What To Do With Used Devices

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flashlight

Senior Member
Location
NY, NY
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Electrician, semi-retired
I (like many people here, probably) have tons of "gently used" devices of all sorts, switches, receptacles, dimmers. Many like new. Boxes and boxes of them. They are taking too much room in my shop.

I will not be using these. My question: Is there a code prohibition against somebody using them ? Is it safe/ethical to sell them cheap to somebody ?
I hate filling landfills with useful things. Can I recycle them ?

Anybody have any thoughts on this ?
 
I keep a handfull on the truck for use as temp recepts and switches for the next job.

Other than that, I'd list 'em on fleabay.
 
flashlight said:
I (like many people here, probably) have tons of "gently used" devices of all sorts, switches, receptacles, dimmers. Many like new. Boxes and boxes of them. They are taking too much room in my shop.

I will not be using these. My question: Is there a code prohibition against somebody using them ? Is it safe/ethical to sell them cheap to somebody ?
I hate filling landfills with useful things. Can I recycle them ?

Anybody have any thoughts on this ?
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eBay and garage sales come to mind. there is nothing immoral, illegal, or unethical in selling them.

I don't see anything wrong with recycling them either, at least in an appropriate way. No one is going to care much if you replace a broken switchplate with a used but still useful one from your stockpile and don't charge for the part.

You may also be able to reuse some of them on a project where a customer wants a deal. Tell him what you propose and more than likely he won't care if the parts are used or not if he can get a deal.
 
flashlight said:
I (like many people here, probably) have tons of "gently used" devices of all sorts, switches, receptacles, dimmers. Many like new. Boxes and boxes of them. They are taking too much room in my shop.
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Resi grade? Spec?

I would never throw away a lightly used 5362 or something hospital grade.

Resi grade? Right in the barrell.
 
I used to (not a licensed electrical contractor any more) reuse better quality receptacles and switches but always softened up circuit breakers and panelboards with a 32 ounce hammer before tossing them. I agree, most of the residential stuff was just junked, again, I softened them up.

The intent of destroying the circuit breakers panelboards, and devices was to keep someone from trying to reinstall them somewhere else. They didn't know how they would perform and I could use the work. :)
 
Keep a few of the cherry one's for temp use during construction. The rest go right in the trash. If you're the type of person that has the overwhelming urge to keep used stuff, you're in for a rough life. You'll need a warehouse after 10 years to keep it all in, and your heirs will hate you when you're dead and gone. The only thing I keep is job surplus and real cherry items that are no longer made that might help someone out of a midnight jam, and even that's getting out of hand. No wonder the big contractors sell job surplus by the pound as scrap.
 
If you're the type of person that has the overwhelming urge to keep used stuff, you're in for a rough life. You'll need a warehouse after 10 years to keep it all in, and your heirs will hate you when you're dead and gone.
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Whew--this site offers way more than just practical advice about the electrical trade. One thing I constantly remind myself is that in the long view--such as when the sun becomes a Red Giant in about 3 billion years--everything will be recycled !
 
Billy_Bob said:
You could donate some of these things (use your judgement) to a Habitat for Humanity "ReStore". They take used construction things.

Here is their store directory...
http://www.habitat.org/cd/env/restore.aspx
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When I remove devices, I normally back the screws the whole way out and let them fall on the floor, to get the hooks off easier. When I'm done taking stuff out, it no longer resembles anything anyone's going to want.
 
How about saving those devices for pro bono work? ;)

.... and to think I came here to forget about the financial mess we are in.
 
S'mise said:
How about saving those devices for pro bono work? ;)

.... and to think I came here to forget about the financial mess we are in.
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I don't know it's Pro Bono till after I installed everything and haven't received a check.
 
i recently upgraded 30 housing authority panels to allow for more circuits. ended up with 600 QO's that looked barely used. after keeping them in my shop for months I couldnt find a reason I would ever use them, so to the can they went....
 
If your local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity has a "Restore"
they will gladly take them. I have donated a lot of surplus and used items, they sell and use the profit to fund buildings.
 
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