Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin
... If you modify it, it needs to comply with current regs ...
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There is specific law relating to equipment which is being sold (strictly 'brought to market'). It imposes responsibilities on the seller (not on a repairer). I believe that law says that if you 're-manufacture' and then sell equipment it needs to comply with the current harmonised standards (all of them, not just the safety ones). Otherwise it can legally be sold as long as it is essentially the same as when it was first manufactured, assuming it was regarded as 'safe' then. There are exceptions if you can show that you are certain (absolutely 100% certain) that it's being sold for spares/scrap or for repair/re-manufacture by someone else. Just cutting the plug off when you know there is a possibility, however remote, that the buyer will put a new one on does not absolve you from your responsibilities. At all.
I'm not aware that the meaning of 're-manufacture' has been tested extensively in the courts, which is the only place its meaning can be authoritatively established. Every other opinion about its meaning is just that - an opinion. There is advice out there suggesting that actually even very small changes might be judged by the courts to amount to re-manufacturing. But whether the courts will heed that advice remains to be seen.
If you are thinking of selling re-worked vintage equipment and you are aware that it doesn't meet the standards then the best you can do, I think, is to get specialist legal advice that what you've done doesn't amount to re-manufacturing. Then you have to hope that if you ever end up in front of one the court will agree with your advisor.
I'm not aware that there's any specific law relating to the repair, rather than the sale, of vintage electrical equipment. There is general legislation though which requires anyone who sells a service, which is what repair is, to do an acceptably good job. Again a commercial lawyer ought to be able to advise on the ins and outs of that.
Cheers,
GJ