Expelling the Myths Surrounding Refurbished Electrical Components
There are a variety of myths surrounding the refurbished, reconditioning electrical component business. With every myth comes an explanation that helps put it to rest or one that brings it to light. This article will lie to rest some of the most prevalent myths within the electrical component industry.
Myth VS Reality within the Reconditioned Electrical Component Industry
- Reconditioned electrical equipment is often counterfeit: Surplus and counterfeit electrical parts are part of the gray market within the electrical equipment industry and should not be lumped together with legitimate suppliers of quality refurbished, reconditioned electrical components. This is something that many original equipment manufacturers and licensed distributors like to lead industry users to believe in order to ensure they are the only sought after suppliers of electrical components.
The truth is that most reconditioned electrical components are used to continue running equipment that is older and often outdated, most not supported by the original manufacturer anymore. To avoid buying counterfeit parts understand that most counterfeits parts are sold to replace components on new electrical equipment. Surplus equipment refers to new unused electrical equipment and this is where counterfeiting is found most often. To avoid counterfeit products customers should note that most reconditioned products are for older model equipment.
- Refurbished electrical equipment is not as safe to use as new: This is a myth that can be completely busted by the procedure that is in place by both the electrical original equipment manufacturers reconditioning service centers and by the electrical industry at large. With the required multiple step process to ensure the refurbished product performs to the original specifications it is guaranteed that the reconditioned part will work as safely as a new surplus product.
Steps in Refurbishing Electrical Equipment
- Initial testing is conducted
- Products are disassembled, inspected and cleaned
- Components are replaced by worn & aging components
- Products are reassembled
- Performance testing and component verification is performed
- Documentation is presented and submitted
- Certifications are done to state that the equipment may be even safer than the original
In fact many refurbished electrical components are safer than new original manufactured equipment because it is individually tested. OEMs are not required to test each product yet are only required to perform a batch test on the electrical components that are produced.
As we continue in this installment on myths verse the realities of refurbished electrical components we will look into the following myths and dispel them.
- Reconditioned electrical equipment is lower quality and less reliable then a new product
- Refurbished electrical equipment is less expensive to buy but more expensive to operate
- Reconditioned electrical equipment increases safety and liability concerns
- Only original equipment manufacturers can properly recondition electrical components
- Refurbishing electrical equipment invalidates the Underwriter Laboratories Seal
We will in fact prove it is true that not all myths are created equal; in fact many myths make for really bad business decisions.
J&P Electrical is a full service electrical equipment company. At J&P, we supply contractors, end users and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned and obsolete electrical equipment. Contact us today at https://jpelectricalcompany.com for all of your bus plug, circuit breaker, switchboard, fuses, disconnects and more.
