Upside down?

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#1

Originally Posted By: dbrown
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I recently had the misfortune of being in a local hospital here in Florida. While there, I noticed the electric receptacles were installed upside down (ground receptacle up). Can someone tell me why this is. The nurse didn’t know and neither did the maintainance man. My only guess is that the equipment they use is made in Canada.

#2

Originally Posted By: jbehling
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dbrown wrote:
My only guess is that the equipment they use is made in Canada.


Funny ![icon_rolleyes.gif](upload://iqxt7ABYC2TEBomNkCmZARIrQr6.gif)

But really, I think the reason is if the plug comes loose and them something falls on it, it won't become energized. It will hit the ground prong instead of the hot prong.

One reason I believe.
#3

Originally Posted By: aslimack
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David,


I believe thats for safety. If the outlet is accidentally pushed downward and partially unplugged, you'd rather have the ground exposed than the hot. Especially with kids. Alot of newer homes are being wired like this.

Adam, A Plus

#4

Originally Posted By: jbehling
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aslimack wrote:
David,

I believe thats for safety. If the outlet is accidentally pushed downward and partially unplugged, you'd rather have the ground exposed than the hot. Especially with kids. Alot of newer homes are being wired like this.

Adam, A Plus


Isn't that what I said?
#5

Originally Posted By: jpope
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jbehling wrote:
Isn't that what I said?


Yes, but you're from Canada ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)

--
Jeff Pope
JPI Home Inspection Service
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#6

Originally Posted By: aslimack
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Sorry Jason,


I got distracted while typing so i didnt submit it right away.


YOU are the man!


Adam, A Plus

#7

Originally Posted By: dbrown
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


I wasn’t trying to be a smart a$% about Canada.lol Iv’e bought a lot of appliances from there,and the plugs are reversed.It just bothered me so much that I didnt know the answer.Thanks guys!

#8

Originally Posted By: jbehling
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


aslimack wrote:
Sorry Jason,
I got distracted while typing so i didnt submit it right away.
YOU are the man!

Adam, A Plus


No problem, figured you didn't see the response ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)

#9

Originally Posted By: bbadger
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There is no such thing as an outlet installed upside down.


The NEC does not currently specify which way up the ground has to be.

Many times the engineers will specify grounds up for the reasons stated.

Also many believe that having the ground up could deflect any metal objects that slid done the wall. No doubt that is a possibility.

Joe T. has a picture of a stainless steel duplex plate that the screw fell out of the plate and the plate fell across the neutral and hot prongs.

If that outlet had been installed ground up and the plug in the outlet had a ground prong the plate would have been caught by the ground prong.

I work for a very large electrical contractor in the interest of all employees doing things the same way we have a 'grounds or neutral up' policy.

If we install the outlet horizontally the neutral is 'up'.

![icon_cool.gif](upload://oPnLkqdJc33Dyf2uA3TQwRkfhwd.gif)

--
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN

#10

Originally Posted By: bbadger
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Which way is upside down with this outlet? icon_lol.gif




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Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN

#11

Originally Posted By: phinsperger
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I asked the same question a couple of months ago as I noticed the same thing in three different Canadian hospitals. Now the interesting thing is that today I was back in one of those hospitals and in a newly renovated Cardiac Care Unit the grounds were what we would consider right side up (ground down). In the newly renovated Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit the grounds are up.


I guess they figure the patients get shocks from the falling metal objects onto the outlets they won't have to use the defibrillators as much. ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)


Although it may not be a defect, if I saw a receptacle in a residence that had the ground up I tend to think that it was a DIY job and look more closely at that circuit for wiring mistakes.

--
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Paul Hinsperger
Hinsperger Inspection Services
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#12

Originally Posted By: bbadger
This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.


phinsperger wrote:
I guess they figure the patients get shocks from the falling metal objects onto the outlets they won't have to use the defibrillators as much. ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)


Gotta keep the health care costs down ya know. ![icon_lol.gif](upload://zEgbBCXRskkCTwEux7Bi20ZySza.gif)

That is odd that part of the hospital is up while the rest is down.

Even though the company has a grounds up policy when we do additions we will match the original if it is left up to us.

There is a rule somewhere in the NEC that requires an angle plug to hang the right direction. However how do I know which direction that will be after I am gone.

--
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN
#13

Originally Posted By: phinsperger
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argument for installing receptacles with ground up:


As a plug may be partially falling out of a socket the first conductor to disconnect is the ground. Thus a device could be fully energized with no equipment ground protection. [/b]

--
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Paul Hinsperger
Hinsperger Inspection Services
Chairman - NACHI Awards Committee
Place your Award Nominations
here !

#14

Originally Posted By: bbadger
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phinsperger wrote:
A con argument for installing receptacles with ground up:

As a plug may be partially falling out of a socket the first conductor to disconnect is the ground. Thus a device could be fully energized with no equipment ground protection. [/b]


I have heard that argument before, however I suggest trying to make that happen.

The ground prong is always longer and I bet the ground terminal in the receptacle is out further than the hot and neutrals.

It is a UL requirement for the ground to 'make' first and break last.

Bob

--
Bob Badger
Electrical Construction & Maintenance
Moderator at ECN