Outside Plugs
Is anyone beside me aggravated by the exterior plugs are horizontal ? It puts a strain on the cord of anything plugged into them. Why can't they be vertical like all the other receptacles?
Forum Discussion
turbojimmy wrote:Bob Vaughn wrote:
Wrong answer....An internet search reveals that the ground pin should be up....
That's really a commercial code requirement and has nothing to do with strain on the cord. It's so nothing can fall across the hot and neutral blades of the plug. Been there, done that with a steel tape measure.
For whatever reason residential receptacles don't have that requirement and are installed with the ground pins down.
With regard to the original post, and as others have said, my guess is that the horizontal arrangement has to do with manufacturing convenience than anything else. Mine has a standard 15 amp receptacle, mounted sideways, with standard spring-loaded flip-up type covers. It wouldn't matter which way it was installed from a weather protection perspective. I don't see how it would add extra strain to the plug or cord.
Building MANY Medical facilities in my career the receptacles had the ground up. But I also did MANY other types of buildings and none had the ground up. Notice if you place the ground up the writing will be upside down on the receptacle.
