equipment is especially important.
Hospitals, workshops, commercial spaces, industrial facilities, and other specialized environments can have installation practices that differ from what you’re accustomed to
There’s more to discover. Continue to the next page for the rest of this article.
seeing at home.
In some situations, the orientation may be deliberately selected based on the equipment being connected, the type of plug, or the facility’s electrical practices.
That’s why you shouldn’t assume that a ground-up receptacle was simply installed by someone who didn’t know what they were doing.
Sometimes it was intentional.
What About Plugs With a Metal Grounding Pin?
Here’s where the orientation can become particularly interesting.
Consider a plug with three prongs.
The third prong is the grounding connection.
If the plug is partially pulled out, the physical
There’s more to discover. Continue to the next page for the rest of this article.
relationship between the grounding pin and the energized blades depends partly on the orientation of the receptacle and the plug.
With the grounding opening positioned on top, the grounding pin can potentially remain engaged longer as the plug begins to sag out of the receptacle.
This is one reason some electricians favor ground-up orientation in
