About a third of the rotating lasers, levels and total stations that leave our building are reconditioned. They go out with the same calibration certificate as a new instrument and a twelve-month warranty. Customers sometimes ask why we do the work ourselves rather than sending it to the manufacturer or buying in refurbished stock. There are a few reasons, and they all come back to the same thing: we want to know exactly what we are selling.
What arrives
Instruments come to us as part-exchanges, from hire fleets being renewed, and from contractors closing down or changing brand. We concentrate on Topcon and Leica because their instruments are built to be serviced, spare parts are still available for models going back fifteen years, and there are enough of them in the field that we know their habits well. A Topcon RL-H4C or a Leica Rugby 620 that has done five years on site is usually a sound instrument underneath the mud.
What we do to it
- Assessment. Every instrument is checked on the bench before we decide whether it is worth reconditioning. Cracked castings, water damage to the main board or a compensator that will not settle mean the unit becomes a parts donor rather than a sale.
- Strip and clean. The housing comes apart. Grit, concrete dust and old grease are removed from the rotating head, bearings and battery compartment. Corroded contacts are replaced.
- Seals and consumables. Every O-ring, gasket and window seal is renewed. Batteries are tested under load and replaced if they hold less than 80 per cent of their rated capacity. Handles, catches and rubber armour are replaced where worn.
- Calibration. The rebuilt instrument goes onto the same granite bench and collimator we use for customer calibrations. Level and grade axes are adjusted and checked at range, then checked again after a temperature soak.
- Case and accessories. The unit is supplied in a serviceable case with the correct receiver, charger and manual, so it is ready to work on the day it arrives.
Why in-house matters
When the same technician who calibrated the instrument is the one who answers the phone, problems get solved quickly. If a reconditioned laser comes back with a fault, we know its history, we have the before-and-after readings, and we can usually tell the customer what happened without opening it.
It also means we can be honest about what we sell. We do not recondition instruments we would not use ourselves, and a reconditioned unit on our website has been through the process above, not just wiped down and photographed.
What you get
- A calibration certificate with the readings, dated the week the instrument is dispatched.
- Twelve months' warranty covering parts and labour.
- A loan instrument if a warranty repair takes longer than two working days.
- A price typically 30 to 50 per cent below the equivalent new model.
Stock changes weekly. If you are after a particular model, ring the workshop on 01522 697777 and we will tell you what is on the bench and what is due in.
