Learned what not to do

[scout4bta]

I was measuring the length of the EMT for wire length as I had several mostly used spools, didn't want to run out durning the pull.
Didn't see that the shop vac was plugged in. Didn't see that the plug was ever so slightly pulled out from socket.
Pulled the tape measure over the top of the elect box and went to the other end to take the measurement.
I did see the flashes, one in front of me when the tape measure contacted the conduit and the other from where the metal tape made contact with the two prongs of the shop vac plug. The circuit breaker tripped as did the GFCI outlet. I felt nothing other than hurting my pride from making a dumb mistake.

 

[The Cobbler]

reminds me of a former boss . they were getting new vinyl flooring on their stairs at home, he pulled off the aluminum nosing and put them on top of an old fridge in the basement. the kind with the clunk shut door.
anyway, one of the nosing worked its way off the fridge and fell down the backside, landing on the fridge plug that was partway out of the receptacle. arced, caught the flimsy 3/16" panelling on fire . lots of fire damage as a result .

 

[teamextreme]

That's one of the arguments made for installing receptacles "upside down". Your tape would hit the ground pin and possibly not had this issue.

 

[Jim greengo]

**** happens,as long as you learned something.

 

[scout4bta]

That's one of the arguments made for installing receptacles "upside down". Your tape would hit the ground pin and possibly not had this issue.

Interesting, In SE AZ where I just moved to, most of the outlets are installed "upside down". And it's not code forcing the outlets to be installed that way.
Learn something new every day.
Thanks.

 

[Zmann]

Tucson AZ building code enforcement looks for ground prong up at receptacles the locals swear all day long the rest of us are doing it wrong phx and area either going to be ground down and no inspectors check for orientation

 

[Zmann]

The natural way most people grab a plug to unplug puts your lower finger across the hot and neutral with a flipped outlet

apparently I was told by the Tucson electricians there is a area in the NEC that leaves some interpretation gray area on this ( just hearsay on my end though)

 

[75gmck25]

Ground terminal up or down on receptacles is not specified in the NEC. There may be local code or rules to follow, but I've never seen any in my AHJ.

Bruce

 

[alfredeneuman]

This is a running joke on the pro forums. Anyone asking the up/down (or right/left) question will be ridiculed by the others, and will eventually be locked and removed.

There are no mentions of orientation in either the NEC or the IEC.
Hospitals are subject to there own Codes, in addition to local Codes. They require the ground pin to be up.

 

[scout4bta]

I guess we "could" take a cue from the UK and insulate half of the plugs as in the photo.
That ain't going to happen, those must cost a small fortune to manufacture, solid pins and all regardless of the voltage.

 

[CoogarXR]

Reminds me of my old 87 cougar with the 5.0. I had one of those batteries installed that had top and side posts. The car was connected to the top posts, and I had a big stereo connected to the side post. When you pull out the mile-long dipstick without paying attention, it will hit directly on the (+) side post.

 

[egdede]

I put ground-pins up in our kitchen on the open counter. My wife made me turn them around so that 'they looked like faces again'. I installed the outlets under the cabinet sideways with the neutral wide slots/blades on top.

 

[nadogail]

While working as Marine Electrician and building ships, I was told that the ABS (American Bureau of Shipping) required the grounds be installed up for the reasons discussed here.

 

[alfredeneuman]

My wife made me turn them around so that 'they looked like faces again'.

We built a Kindercare Day Center once and it was written right into the specs that the ground be up because otherwise the children would see them as "smilie faces".

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Ground down and you can do this to the plates:

Do we need to commission someone to do something similar for ground up orientation?

Cheers

Jim

 

[Antoin]

Do standard sockets/ outlets in the US not have a switch?
I've never seen/ heard of anything like this happen personally over here. Not that it ever hasn't to someone.
Also very hard to dislodge a plug from our socket even by yanking on it due to the wire coming in at the bottom of the plug unlike the US that has it coming out the back of it.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Metal-Marc]

Do standard sockets/ outlets in the US not have a switch?

No.
.

 

[dscheidt]

Do standard sockets/ outlets in the US not have a switch?
t

No. US outlets are not switched at the outlet. some are installed with a wall switch controlling them, so a lamp can be switched on and off. Usually, but not always, only one of the two outlets is switched. We don't have fuses in plugs, either.

 

[cmandp]

I've come to the belief that U.S. plugs are not very safe. It's very easy to accidentally touch the hot or neutral while plugging or un-plugging a cord.

As the OP pointed out with UK (or any other European plug) the hot and neutral are insulated so even if you do touch them while partially plugged in you won't get shocked or create an arcflash. Now they do need to be safer because the power is 240v instead of 120v but still 120v could kill you...

 

[ripperd]

I have done the exact same thing with a tape measure. Surprises the hell out of you!

 

[infinite97]

I've come to the belief that U.S. plugs are not very safe. It's very easy to accidentally touch the hot or neutral while plugging or un-plugging a cord.

As the OP pointed out with UK (or any other European plug) the hot and neutral are insulated so even if you do touch them while partially plugged in you won't get shocked or create an arcflash. Now they do need to be safer because the power is 240v instead of 120v but still 120v could kill you...

Just grab the cord and yank like most people!

 

[Metal-Marc]

Just grab the cord and yank like most people!

They don't yank in the UK, they ****. That is why they are wankers and not yankees.

 

[Jim greengo]

They don't yank in the UK, they ****. That is why they are wankers and not yankees.

 

[andyvh1959]

Ground down and you can do this to the plates:

Do we need to commission someone to do something similar for ground up orientation?

Cheers Jim

I can envision that easily, but it may not be family friendly on this site.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Ground terminal up or down on receptacles is not specified in the NEC. There may be local code or rules to follow, but I've never seen any in my AHJ.

Bruce

X2. No NEC code that dictates ground orientation. Engineering documents or building owner specs are what usually call that out.

Tommy