Spare motors and drives: catalogue identifiers before promising a use
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Record a spare motor or drive's exact identity before promising what it will fit. Similar power ratings, housings or product names do not establish interchangeability.
Keep manufacturer information separate from the history of the particular item. A stored spare may be unused, repaired, removed after a fault or simply of unknown status. Those descriptions have different meanings and need different evidence.
Nameplate and history inventory
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Inventory reference | Stable identifier connected to photographs |
| Manufacturer and exact type | Full readable product code, including suffixes |
| Serial and other identifiers | Transcribe without abbreviating |
| Marked specification | Figures, units and qualifiers as shown |
| Document source | Exact-model manual or manufacturer information |
| Provenance | Purchase, repair or removal records where available |
| Condition evidence | Dated assessment or test report and its actual scope |
| Included items | Controls, accessories or documents explicitly included |
| Unknowns | Missing identity, unclear history or unresolved compatibility |
Photograph the complete plate clearly enough to preserve information that may seem unimportant to the seller. A suffix omitted from a typed list may matter to the person assessing the part.
Use condition words carefully
“Stored spare” describes a role. It does not establish that the item is unused or working. “Removed from a working machine” is a claim requiring evidence, and still does not describe every aspect of the component's present condition.
If an existing test report is available, keep its date, item identity, method and findings together. Do not turn a limited test into an unrestricted working-order statement. This guide gives no wiring, energising or bench-testing instructions.
HSE's electrically powered equipment guidance provides Great Britain context on suitability and condition. Use competent advice for the actual equipment and intended supply, and confirm Northern Ireland requirements separately. The PAT-record guide explains why a label should not become a general clearance claim.
Describe the drive's information separately
For control equipment, record what configuration information or software is available and what rights or permissions remain uncertain. The PLC programmes and software guide helps frame those questions. Do not promise that a buyer can reuse a programme, licence or machine configuration without checking.
Keep mixed spares individually identifiable until the lotting decision is made. A convenient shelf location is not evidence that the parts form a compatible package.
Send the inventory and available reports to UK Auction Group. Flag untested items and unresolved identity or compatibility questions so the proposed lots can be described accurately.
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Sources
This guide gives general information. Equipment-specific, legal, tax and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser or competent specialist. The guides do not promise sale prices, fees or results.