We used to have an Ace hardware in town, some reason they decided to move to the other side, then changed to some private store. Now going out of business, I went in since about everything was 1/2 off I'd see if there were any tools, etc. I need. There was an entire isle in the back corner of staff that was originally put there as clearance. I think I realized why there closing. I saw probably like a dozen or more electronic items from stuff like GFCI outlets that didn't work because wouldn't stay on, to inverters for cars on mark down label said returned started smoking. I thought really I could probably fix something like an inverter, but still wanted like $20 for it.

I just found that kind of disturbing they'd try to resell something smoking in my opinion there's smoke defiantly bad, and possibly turn into fire. I just thought you'd think something like that would be illegal. I head of that store I'd a return it to MFG, or if I can't give it to the electronics class at local college to analyze.

Got a few things last trip, after I saw that though I don't think even they the best deal could get me back there. To me looks like whomever owns or manages it don't care somebody sets there car on fire with something bough there.

I don't know much about laws for stores, etc., but sure seems like something you'd think would be illegal to try and resell something clearly defective, especially if it could catch fire or something.

Kind of just got me curious about stuff like that. Is it legal, if so and something major happens like fire, who's responsible. Also found interesting some thing made to be an inverter having such a major issue, and there was at least a few of them. I would trust my home made inverter more. (That was a junk UPS backup the SLAs failed on, and a heavy lighter cord.)

 

there used to be a radio shack store in wichita that sold returned goods. I bought some printers and fixed the minor problems for next to nothing ans sold them at a profit. even with new stock, there is always the hazard of it failing and burning. thats why it is sold "AS IS". something as small as a gfci probably isnt designed to be opened up and repaired, and shouold be disposed of. but an inverter, I would have no problem with repairing, or using for parts.

 

yah i suppose i understand always a chance, but that there is known issue kind of bugged me, and for like a 300wat inverter they still wanted like $20 even though was bad. At time I thought if it's still there and there to a point that it would be a few $ I may consider it, just for parts worst case. I suspect it's just a bad mosfet, and i could probably pull one from a UPS, or SMPS and would probably work fine.

I have people give me stuff all the time, since they know I may be able to do something with it. occasionally I'll buy something that may be 90% working, or is missing a knob or something just to use for parts, or fix.

you mentioned too, reminded me of a thing I had happen. got 500W ATX power supply at an auction like $15 took home I put on bench, jumped green to GND. No fan nothing. It was a clear light up kind I looked around in it, noticed the rectifier busted out of the traces, I scraped the top layer off the traces, then soldered it up it worked.
First it didn't work I thought I'm an idiot I should have known better. Was also a logisys which I had never heard of before. but it ended up working, i looked into brand, it's about a mid range brand.

 

The first thing you should do is check that the item has not been recalled. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 made it illegal for anyone to sell recalled products, even in yard sales or thrift shops. WeMakeItSafer has a Recalled Product Search tool that makes checking for recalls easy. It is available as a mobile web-app just by visiting WeMakeItSafer.com on your mobile phone.