Xref: utzoo misc.consumers.house:13446 sci.electronics:13920
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Question about electrical outlets
Summary: No standard outlet orientation...
Message-ID: <3989@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 31 Aug 90 04:40:01 GMT
References: <90240.090730MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET> <842@ecicrl.UUCP> <1990Aug30.165822.19356@amd.com>
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 28

In article <1990Aug30.165822.19356@amd.com>, phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes:
> |As for hospital grade-forget it. You CAN price one-it will help
> |you understand why your last medical bill was so steep.
> 
> Speaking of hospitals, there's one around here (Kaiser) that seems
> to like to install all their outlets "upside down", with the ground
> of the three prong outlet on top. I thought they were just
> incompetent (scary thought in a hospital) but they are pretty
> consistent about it.
> 
> Is there method to this madness?

	Believe it or not, there is no standard orientation for common
duplex receptacles.  I know of no standard or recommendation in the NEC
or from a receptacle manufacturer.

	In patient care areas hospitals often use a receptacle having
an isolated ground (i.e., the equipment grounding wire is not bonded to
the conduit, but is run through a dedicated ground wire).  There is a
generally accepted designation for such receptacles - an orange or
other colored triangle on its face.  The receptacle may also be marked
with the letters "IG" meaning isolated ground.  For whatever reason,
all such receptacles that I have seen have printing that is oriented
with the ground hole "on the top".

Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
VOICE: 716/688-1231   {boulder, rutgers, watmath}!ub!kitty!larry
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