Good outlet for amplifiers

I saw the ground on top in an industrial facility I was working at in North Carlolina for a couple of weeks. I asked around and nobody knew why. Otherwise, I see it on the bottom.

@carlsbad2 - From my reading long ago the issue may have to do with safety and the use of metal or plastic outlet covers. Plastic covers/plates can go any way but the convention is ground on the bottom.

The issue with metal covers is the possibility of them slipping off over time while a plug is still attached. If the ground is on the top is is less likely to cause a short. In this case when the cover slips it will HOPEFULLY encounter the ground pin first and stop. However if the H and N pins are on the top when the face plate falls off AND there is a plug there it could start some bad but intermittent shorts leading to fires.

I remember seeing a picture of this. The metal cover had 2 slots burned into it (looked like a saw kerf) where it had made contact with a plug and the shorts has burned away the plate. For whatever reason the shorts were not solid enough to actually trip the breaker, and who knows how long that plate had burned without being discovered.

In cases when there is a metal cover and the plug is horizontal neutral should be on top if possible.

Of course in a perfect world the plates never get jostled, the center screws never come loose and this is never a problem. I just installed an outlet under a sink and while it’s tight now who knows what 10 years of using that space for storage will do. This is even worse in an industrial setting.

I’m not actually an electrician, but in all my DIY electrical and home mechanical work there’s no flimsier screw than the little one in the center of an outlet that holds the plate on, and no piece of equipment gets more wear than an outlet cover. That’s why so many apartment outlets don’t even have covers or you’ll find them broken or loose. They get a lot more wear and tear than you’d think.

Also, for the home, stick to plastic outlet covers unless you know there’s high traffic/high movement. Your home audio gear is not going to be served by metal there.

It looks like the furutech cannot be daisychained. I see strapping for a ground lug only on one side. So I’m looking for a good outlet that can be daisychained as I have two duplexes in the same box.

Are you saying that the issue is the plug rather than the receptacle? I’ve got good power cords (e.g. Shunyata Alpha) and they are not tightly gripped. Thanks.

 

@peter_s - Not exactly, but maybe it’s 60% plug, 40% outlet? I guess it depends how poor your plugs are to start with but for me the hospital grade 90 degree plug is what really made the difference. Also, I’ve found 90 degree plugs have less leverage so they tend to cause less wiggle when using heavy power cables. I’d say hospital grade plugs are relatively cheap. Get one and try it before committing.

I saw the ground on top in an industrial facility I was working at in North Carlolina for a couple of weeks.  I asked around and nobody knew why.  Otherwise, I see it on the bottom.

Jerry

@howardlee the ground on top makes more sense to me, because if something was to fall such as a paper clip onto a plug that isn’t plugged in all the way it could definitely cause a spark if it came in contact with the hot and neutral.

I have worked in dozens of hospitals over five decades and have never seen upside down plugs with the ground pin on top. That includes in operating rooms where a spark, especially back in the day, could be disastrous.

@ghdprentice Does this have lugs on both sides, so I can connect through it to a second duplex?  I was thinking I'd get a Furutech for my amps and a lesser unit for the subs.

AND THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED!

@jea48 That's the word I was looking for.  "Isolated Ground".  Thank you! Can any/all of the recommendations above be wired as isolated ground?  I think this is the case if one uses a plastic box for the outlets, or uses plastic washers and screws to attach to a metal box.  Agreed???

The PS Audio power port Classic is good sounding, great clamping force and very reasonable $

I have a circuit in my listening room for my amplifiers and it uses a dedicated ground.

Dedicated ground ??? Are your present outlets IG, (Isolated Ground) duplex outlets?

.

Spending hundreds of dollars on a commoditized product one can buy for $2 at HD is a ridiculous concept but I did it anyway. I bot the AQ Edison receptacle expecting some improvement but that wasn't the case. I didn't spend too much time testing it. For $200, I'll assume it works and does its intended job. 

Anyway, where it was undeniably beneficial was in the high-tension grip. It's quite impressive. I have a heavy AQ Hurricane cord plugged directly into the wall. The cord rests on the floor but tugs down and away from the wall. Still the cord's plug itself is really secure. The receptacle also has some nice weight and a lot of shiny metal contacts. It feels premium. 

BTW, the ground pin is up in my installation. I'm not sure whether that matters.  I read that hospitals use this orientation for obvious reasons. 

I tried some generic hospital grade receptacle before the Edison but found the grip was insufficient to support the cord. If you want grip, the AQ is it.  You can be the judge whether sound is improved. 

@peter_s Wrote:

Good outlet for amplifiers

See here

Mike

And of course make sure you're getting the correct amperage outlet.

I used hospital grade outlets when I first installed my direct lines. Then as an experiment to see if it made a difference I swapped one for a Furutech GTX-D NCF(R) Ultimate Nano-Crystal Rhodium-Plated AC Duplex Receptacle. Once I heard the difference, I immediately ordered another one for my other direct line. I found them to be a very worthwhile investment. 

I got them from Amazon ($199):

 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017LTCI5M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

@erik_squires Are you saying that the issue is the plug rather than the receptacle?  I've got good power cords (e.g. Shunyata Alpha) and they are not tightly gripped.  Thanks.

Have any of you guys installed outlets with the ground at the top (upside down) instead of the standard way? Seems this would aid in keeping the plug in.

Like Erik said, the Leviton hospital grade grabs the plug so hard it isn't easy to plug into it.  

I'd skip the tamper resistant feature.

Jerry

I’ve found that at least half of the issues with plug grip is the plug. A high quality hospital grade plug can really improve this. I’ve had very good luck with Leviton, and additionally, the 90 degree versions can really help you reclaim some floor space.

Using the combination of that with a commercial grade/tamper resistant outlet gave me tremendous results and was as much as I wanted to spend. Of course, others will recommend hospital grade or better outlets as well. Keep in mind that tamper resistant (TR) is now a requirement as well.

Lastly, you may like these plates to ensure your plug stays immobile.