Buying things used often makes a lot of sense financially. You get the item in good or even excellent quality for a lot less than you would have to pay for the same item if it was new. Usually, the slight wear and tear doesn’t have any impact on functionality and the seller is just getting rid of the item because they no longer need it. For some items, like a power inverter, there is some risk involved in buying used however.
Because a power inverter is an electronic device and almost akin to a power tool, there is a danger that a less than perfectly functional unit could cause you more problems than it’s worth. It is possible that something is wrong with it internally that can’t be readily seen or tested. For example, if the inverter got wet at some time it could have permanent damage to internal electrical connections that causes it to run inconsistently over time.
For a normal power tool, like a drill, this wouldn’t be that big of a concern. If the drill cut in and out it would be frustrating, but you could still use it and it wouldn’t be much of a risk to you or anything you’re working on. A power inverter is different because you trust it to power your delicate electronics. If it is feeding them an inconsistent power source, it could damage whatever is connected to it. It would be a shame if you skimped on the power inverter only to ruin your new HDTV and Playstation 3.
At this point you might be thinking, “But what about a low wattage power inverter? I won’t use that to power anything very important.” While that is probably true, it still isn’t worth buying used simply because of cost. A brand new 100 watt power inverter will probably cost less than $50 and could be as cheap as $20. Are you really willing to risk your important devices to save ten dollars?
The higher wattage inverters will save you a lot more money if you buy used, but the risk increases dramatically with the increase in wattage rating. If you use a faulty 3000 watt inverter, you could very well start a fire and fry the motherboards of whatever you connect to them. So you have the potential to save a few hundred dollars and the potential to destroy thousands of dollars of property. Buying a used power inverter just doesn’t make sense.
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