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I'm looking for a duplex receptacle that can be positioned in the horizontal orientation (that is, with the 2 outlets left and right of each other, instead of above and below), but with the ground pin/hole being the upper pin/hole (some people might prefer it to be down), instead of having it on the left as would normally be done with a duplex in the horizontal orientation (some people might turn it to the right).
This should fit the standard box frame (obviously mounted horizontal) used in the USA, but using either the traditional (two holes with two flat edges each) or the decorator (one big rectangular hole) style plates would be preferred.
I could use a pair of single receptacles in a 4x4 box and a plate for 2 singles. But that just wouldn't be as compact; it would not look nice, in my opinion.
The horizontal orientation is common in Europe. I do recall seeing such a receptacle on a British supplier web site once with the American outlet configuration (NEMA 5-15R). But it had British, not American (e.g. UL) safety listings, and I'm sure it was designed to fit the British mountings (which I presume are different than American).
Anyone ever see anything like this available in the USA?
I don't like to have the ground pin to the left or right. Ground pin up is my preferred choice, but ground pin down is a close 2nd choice. I find it awkward, as well as ugly, with the outlet turned 90 degrees. But that has to be done in some tight spaces where turning the 2x4 box vertical won't fit for one reason or another (in some cases the box won't fit and in other cases the plate won't fit with the rest of the surface).
There's an additional reason. It's easier to make use of both outlets when they are left and right of each other. On the kitchen countertop, sometimes both are used. Applicances often get plugged and unplugged there, and having to reach under one cord to unplug another sometimes causes problems, especially with GFCI receptacles (sometimes this effort bumps and trips the GFCI test switch).
It's also easier in the less tight situations to plug in "wall warts". You can more readily get 2 of them in without having the low voltage wire jammed up against the other one or having one of them with the cord going up and the transformer ready to fall out (which also increases the hazard since the prongs at 120 volts get exposed to falling objects).
I found that Cooper makes a hospital grade surge protector duplex receptacle that has the pin orientation to allow to be mounted horizontally with the ground pin up or down. Here is the URL for the catalog section that has them:
I don't necessarily want something like that. But it at least proves they already have the appropriate plastic molds designed. Maybe they can be convinced there is some market for these in normal and GFCI version.
The middle of those receptacles is a surge protector module that can be removed and replaced.
No, I have not seen those before. But I thought about such a thing a few years ago, and decided it would not be a good design because of the need to make a power contact on a moving point. There are instances of that (e.g. the rotating or moving power current carrying contact) in industrial uses for various things, such as rotating machinery. But at least in those cases they are under maintenance supervision. A consumer grade product will be both cheap and not properly maintained. I worry these could be a fire hazard.
Could be. I admit I haven't really researched them. I just remembered seeing them and thought they might suit. You're right in that I'd need to know a lot more about them before I'd actually use them :-)
Found them! There is a series of modular switches and receptacles called I L or Despard which was used in older homes here in Hawaii. One of the dealers had a box of the receptacles and plates. The showed me a Pass$Seymour catalog which has these in brown/white/almond/ivory. I searched P&S website, but no luck there.
Good luck finding them in your area. If you have an older electrical supply house you might be successful.
Aloha
Here's another source:
[HYPERLINK@www.americandenki.co.jp]
Though I've yet to call. At least the picture shows me exactly what I'm looking for!!
Black horizontal duplex receptacle.
Another advantage to having the ground pin on top is heavy power cords don't fall out as easily. Guitar players who use a lot of effects boxes get around the wall wart problem with shorty extension cords. A power strip / surge protector like these would be good, too. The moving contacts idea doesn't bother me, motors do it all the time. taliesiniac, are you an architecture buff, or maybe a FLW fan?
