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	Subject - Ground up VS Ground down the question finally answ veganfan I was at my college the other day and we were taking a tour of the new building. Which my instructor loves to do so he can point out all the mistakes and laugh at them. When he started to point out that the replicates were upside down. I pointed out that all though the NEC does not exactly state code on this, but that a lot of electricians put them ground up because if plug partially unplugged then if something where to fall be hind it would roll off grounding terminal not short out hot and grounded conductors. He stated this was stupid the correct way was to look like a smiley face that ground should be down. That he knew they where supposed to be ground down. Thinking he may have a new reason I had not heard of before. I asked how you know this. H is answer was that if installed this way his Glade plug in would be upside down. Needles to say I was extremely disappointed in his answer and in the lack of intelligence my instructor could show. stedder That answer would turn me off, I'd say he made a fool of himself. Wonder if they use glade plugins in Europe? kbsparky Actually, if one has a look at the NEMA configuration chart, one would discover that all the devices have the ground prong shown in the up position. I remember at one time that someone told me in certain hospital applications it was required for the ground to be installed in the up position for the same reasons you mentioned, but I cannot find a specific reference in the CODE to support that. I prefer to install outlets with the ground prong in the down position, except in the case of ½-switched receptacles. Those we turn over, so anyone can readily identify the lighting outlet(s) in that room. -Ken sparkie2170 Okay, this is almost as pathetic. I was watching ER the other night, and behind the beds in the ER all the receptacles are ground up. Not that I'm obsessive and notice things like this! Ryan_J :) lctrc789 I do not know anywhere in the code that states ground up or down, it is a matter of preference. There may be a certain spec for how they want the recpts. installed, and we all have our own ideas and opinions but it is a matter of preference not code, not law or anything else. I can see some good points as well as some bad ones too. Many male plugs are made so that the ground does go down, if you install them upside down so to say the male plugs, for instance washers, refrigerators etc, they have a tendency to wear out very quickly. Electricman Believe it or not the company I work for had a call to go back to a house we wired cause the lady said all her nightlights where upside down.