Xref: utzoo misc.consumers.house:13668 sci.electronics:14447 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!daver!ditka!mcdchg!ddsw1!corpane!sparks From: sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,sci.electronics Subject: Re: Question about electrical outlets Message-ID: <3157@corpane.UUCP> Date: 12 Sep 90 18:58:47 GMT References: <90240.090730MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET> <842@ecicrl.UUCP> <1990Aug30.012428.14541@mthvax.cs.miami.edu> <1990Aug30.165822.19356@amd.com> <1990Aug30.192503.23235@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> Organization: Corpane Industries Inc., Louisville, KY Lines: 21 Mike.McManus@FtCollins.NCR.com (Mike McManus) writes: >Our house has certain plugs turned "upside down" (ground on top) so that you >know which plug is wired to the local wall switch. Comes in quite handy, >although after a while the home owner would get to know this anyway. I sure >can't think of any "technically practical" reasons for one way over the other, >however. By putting the ground at the top, any falling object that cuts through the cord will contact the ground wire BEFORE contacting the power conductor. This will keep you from being electricuted if you happen to be holding onto the cutting object, by giving the power a shorter distance to ground (the ground wire) than your body. [I am an electrical designer] -- John Sparks |D.I.S.K. Public Access Unix System| Multi-User Games, Email sparks@corpane.UUCP |PH: (502) 968-DISK 24Hrs/2400BPS | Usenet, Chatting, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-|7 line Multi-User system. | Downloads & more. A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of----Ogden Nash