Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!decwrl!ames!amdahl!pacbell!sactoh0!pacengr!americ!erk From: erk@americ.UUCP (Erick Parsons) Newsgroups: sci.electronics Subject: Re: Question about electrical outlets Message-ID: Date: 22 Sep 90 01:45:10 GMT References: <90240.090730MADIF@ROHVM1.BITNET> <842@ecicrl.UUCP> <33967@cup.portal.com> Lines: 34 >In article <33967@cup.portal.com> dbell@cup.portal.com (David J Bell) writes: >John Sparks "answers" the debate over the reason for inverting AC outlets: >>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] > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >How's this for a straight-forward possible explanation: > >When running Romex to a series of outlet boxes, it is not uncommon for >the installer to find the wires splice and break out in a sequence that >is clumsy for the 'normal', upright, outlet orientation. The lazy way >to fix the problem is to invert the outlet... > >Dave dbell@cup.portal.com Nah... I finished many many houses and after doing 2 or 3 outlet boxes with major splicing involved you quickly get the hang of splicing to have the wires line up correctly. It's been a while though so I can't be certain of the type of help contractors are getting now a days :-) BTW John have you done any more work on your newsreader for Amiga.uucp ? -- -------------------------------------------------//------------------------- (ames att sun)!pacbell! ----> sactoh0!pacengr!americ!erk Multitasking, ucbvax!ucdavis!csusac! --/ // Never leave uunet!msac! -/ Erick Parsons \Sacramento Ca Home Without it --------------------------------------------\X/----------------------------- Please Don't Wait...