construction drawing symbols

Is there a standard that says that? Seems the US Regent 6 shows receptacles with the lines the same distance out both sides of the circle http://www.fs.fed.us/database/acad/elec/elec.htm

and the engineering drawings I am getting show the lines to the right.

there has to be a publication that says how the trade is suppose to handle this.

Actually there are a lot of standards, It depends where you live, or where the diagram was created.

Here is a small list:

• IEEE Std 313-1975
• ANSI Y32.2-1975
• CSA Z99-1975
• CEI/IEC 60617
• CEI/IEC 1082

Here is a good spot to start: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit_diagram#Symbols

I would not mind buying the standard if I could just find out which one has that type of information. For years I have always shown receptacles with the lines away from the adjacent wall. this type of design I find very common in Canadian engineer drawings and some drawing from US engineers usually the older ones. however over the past few years more drawings are coming with the lines going towards the wall. either design as far as I am concerned would be OK. the problem is uniformity throughout my company which has designers in both the US and Canada (most Canadian ones use the lines to wall much like I do) The rest use the rotation lines away from walls. Again to me both are just as well but now we have situations where the design in done in both countries and then put together and our symbols do not match. I can't find a standard either way as to who has the right orentation and who doesn't. I have found older American drawings seem to be of the same method I am used to only drawings for the past ten years or so seem to have changed the orentation and I can't find out why or when it changed. Thus I am searching the net for an answer if any standard mentions orentation I would be happy to go with it.

In the ANSI Y32.2-1975 which is usually required by the Cdn military, The symbol by it self is shown as going to the left, yet the example of it in use, the lines do not extend outside the circle, and there is a single arrow pointing to the wall. Other examples show arrows going in the opposite direction, but always pointing to its location or connection point.

Architect3451 hit it right on the nose, the lines simply point the direction of your wiring flow.

In addition to all said already (and I voted #3 GA for the one saying the lines go in the electrical flow direction, which is almost too logical to be correct...) it is possible that a lack of rigour in applying the appropriate standard may be at fault as well.