Thanks for the reply Art. I was starting to convince myself that it was indeed local custom, not code, that determined the orientation.
I heard another explanation that I find amusing and perhaps practical: that with the ground at the bottom it looks too much like a face and children will be more tempted to play with it, so it should be mounted ground-up! My fax number is below, and I really appreciate you providing whatever dimensions you can. Note that I am interested in the blade and ground pin dimensions of the male plug, not the female socket, please. Thanks, Jim Eichner, P.Eng. Manager, Engineering Services Xantrex Technology Inc. Mobile Power phone: (604) 422-2546 fax: (604) 420-1591 e-mail: jim.eich...@xantrex.com web: www.xantrex.com Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. -----Original Message----- From: Art Michael [mailto:amich...@connix.com] Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 10:59 AM To: Jim Eichner Cc: 'EMC-PSTC - forum' Subject: Re: Nema 5-15R sockets Hello Jim, I don't believe the orientation of the U-ground pin is declared anyplace in the NEC. When I recently approached my local AHJ with this question he related that it is a matter of custom (locality dependent). In this area, central Connecticut, the custom is: For commercial/industrial applications, U-Ground topmost For household wiring, U-Ground towards the bottom The rationale offered for the U-Ground topmost; if the plug partially separates from the outlet, anything falling into the opening between the plug and the outlet will first encounter the grounding pin. (seems to me that argument holds whether the use is commercial/industrial or household). Re dimensions of the outlet; send me your fax # and I'll fax you the dimensions. Regards, Art Michael -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- | http://www.safetylink.com | | | | The Safety Link is the most comprehensive collection | | of product safety and standards links on the WEB | | Check our latest offer. | | | | | | Int'l Product Safety News | | Founded in 1988 | | | | P.O.Box 1561 - WWW | | Middletown CT 06457-8061 U.S.A. | | Phone: (860) 344-1651 Fax: (860) 346-9066 | | email: i...@safetylink.com | -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------- On Fri, 19 Jul 2002, Jim Eichner wrote: > > A couple of questions about our standard North American 120Vac socket: > > 1. Orientation: We have lots of people in the office here on both sides of > this one, and I can't find a normative reference in the CEC or the NEC. > Which is the correct way "up" when installing a socket on a wall - ground > pin above the L and N blades, or L and N above the ground? What is the code > reference for this requirement, or is there none? > > 2. Dimensions: Can anybody share the spec's for the dimensions, with > tolerances, of the line, neutral, and ground blades for this configuration? > I'm sure it's in the UL and CSA standards but I don't want to spend hundreds > of $ for a one-time question. We have no on-going need for these standards! > > Thanks in advance for your help, > > Regards, > Jim Eichner, P.Eng. > Manager, Engineering Services > Xantrex Technology Inc. > Mobile Power > web: www.xantrex.com <http://www.xantrex.com> > Any opinions expressed are accidental. I have none. > > > Confidentiality Notice: This email message, including any attachments, is > for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential > and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or > distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please > contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original > message. > > > > ------------------------------------------- > This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety > Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. > > Visit our web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/ > > To cancel your subscription, send mail to: > majord...@ieee.org > with the single line: > unsubscribe emc-pstc > > For help, send mail to the list administrators: > Ron Pickard: emc-p...@hypercom.com > Dave Heald: davehe...@attbi.com > > For policy questions, send mail to: > Richard Nute: ri...@ieee.org > Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org > > All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: > http://ieeepstc.mindcruiser.com/ > Click on "browse" and then "emc-pstc mailing list" > ------------------------------------------- This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list. Visit our web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/ To cancel your subscription, send mail to: majord...@ieee.org with the single line: unsubscribe emc-pstc For help, send mail to the list administrators: Ron Pickard: emc-p...@hypercom.com Dave Heald: davehe...@attbi.com For policy questions, send mail to: Richard Nute: ri...@ieee.org Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at: http://ieeepstc.mindcruiser.com/ Click on "browse" and then "emc-pstc mailing list"