Why Some Wall Outlets Are Installed Upside Down

an upside-down electrical outlet, and some of them are surprisingly practical.

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What Does “Upside Down” Mean?

When people say an outlet is upside down, they’re usually talking about a standard North American-style receptacle installed with the grounding hole above the two vertical slots.

A typical orientation looks like this:

  • Two narrow vertical slots on top
  • Round grounding opening underneath

An upside-down orientation reverses that arrangement:

  • Round grounding opening on

There’s more to discover. Continue to the next page for the rest of this article.