How Should an Electrical Outlet Be Installed
The Electrical Code Allows Outlets to Be Installed with the Ground Plug Hole Facing Up, Down or Sideways. It’s up to You, There Is No Standard Electric Outlet...
The electrical code allows outlets to be installed with the ground plug hole facing up, down or sideways. It’s up to you, there is no standard electric outlet orientation. So that means there really is no such thing as upside down outlets.
What is the proper orientation for an electrical outlet?
The outlet should be oriented with the ground pin down because a person grabbing the outlet will have their index finger at the bottom side of the plug and the index finger sticks out further than the thumb. Having the ground down will keep a person’s index finger from touching the live pins.
Should an outlet be installed with the ground up or down?
The electrical code allows outlets to be installed with the ground plug hole facing up, down or sideways. It’s up to you, there is no standard electric outlet orientation. So that means there really is no such thing as upside down outlets.
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
