When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?

"mm" wrote in message
...
When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?


In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one. No
idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the half-dozen
electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological progression
with some overlap.

aem sends...

wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?



In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one. No
idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the half-dozen
electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological progression
with some overlap.

aem sends...

My personal preferrence, switched on the
bottom .... why?
That is usually where something is
plugged in for a long time, like
a lamp. If you need to use the
"always-on" outlet, you don't have
the "fight" the lamp cord to plug
something in. Not a big deal, but
that's how I like it.

don't go talking common sense here.




"Art Todesco" wrote in message
...
wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?



In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one.
No idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the
half-dozen electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological
progression with some overlap.

aem sends...

My personal preferrence, switched on the bottom .... why?
That is usually where something is plugged in for a long time, like
a lamp. If you need to use the "always-on" outlet, you don't have
the "fight" the lamp cord to plug something in. Not a big deal, but
that's how I like it.

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 05:47:49 GMT, Art Todesco
wrote:

wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?



In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one. No
idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the half-dozen
electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological progression
with some overlap.

aem sends...

My personal preferrence, switched on the
bottom .... why?
That is usually where something is
plugged in for a long time, like
a lamp. If you need to use the
"always-on" outlet, you don't have
the "fight" the lamp cord to plug
something in. Not a big deal, but
that's how I like it.

I'd want the switched outlet at the top, because something you need to
plug in temporarily may be a wall-wart with a polarized plug. Plug
that in the top and you lose use of the bottom outlet.
--
32 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"I have found Christian dogma unintelligable. Early
in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies."
-- Benjamin Franklin

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 05:47:49 GMT, Art Todesco
wrote:

wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?



In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one. No
idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the half-dozen
electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological progression
with some overlap.

aem sends...

My personal preferrence, switched on the
bottom .... why?
That is usually where something is
plugged in for a long time, like
a lamp. If you need to use the
"always-on" outlet, you don't have
the "fight" the lamp cord to plug
something in. Not a big deal, but
that's how I like it.


Me too. The lamp cord would be in the way.

Having the hot one on the top means you don't have to bend as far to
plug in a vacuum or similar device.

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:44:46 -0500, Terry
wrote:

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 05:47:49 GMT, Art Todesco
wrote:

wrote:
"mm" wrote in message
...

When electricians arrange for one have of am electric receptacle to be
switched and the other half un-switched, is there a convention they
use for which half is on top and which on the bottom?



In my corner of the universe, the top outlet was always the switched one. No
idea if that was 'official', or just the learned custom of the half-dozen
electricians I worked with, who were sort of a chronological progression
with some overlap.

aem sends...

My personal preferrence, switched on the
bottom .... why?
That is usually where something is
plugged in for a long time, like
a lamp. If you need to use the
"always-on" outlet, you don't have
the "fight" the lamp cord to plug
something in. Not a big deal, but
that's how I like it.


Me too. The lamp cord would be in the way.


Yes. I'd want the switched outlet at the bottom for that reason. That
is, until I encountered wall warts with polarized plugs.

Having the hot one on the top means you don't have to bend as far to
plug in a vacuum or similar device.

Even better to have a few receptacles at switch height, where they're
easily accessible.
--
32 days until the winter solstice celebration

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"I have found Christian dogma unintelligable. Early
in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies."
-- Benjamin Franklin

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:55:10 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:44:46 -0500, Terry
wrote:

Me too. The lamp cord would be in the way.


Yes. I'd want the switched outlet at the bottom for that reason. That
is, until I encountered wall warts with polarized plugs.

Having the hot one on the top means you don't have to bend as far to
plug in a vacuum or similar device.

Even better to have a few receptacles at switch height, where they're
easily accessible.

Well now that you mentione it, this particular one is at switch
eeight, only about 4 inches from the switch to the laundry room. But I
still was happy to read this discussion, because I may redo other
receptacles and this way they would all be alike.

Right now it is all switched, in parallel with the overhead light, so
it's easy to turn off the light and the radio at the same time when I
leave the room.I liked the switched part, but I needed to use a VCR
tjere temporarily and turning off the light turned it off too.

Thanks.