In my January 2024 ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR column, “Links in the Electrical Supply Chain,” I briefly covered the adoption and coverage of reconditioned electrical equipment in the 2017 NEC. I mentioned reconditioned electrical equipment as a possible solution for supply chain issues and the lack of availability of new electrical equipment. I believe a closer study and better understanding of reconditioned electrical equipment in the NEC is warranted since there may be hidden issues with it.

The NEC panel process

As a member of the NEC Correlating Committee, it was interesting to be involved in formulating the requirements for reconditioned electrical equipment in the 2017 NEC. The initial public input for reconditioned equipment was rejected since each NEC panel would have had to deal with the specifics of what could or could not be reconditioned at the first meeting.

Between the public input and comment stages, the NEC Correlating Committee notified all the panels to determine which types of equipment could and could not be reconditioned. The issue is that any action at the comment stage, either for or against reconditioning certain equipment, did not allow for public scrutiny of the change. All the decisions would be left solely to the panel members’ discretion.

Section 110.21(A)(2) in the 2017 NEC was eventually inserted as such: “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. Reconditioned equipment must be identified as ‘reconditioned’ and approval of the reconditioned equipment cannot be based solely on the original listing of the equipment.”

An exception clarified that for industrial occupancies “where conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the equipment, the markings indicated in 110.21(A)(2) [as noted above] shall not be required.”

An informational note was also added, stating: “Industry standards are available for application of reconditioned and refurbished equipment. Normal servicing of equipment that remains within a facility should not be considered reconditioning or refurbishing.”

A new Section 110.20 was inserted in the 2023 NEC, stating that reconditioned equipment is permitted except where prohibited elsewhere in the Code. 

2023 updates

A new Section 110.20 was inserted in the 2023 NEC, stating that reconditioned equipment is permitted except where prohibited elsewhere in the Code. It also states that “equipment that is restored to operating condition shall be reconditioned with identified replacement parts and verified under applicable standards, that are either provided by the original equipment manufacturer or that are designed by an engineer experienced in the design of replacement parts for the type of equipment being reconditioned.”

Section 110.20(A) states: “equipment that is reconditioned and required by this Code to be listed shall be listed or field labeled as reconditioned using available instructions from the original equipment manufacturer.” 

If the equipment is reconditioned and is not required by the NEC to be listed, then 110.20(B) states that the equipment shall either be listed, field labeled as reconditioned or have the reconditioning performed in accordance with the original equipment manufacturer instructions. If neither 110.20(A) or (B) is available, then “the authority having jurisdiction shall be permitted to approve reconditioned equipment, and the reconditioner shall provide the authority having jurisdiction with documentation of the changes to the product.”

There are also changes in Section 110.21(A)(2) of the 2023 NEC. It now requires that reconditioned equipment be marked with the following: the name, trademark or other descriptive marking of the organization that performed the reconditioning; the date of the reconditioning; and the term reconditioned, other approved wording or a symbol indicating that the equipment has been reconditioned. 

The original listing mark must be removed or made permanently illegible. However, the equipment nameplate is not required to be removed or made permanently illegible, only the part of the nameplate that includes the listing mark, if applicable.

In addition, section XXX.2 in each equipment article in the 2023 NEC was set aside and dedicated to reconditioned equipment. For example, 410.2 states: “reconditioned luminaires, lampholders, ballasts, LED drivers, lamps, and retrofit kits shall not be permitted. If a retrofit kit is installed in a luminaire in accordance with the installation instructions, the retrofitted luminaire shall not be considered reconditioned.”

As another example, Section 406.2 states that “reconditioned receptacles, attachment plugs, cord connectors, and flanged surface devices shall not be permitted.” 

We have much more information on reconditioned electrical equipment than ever before. Make sure to use it.