RicodJour wrote:
Jeff Wisnia wrote:

George E. Cawthon wrote:

This has been discussed many times here. You can orient the plug any
way you want including horizontally. Most plugs seem to be oriented
with the hole (ground) on the bottom, but other houses have the ground
on the top. Flat plugs are often formed so that a plug with the ground
on the bottom is best. Orient it any way you want, you can always turn
it over later if you want a different orientation.

I've heard that "ground pin up" (for the metal wallplate reason) is
required on new work in some parts of Canada.

Can anyone confirm that?


I can confirm that the metal cover plate reason makes no sense,
regardless of who's bought into the logic and written code to comply.

By the time the ground prong is far enough out of the receptacle hole
to make contact with the cover plate, the other two prongs are far
enough out that the cord is no longer energized.

R


So think about what you just wrote, RicodJour.

With the most often seen "alien face" receptical orientation, if the
plug were pulled out of the receptical maybe 1/16" and if a metal plate
securing screw was missing and the moon was in its correct phase,
vibration might cause the plate to move away from the wall and drop down
so the upper edge of one of it's holes fell across the still connected
hot and neutral plug prongs. That could cause arcing and possibly a
spark ignited fire.

If the receptical were installed in the "cowgirl position" AND a
grounded plug was "slightly uninserted", the loose plate would fall onto
the plug's ground pin and no problem would ensue. Of course, that would
only happen if the plug HAD a ground pin. It wouldn't help squat with a
two prong (ungrounded) plug.

Capice now?

Jeff
--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength."