Low-voltage electrical reconditioning standards introduced

Electrical supply houses and contractors interested in how to recondition, or test and inspect the quality of recycled low-voltage electrical apparatus now have 40 technical standards to guide them thanks to the Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League (PEARL).

Founded in 1997, PEARL is an electrical apparatus recycling trade association that creates, collects, and disseminates information, policies, procedures, and standards to ensure the proper recycling and reuse of electrical power equipment.

PEARL reconditioned electrical goods are held to a higher testing standard than new electrical apparatus because each device is tested individually rather than batch tested. PEARL reconditioned apparatus also spare the planet from thousands of tons of unnecessary waste each year, and cut the U.S.Â’ energy consumption compared to manufacturing new product.

PEARLÂ’s Low-Voltage Apparatus recycling standards are available for free to the public from the PEARL website (www.pearl1.org).

PEARLÂ’s Low-Voltage Apparatus recycling standards cover:

• Low-Voltage Disconnect Switches (1100 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers (1200 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Panelboards, Switchboards & Switchgear (1300 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Transformers (1400 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Motor Control Center Buckets & Assemblies (1500 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Motor Control Devices (1600 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Wire & Cable (4100 PEARL Standard Series)

• Low-Voltage Bus Duct (4300 PEARL Standard Series)

PEARLÂ’s electrical apparatus recycling standards fall into two categories:

• Reconditioning, which includes both Test & Inspection, and Reconditioning procedures; and

• Test & Inspect Standards, which do not include reconditioning procedures and documentation.

Only electrical apparatus that comply with these standards and come from companies that meet PEARLÂ’s business, ethics, and integrity requirements qualify to carry the associated PEARL Quality Seal (blue for Reconditioned devices, green for Test & Inspect).

Today, more than 70 dealers of new, reconditioned, and surplus electrical devices are members of the PEARL trade association.