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210.15 AFCI, GFCI, GFP Devices Can’t Be Reconditioned

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Change Summary

  • New section added prohibiting GFCI devices, AFCI devices, and ground-fault protection equipment from being reconditioned.
NEC® Text

210.15 Reconditioned Equipment.
The following shall not be reconditioned:
(1) Equipment that provides ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel
(2) Equipment that provides arc-fault circuit-interrupter protection
(3) Equipment that provides ground-fault protection of equipment

Material taken from the National Electric Code® is reprinted with permission from NFPA 70®, 2020 edition.
National Electrical Code®, Copyright 2019, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. All rights reserved.

Expert Analysis

During the Second Draft stage of the 2020 NEC revision cycle, each Code Making Panel (CMP) was asked to review the equipment they have purview over and determine what equipment could be reconditioned and what equipment could not be reconditioned but rather replaced when necessary.

Each CMP looked to identify and prevent the reconditioning of products that cannot be reconditioned and secondly, to ensure that reconditioned equipment is properly evaluated to ensure a level of safety equal to the original equipment listing/labeling. This was to serve as an assurance that when equipment is reconditioned, it must be properly marked or identified for suitability for the installers, maintainers, and the inspection community.

The provisions of new 210.15 is the first of these new statements throughout the Code in reference to reconditioned equipment. This new section prohibits reconditioning of GFCI devices, AFCI devices, and ground-fault protection equipment that are not allowed to be reconditioned due to the inherent safety characteristics and requirements for those products per their product standards.

A list of Code sections with equipment that is either permitted to be reconditioned or not permitted to be reconditioned is supplied here for the reader’s reference.

Reconditioned Equipment Permission

Statements for the 2020 NEC
Code Section CMP Equipment Yes/No SR/PC
210.15 CMP-2 GFCI devices, AFCI devices, and GFP equipment No SR 7657
240.62 CMP-10 Low-voltage fuseholders and low-voltage nonrenewable fuses No SR 7974, PC 981
240.88 (A)(1) CMP-10 Molded-case circuit breakers No DSR 8011, PC 980
240.88 (A)(2) CMP-10 Low- and medium-voltage power circuit breakers Yes DSR 8011, PC 980
240.88 (A)(3) CMP-10 High-voltage circuit breakers Yes DSR 8011, PC 980
240.88 (B)(1) CMP-10 Low-voltage power circuit breaker electronic trip units No DSR 8011, PC 980
240.88 (B)(2) CMP-10 Electromechanical protective relays and current transformers Yes DSR 8011, PC 980
240.102 CMP-10 Medium-voltage fuseholders and
medium-voltage nonrenewable fuses 		No SR 8048, PC 982
406.3(A) CMP-18 Receptacles No SR 8187
406.7 CMP-18 Attachment plugs, cord connectors, and flanged surface devices No SR 8189
408.8(A) CMP-9 Panelboards No SR 8172, PC 987
408.8(B) CMP-9 Switchboards and switchgear, or sections of switchboards or switchgear Yes SR 8172, PC 987
410.7 CMP-18 Luminaires, lampholders, and retrofit kits No SR 8162
411.4 CMP-18 Listed low-voltage lighting systems or a lighting system assembled from listed parts No SR 8164
490.49 CMP-9 Switchgear, or sections of switchgear Yes SR 8222
695.10 CMP-13 Fire pump controllers and transfer switches No SR 7522, PC 983
700.5(C) CMP-13 Automatic transfer switches(Emergency Systems) No SR7584, PC 984
701.5(C) CMP-13 Automatic transfer switches(Legally Required Standby Systems) No SR 7586, PC 985
702.5 CMP-13 Transfer switches(Optional Standby Systems) No SR 7588, PC 986

 

Leviton Comment

While it’s good that the NEC makes it clear what can and can’t be reconditioned, when they identify equipment that can be reconditioned, they seem to overlook, or not address, who is permitted to do the reconditioning. Most would agree that if the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) reconditioned a device it would be to factory spec’s and safe. But if an independent third party does the reconditioning who knows their qualifications and to what degree they reconditioned? In the case of submerged equipment, did they simply remove rust from terminals, or replace delicate circuitry?

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