# why are electrical outlets installed upside-down?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-electrical-outlets-installed-upside-down/379269>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 6, 2006, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-electrical-outlets-installed-upside-down/379269 "2006-11-06T07:04:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-electrical-outlets-installed-upside-down/379269/81 "2012-10-05T01:29:27Z")

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> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> I’m surprised that the [Australian/NZ Plug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS_3112) isn’t more popular, to be honest. It’s got your Earth, Phase, and Neutral prongs, fits snugly into the wall with no wiggling about, and you can have the cable coming out the back either horizontally or at a 90 degree angle.

Yes, but your [sockets](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Australian_dual_switched_power_point.jpg) look like someone just kicked them in the nuts.

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**Author:** ![Michael63129](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3da27b/32.png) [@Michael63129](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael63129)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-electrical-outlets-installed-upside-down/379269/82 "2012-10-05T01:43:50Z")

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> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> I’m surprised that the [Australian/NZ Plug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS_3112) isn’t more popular, to be honest. It’s got your Earth, Phase, and Neutral prongs, fits snugly into the wall with no wiggling about, and you can have the cable coming out the back either horizontally or at a 90 degree angle.
> 
> That and we use 240v 50Hz power, which is better than the paltry 110/120v stuff you lot in North America try to pass off as Electricity. 😉

I noticed that the Wikipedia article says that Australia used to have the ground pin facing up but reversed it for safety reasons, so they must think differently from over here:

> [@](#):
>
> Australia used to have the earth pin facing upwards like China still does, but changed the practice in the 1950s, so that the earth will be the last to lose contact if the inserted plug is tugged downwards.

Also, plugs with the cord coming out at an angle aren’t unique to Australia; my last UPS (USA) had such a plug and I have seen it on appliances like microwaves.

And as for the difference between 120 and 240 volts, for most appliances 120 volts is more than enough and U.S. homes use 240 volts for major appliances (U.S. home power is really 240 volts, split in half to get two 120 volt lines 180 degrees out of phase, which only requires a transformer with a center tap added and an extra wire to the service panel, although 240 volt breakers need a pole for each line).

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**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-electrical-outlets-installed-upside-down/379269/83 "2012-10-05T01:56:00Z")

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Zombie indeed. At least three of the posters in this thread have passed on. May they rest in peace. ☹

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