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Down This question is the source for debate among electricians since grounding was introduced many years ago. The one thought is that the ground pin should face upward. The proponents of this thought state that if any object drops onto the plug from above, the plug will not get knocked out of the receptacle and short out, as the ground blade being longer that the rest, will hold the plug in more securely. Also that the ground pin would mechanically protect the hot and neutral blades from shorting out from thin metal objects dropped from above. The other thought is that the ground blade should face down. The proponents of this thought state that if any object drops onto the plug from above, the hot and neutral blades being shorter, will disengage right away. The ground blade maintaining equipment ground even after the hot and neutral blades have disconnected as it is longer that the rest and last to leave the receptacle. I install down. <><><> As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed. Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized. IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
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Can you change outlet to fit old 3 prong outlet?
An old 2 hole receptacle can be changed to a 3 hole receptacle that will accept a 3 prong plug, provided a ground wire is available at the box and connected to the ground (green) lug on the new receptacle. A 2 hole receptacle has a hot and neutral wire, while a 3 hole receptacle will require a ground wire connection -- in addition to the hot and neutral wires.
What is a 3 prong outlet?
Simply put, it is any electrical outlet the has three holes that the female end plugs into. What this is referred to most of the time (but not always) is a regular 110V outlet. Older outlets had only two holes, one for the hot, one for the neutral. All newer installations have the third hole for the ground wire.
What is the function of the 'ground' prong?
Basically, Your ground prong is essential to protecting you from being in contact with an "unsuspecting Live current flow." It eliminates YOU as the primary grounding to whatever your plug is supplying power to, and sends any current flow, manually drawn (like touching it), into the ground prong. Your feet touching the earth acts as a "grounding" process, but with a ground prong; itself alone acts as the ground for you, allowing you to escape the ability to receive external power.
What is the point of having a hole puncher?
Hole punchers can be used for a multitude of reasons including artistic purposes. Single hole punchers are much more portable than 3-prong hole punchers and can easily substitute for them. Moreover, hole punchers are often also used as a way to permanently "mark" or score many pieces of paper in a stack simultaneously for various tasks.
Why are some outlets upside down?
Are you asking about a standard USA 120 Volt domestic wall socket containing a pair of outlets, where one outlet is positioned below the other one but looks upside down? If so, here goes:Each pair of socket outlets is made like this: a springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath the top outlet's left hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's left hole. Another springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath top outlet's right hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's right hole.One supply wire is connected to the left-hand contact strip and the other supply wire goes to the right hand contact strip.It doesn't actually matter which outlet hole is the hot and which is the neutral because the system allows you to put in an ungrounded plug either way round.If there are any ground holes these are positioned above and below each pair of the contacts described above, at the mid-way point. The top outlet's 3 holes then look like one triangle and the bottom outlet's 3 holes look like another triangle that is upside down to the top one!Another answerThe NEC does not specify what position a duplex receptacle is placed. However, some electrical plans, such as those for hospitals, may call that receptacles be placed with the ground hole facing up. This is to help prevent contact being made with the hot and neutral with something falling on a plug of a cord. The ground prong may help protect this from happening.The other school of thought is that with the ground hole facing down on a duplex receptacle if the plug of the cord has something fall on it the last blade to disengage would be the ground pin.Another explanationReason why "ground-down" is best/safer: the socket for the ground pin should be down because, if the plug starts to work its way out from weight on the cord, the first things to disconnect will be the power pins and that all-important ground pin will be the last to go, thereby providing its protection until no longer needed because the power pins have been disconnected first.
How do you test for groung on a two prong outlet?
Buy a tester. They are very cheap and will tell you at a glance if the outlets are wired correctly. The only other way is to remove the outlet and look see. But if it is a 2 prong outlet with no ground hole then it does not have a ground.
Can you change outlet to fit old 3 prong outlet?
An old 2 hole receptacle can be changed to a 3 hole receptacle that will accept a 3 prong plug, provided a ground wire is available at the box and connected to the ground (green) lug on the new receptacle. A 2 hole receptacle has a hot and neutral wire, while a 3 hole receptacle will require a ground wire connection -- in addition to the hot and neutral wires.
What is a 3 prong outlet?
Simply put, it is any electrical outlet the has three holes that the female end plugs into. What this is referred to most of the time (but not always) is a regular 110V outlet. Older outlets had only two holes, one for the hot, one for the neutral. All newer installations have the third hole for the ground wire.
How do you install 12V power outlet in ford winstar?
drill hole in dashboard, install outlet in hole, and run two wires to the battery
What is the function of the 'ground' prong?
Basically, Your ground prong is essential to protecting you from being in contact with an "unsuspecting Live current flow." It eliminates YOU as the primary grounding to whatever your plug is supplying power to, and sends any current flow, manually drawn (like touching it), into the ground prong. Your feet touching the earth acts as a "grounding" process, but with a ground prong; itself alone acts as the ground for you, allowing you to escape the ability to receive external power.
What is the point of having a hole puncher?
Hole punchers can be used for a multitude of reasons including artistic purposes. Single hole punchers are much more portable than 3-prong hole punchers and can easily substitute for them. Moreover, hole punchers are often also used as a way to permanently "mark" or score many pieces of paper in a stack simultaneously for various tasks.
What does a Game Boy Advance charger look like?
It is white and has a white battery pack attached to it which goes into the spot where AA batteries go. The small white plug must be plugged into the small hole in the pack and the larger 2 pronged plug must be plugged into a two prong outlet.
What is that humming sound coming from your speakers?
It's AC hum, arising from the fact that power from the outlet is alternating current (changes direction many times - 60 in the US - times per second. Solution: Make sure that ALL active components in your sound system (tuners, CD players, amplifiers, etc.) are grounded. If they have three pronged plugs, plug them into a three hole outlet, WITHOUT a three to two adaptor. If no three hole outlets are available, use a three hole to two prong adaptor, but make sure the green wire is connected to a ground. If one or more of the components do not have a three prong plug, connect a wire from some screw in the frame of the component to a ground, or to a screw in the frame of some other component that DOES have a three-prong plug. IF the component with speakers connected, makes a loud hum when it is grounded and no other components are connected, it's filtering electronics will need to be repaired. Same applies to other components is the noise occurs only when they are connected.
Why are outlets upside down?
Are you asking about a standard USA 120 Volt domestic wall socket containing a pair of outlets, where one outlet is positioned below the other one but looks upside down? If so, here goes:Each pair of socket outlets is made like this: a springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath the top outlet's left hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's left hole. Another springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath top outlet's right hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's right hole.One supply wire is connected to the left-hand contact strip and the other supply wire goes to the right hand contact strip.It doesn't actually matter which outlet hole is the hot and which is the neutral because the system allows you to put in an ungrounded plug either way round.If there are any ground holes these are positioned above and below each pair of the contacts described above, at the mid-way point. The top outlet's 3 holes then look like one triangle and the bottom outlet's 3 holes look like another triangle that is upside down to the top one!Another answerThe NEC does not specify what position a duplex receptacle is placed. However, some electrical plans, such as those for hospitals, may call that receptacles be placed with the ground hole facing up. This is to help prevent contact being made with the hot and neutral with something falling on a plug of a cord. The ground prong may help protect this from happening.The other school of thought is that with the ground hole facing down on a duplex receptacle if the plug of the cord has something fall on it the last blade to disengage would be the ground pin.Another explanationReason why "ground-down" is best/safer: the socket for the ground pin should be down because, if the plug starts to work its way out from weight on the cord, the first things to disconnect will be the power pins and that all-important ground pin will be the last to go, thereby providing its protection until no longer needed because the power pins have been disconnected first.
Why are some outlets upside down?
Are you asking about a standard USA 120 Volt domestic wall socket containing a pair of outlets, where one outlet is positioned below the other one but looks upside down? If so, here goes:Each pair of socket outlets is made like this: a springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath the top outlet's left hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's left hole. Another springy brass contact strip is fitted underneath top outlet's right hole to connect it to the bottom outlet's right hole.One supply wire is connected to the left-hand contact strip and the other supply wire goes to the right hand contact strip.It doesn't actually matter which outlet hole is the hot and which is the neutral because the system allows you to put in an ungrounded plug either way round.If there are any ground holes these are positioned above and below each pair of the contacts described above, at the mid-way point. The top outlet's 3 holes then look like one triangle and the bottom outlet's 3 holes look like another triangle that is upside down to the top one!Another answerThe NEC does not specify what position a duplex receptacle is placed. However, some electrical plans, such as those for hospitals, may call that receptacles be placed with the ground hole facing up. This is to help prevent contact being made with the hot and neutral with something falling on a plug of a cord. The ground prong may help protect this from happening.The other school of thought is that with the ground hole facing down on a duplex receptacle if the plug of the cord has something fall on it the last blade to disengage would be the ground pin.Another explanationReason why "ground-down" is best/safer: the socket for the ground pin should be down because, if the plug starts to work its way out from weight on the cord, the first things to disconnect will be the power pins and that all-important ground pin will be the last to go, thereby providing its protection until no longer needed because the power pins have been disconnected first.
What is a four prong outlet used for?
There are a couple of catagories for plug descriptions. Straight blade and twist lock blade. The amperage and voltage rating is embossed on the plug (trade name for plug is cap, wall part receptacle). See related links for a chart.
How do you switch a 3 prong cord to a 4 prong cord on a dryer?
A qualified electrician should make the change to a dryer connection. The best way to cheaply make the change is to change the power cord on the dryer to the three hole standard.
