A repair doesn’t necessarily mean making something like new. Nor does it always mean replacing broken parts with new ones.
In a plant that extruded small plastic pieces, two arbors broke within a few months of each other. The first one was put back together with the epoxy JB Weld, and the seam was sanded smooth. The other one was normally subject to much more vibration, plus the stress would be along the fracture joint; it was replaced.
With mechanical parts, you often have that kind of leeway. With electrical parts, not so much. Modifying electrical parts usually alters the listing for the part or equipment, and that is barred by the NEC. For example, you would not repair a 120V switch even if you could.
However, some mechanical things that fall under the purvey of electricians can or should be modified. For example, any time the mechanical execution of the work [110] is substandard in appearance, you may want to redo it. If it is substandard in functionality, you should redo it.
About the Author
Mark LamendolaMark Lamendola
Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.
Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.
Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.