Reconditioned equipment must be marked with the name, trademark, or other descriptive marking by which the organization responsible for reconditioning the electrical equipment can be identified, along with the date of the reconditioning.
Code Change Summary: A new subsection addresses the required marking on reconditioned equipment.
As technology improves, newer products are created and the older ones which were state of the art in their time become obsolete. In the event that damage occurs, it can be difficult to find replacement parts and can get very expensive to change out switchgear just because one of the breakers inside needs replacement.
Also, during a renovation, sometimes existing switchgear may be used to feed a new area of a building. It may be necessary to add a large frame circuit breaker where there used to be a blank space in the existing switchgear but finding one that fits can be a challenge. Many companies specialize in refurbishing old obsolete circuit breakers and equipment and reselling them to the public.
Some cities take issue with refurbished products and will not allow them for new construction unless the equipment has been rebuilt and certified by an approved NRTL.
The change to this code section recognizes that equipment can be new, reconditioned, refurbished, or remanufactured but places specific marking and labeling requirements on reconditioned equipment.
Reconditioned equipment is now required to be marked with the name, trademark, or other descriptive marking by which the organization responsible for reconditioning the equipment can be identified, along with the date that the reconditioning occurred.
Below is a preview of Article 110. See the actual NEC text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2017 NEC edition of NFPA 70.
2017 Code Language:
N 110.21(A)(2) Reconditioned Equipment. Reconditioned equipment shall be marked with the name, trademark, or other descriptive markings by which the organization responsible for reconditioning the electrical equipment can be identified, along with the date of the reconditioning.
Reconditioned equipment shall be identified as “reconditioned” and approval of the reconditioned equipment shall not be based solely on the equipment’s original listing.
Exception: In industrial occupancies, where conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the equipment, the markings indicated in 110.21(A)(2) shall not be required.
Informational Note: Industry standards are available for the application of reconditioned and refurbished equipment. Normal servicing of equipment that remains within a facility should not be considered reconditioning or refurbishing.
