On Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:51:39 -0700 (PDT), terry
wrote:

On Aug 29, 11:29*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Aug 28, 4:59*pm, "john" wrote:

Does the 2008 NEC specify which way to orient 3-prong outlets?

Should it be

ground on tophttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/42/Electrical_o...

or

ground on bottomhttp://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/00/34/23433400.jpg

?

The tradition seems to be ground on bottom, but I heard it is safer to have
ground on top so falling coins are less likely to short out a loosely
plugged in plug.

Years ago I worked at a factory where the electricians were required
to install all outlets ground up. I was told that since there was more
of a chance that a metal object would come in contact with a loose
plug from the top than from the bottom, and since in the vast majority
of the installations the type of cord would not be an issue, they
opted for the "safer" method.

In other words, if it makes the factory just a tad bit safer, and
really has no other impact (other then writing it up in the procedure
manual) then why not?

I agree.

Or at least I did until most of the el-cheapo stuff such as wall
warts, night lights, air fresheners, shaver and cell phone chargers
etc. etc. etc. all the ancillary gear we seem to have to plug in these
days, seem to be ground pin down!

Also thinking; if and when I ever finish off and wire my basement
area, I will install two duplex outlets in each location and one will
be UP and the other DOWN.

However will probably then find then that things plugged into one
duplex outlet will interfere with things plugged into t'other adjacent
duplex!

It's probably this confusion and the increasing number of 'gadgets'
that has lead the profusion of cheap and in some cases very nasty
'power bars' into which we then plug, even more, higgledy-piggledy too
many of the power supplies for the various gadgets..

I have found a few wall warts with plugs that are L shaped so they are
parallel to the floor and don't block another outlet. These have to
be very light though.

I don't know why they don't just add a piggyback to the big ones.
Actually I do know the rea$on, but it would make everyone's life
easier.