuming I have a 11.5 year old Daughter) wow is auditioning for her first play tomorrow. Might be old but see college funding and set/lighting work in muy future.

Ground down... "Happy Face", if not mentioned a musical... "Tradition"! Not much of a fight on-site.... does cause differences and slight problems on-site in how a panel is done if one or the other does not coordinate with each other... Might become up-side down breakers if a panel for those installing that don't care really about that or tradition, just a bloke on site charged with installing it. Longer battle than I no-doubt will be in the industry for in standardizing anything. I have had my small successful wins in doing my part. Others up or down fight ... Because Smilily face, the reason to ground that way....
 
Last edited:
I totally see your observation as a question of holding power of the ground in a outlet and in the past would agree. Fair debate testing might solve.

So question to ask, if the ground is a hinge point, is there given the larger terminal surface area of contact on a ground more resistance to diagional downward and horizontal pull if it's up or down by way of this hinge point in relation to the other terminals? If you have a hinge supported by three screws, is that hinge with single screw nearest the hinge... best up or down in preventing downward and pull out force? In imagined concept of the ground being a hinge, the top mounted ground would be stronger, especially if you add in it's longer length within the terminal in resisting downward, or angled downward pull out force. But just a initial theory to start with for a debate on that part of the subject.

Honest debate... I hope stays in the science and doesn't get heated or political. But there is also the butter kinfe/kid slid down part of my fair reply.

I hope we all agree at least if in an outletlet horizontally mounted... Neutral should be up as per an agreed on thing to do in upward position which helps my debate point, but is otherwise common sense given it.. I assume no reason not to neutral up on a horizontal outlet?
 
Last edited:
For those who remember Dr Seuss, I suggest a re-reading of The Battle of Butter.
 
Moot point this discussion, won't change anything. But not understanding the rivited/10 minutes/invert receptacle. " Battle of the Buter" in semi-versed in Dr. Seuss, I never ran across it.
 
ship said:
Moot point this discussion, won't change anything. But not understanding the rivited/10 minutes/invert receptacle. " Battle of the Buter" in semi-versed in Dr. Seuss, I never ran across it.
Click to expand...
The Battle of Butter was a war waged at great cost over whether buttered toast should be eaten butter-side up, or butter-side down. Unaddressed (to my recollection) were those who buttered both sides of their toast.

It's the idea that a "cause" as trivial as buttered toast could cause a war... so, ground pin up, or ground pin down? And you sideways mounters.... keel-hauling can be a thing... ;)
 
Hmm, Battle of Butter'. Never heard of this, did read a bunch to my Daughter the book about the stars on the bellies for being the "in" group which I grew up with. On my mind to pickup next time book shopping. - thanks.

Keel-hauling seems like a thing also I just cannot identify.

We were more into Uncle Wiglie, Briar Rabbit, The Littles, Winnie the Poo, and Pinkalicious for series. Believe I bought up all the books from those series in reading two or four times each story, before we got into stuff like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" type readings - I believe our last book. Dr. Suiss we read especially my old books, but they were more picture books which in reading to bed were not as apt. in doing so later on. I miss those days of reading my child to bed.

But again, I'll probably continue to install my Edison outlets - up side down unless they would be the only ones that way. Doubt any change soon.
 
TimMc said:
The Battle of Butter was a war waged at great cost over whether buttered toast should be eaten butter-side up, or butter-side down
Click to expand...
I'm more committed to the Regional Strategic Conflict of Cheese -- that grilled cheese should be sliced diagonally rather than down the middle.

/cue Mortal Kombat "Fight!" track
 
What conflict? There's no conflict!

A diagonal cut is mathematically proven to have a longer length than a simple, straightforward vertical cut. This results in more delicious cheese oozing out as you try to eat it. Empirically, sir, you are wrong, wrong, wrong! ;)
 
Obviously the solution to the Melted Cheese Sammich Incident is to make more than 2.
 
ship said:
Hmm, Battle of Butter'. Never heard of this, did read a bunch to my Daughter the book about the stars on the bellies for being the "in" group which I grew up with. On my mind to pickup next time book shopping. - thanks.

Keel-hauling seems like a thing also I just cannot identify.

We were more into Uncle Wiglie, Briar Rabbit, The Littles, Winnie the Poo, and Pinkalicious for series. Believe I bought up all the books from those series in reading two or four times each story, before we got into stuff like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" type readings - I believe our last book. Dr. Suiss we read especially my old books, but they were more picture books which in reading to bed were not as apt. in doing so later on. I miss those days of reading my child to bed.

But again, I'll probably continue to install my Edison outlets - up side down unless they would be the only ones that way. Doubt any change soon.
Click to expand...
You may have to do a production of Seussical! The Musical! to get the inside story.
 
TimMc said:
You may have to do a production of Seussical! The Musical! to get the inside story.
Click to expand...
Been there done that... hatched the Elephant bird.
horton.jpg
 
Urr, moderator, time to separate out this tred line into something else of curious. Strange posts about theater these days I have never hearf ofl.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Open 4/12, dmx decoder/LED tape works from board not stage.
Replies
7
Views
578
almorton
A
Rip Van Winkle
Hanging powered monitors
Replies
13
Views
2K
Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle
EMJ
Need Help/advice regarding Strand N21 DMX nodes
Replies
1
Views
2K
Mac Hosehead
Mac Hosehead
EMJ
Control/Dimming Any old school Strand Palette OS experts out there?
Replies
8
Views
2K
Jay Ashworth
Jay Ashworth
C
Loudspeaker selection and placement in gymnasium
Replies
5
Views
6K
Ben Stiegler
Ben Stiegler

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back