Switch Plate Screws

hvbangs

yea verticle

sparks134

we put the hot on top because if you ever need to open that outlet up, you can visualy see the hot terminal, and carefully remove outlet! SAFETY FIRST!

Jim M

Hard to say why it would be contrary to the NEC way since the NEC is silent on positions of devices except for breaker handle operation and knife switches.

sy85

Not to drag this topic through the mud again, but I have to admit- this is why I love CT. It has every topic under the sun for questions I might occasionally wind up with.

That being said, I have to agree about horizontal. I have OCD to an extent, not sure if OCD has something to do with horizontal, but as a graduate who majored in Architecture and Design, with a strong couple of decades of construction experience, I have to say that I see the logic on both sides.

I understand that vertical can catch less dust, and technically... dust provides a fire hazard around electricity of there is a spark etc... but then again, as others have said, why the [bleep] does it matter. For the horizontal argument, I favor it on my architecture side, as humans tend to favor the horizontal when it comes to aesthetics. Don't take my word for it but look at some of the most famously looked at buildings. Stuff like what Frank Lloyd Wright designed. Many are or are not in favor of his work- I won't say where I stand, but you have to admit, he favored horizontal lines a LOT in his work and there was a reason behind it. MANY people liked the aesthetics.

That being said, I noticed that even after like, 3 years or so, no one mentioned how much to torque the screws. As someone said, a "pop" and your done, however you're also usually replacing it at that point. Personally, from all the rewiring and remodeling jobs I've done, I favor turning the screw until its snug in the slot and doesn't want to turn with any force (by gripping the screwdriver with 3 or less fingers, mind you) and then back tracking to the horizontal (or vertical if you want to comply with 99% of the electricians out there). I find that usually works best.

tedanderson

I go vertical also.

But going back to the painter/wall paper hanger thing- I once hired a guy to paint my office. When he put the wall plates back on, he didn't get the right screws in the right places.

Some of my wall plates were brass, others were white or ivory, and I had a couple that were actually painted over in grey.

The guy did a pretty good job but the first thing that caught my attention was the multi-colored mis-matched screws in all of the plates!

When I brought this to his attention, he thought I was crazy and made a few remarks about it. And to this day he still wonders why he can't get any work from me.

TNTSERVICES

I think it looks best when the screws flow with the direction of the plate. Horizontal plate, screws go horizontal, and the same for vertical boxes. I think horizontal screws on a vertical light switch looks odd. I too am OCD, so this may have something to do with it.

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GettingBy

Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, anyone?

rjconstructs

I can't believe this is even a topic.

TNTSERVICES

I can't believe that you can't believe that this is even a topic.

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CCCo.

Maybe just put them @ about a 45 degree angle and call-er good.

- to this whole thread

-

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smasher666

Well according to the 2011 NEC your are supposed to turn the screws clockwise until the plate cover cracks. Hope this helps.
http://www.odinelectric.net

sy85

I like the 45 degree suggestion. Sounds like a good halfway point for both sides. But 45 degrees to which side....? I favor up and to the right.

ohiohomedoctor

This is one of my pet peaves. Sometimes I find myself going around adjusting them to dead plumb position at the end of the job. The guys get a kick out of it. I have heard lots of ocd jokes. Sometimes I wish I could share my ocd with my employees.

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smasher666

Romex! If you use that stuff in NYC they will stand you up before a firing squad. Local code supercedes. Conventional theory says grounding screws down is safer. However when doing work in hospitals they are supposed to be up. Seems like no matter what you do something will always be wrong until you give your local inspector a $100 bill then he says those sparking wires will be ok as long as it does not rain. Personally grounds up irritates the bejeebus out of me. Lets say the box is not grounded at all. Meaning with your meter on the hot wire and your other lead on the box you detect zero voltage. Nothing is bonded. That ground up outlet becomes loose and touches the box on the hot side only. Lo and behold the hot screw touches the box and no arky sparky due to no bonding stap. Now you have a box conducting voltage. Insert foot in toilet and touch that box and you have a situation. Oh and that romex stuff is going to be outlawed some day. When you wire something with that you are wiring it to burn. It only takes 1 rat and a high resistance short before it starts going hay wire. http://www.odinelectric.net

sy85

Looking back, after replacing a rocker light switch for a friend... I don't know what did it, but I have re-evaluated my position on using my designer mind of liking horizontals to agreeing with the masses of electricians in vertical for vertical oriented boxes and horizontal for the horizontal boxes looking best.

:sigh: I don't know wtf I was thinking, that horizontal screws looked better on a plate than vertical cause when I looked at the last one I did that way, I thought man, that's fugly, who would do that??! (, hah..)

TNTSERVICES

OFF the OP: Is there any real data that backs up what you are saying about romex? I grew up in Texas and that's pretty much all that is used in residential, at least in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

I also think that BX can be just as dangerous if not properly installed. I don't know how many ceiling tiles I have moved and found BX running straight into the box without a box connector. I just refinished my parents basement and found every single J box with at least one per box.

I know that most places around here are hit and miss. Some require EMT, some BX, and unincorporated areas allow romex. I always have to call the local building dept to find out what I am supposed to do. I wish there was a standard.

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overanalyze

I love this discussion..it means I am not crazy for wanting my screws vertical..and not close to vertical...straight up and down...my electrician thinks I am off..well he's right but not cause I want cover plate screws vertical.

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TNTSERVICES

I am like Ohio, very ocd when it comes to stuff like this.

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joebeadg

I've never heard of this vert screw thing before I moved to fl. Back on L.I., I would think I'd have been laughed off the job. But hear in fl., it is SUCH A BIG DEAL! I make it a point to not have them lined up, I think it looks dumb. I tighten them till I think there tight enough.

dsconstructs

Because of reading this topic, for the first time ever I put all the screws horizontal in the last kitchen remodel. And damned if the customer didn't take notice after, seems her husband used to do that. So yeah, thanks guys for something else to be ocd about from now on

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