What to photograph before requesting a hard-to-find equipment part

Photograph the equipment and the part in context

Include a ruler only when you can place it without beginning service work.

• Capture the whole machine and every readable nameplate.
• Show the part where it is installed, with wide and close views of connectors and mounting points.
• Photograph a removed part from several sides only when it has already been removed through the applicable procedure.

Write down part details and the symptom

Write down every readable manufacturer name, model, serial number, part number, revision, rating, and label. Describe the symptom, when it occurs, and what the equipment was doing. These details separate parts that look alike.

Take only photos you can capture without beginning service work. If access requires opening, removing, or operating equipment, stop and follow the manufacturer’s procedure or ask a qualified technician. Send the nameplate and other safely visible details instead.