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Posted by David Sherman [216.18.131.219] on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 03:56:59 :
I recently bought a cheap little 400 watt inverter. The instructions included 3 pages of "Safety Warnings and Precautions". Some highlights:
1. Do not plug a battery charger into the inverter if the charger has a warning that dangerous voltages are present at the battery terminals. (Huh? Somebody's going to use the inverter to charge the battery that powers the inverter, like perpetual motion?)
5. Keep children away. (how far?)
6. When not in use, this product must be stored in a dry location to inhibit rust. (It's made entirely of aluminum, plastic, and an electronic circuit board)
7. Do not use this inverter for a purpose for which it was not intended. (for example?)
8. Dress properly. Do not wear loose clothing or jewelry as they can be caught in moving parts (electrons moving through transistors?). Protective, electrically nonconductive clothes and nonskid footware are recommended... (Do they recommend the same thing when plugging in, say, a table lamp at home?)
9. Use eye protection. Always wear ANSI approved impact safety goggles when using inverters. (pure lawyer repellent)
14. Do not operate any inverter when you are tired. (can't use it for watching TV before bed?)
15. Check for damaged parts...Check for alignment and binding of moving parts. (I wonder how much a "qualified technician" charges for an inverter alignment?)
17. Do not operate if under the influence of alcohol or drugs. (Can't use it for watching TV while drinking?)
18. Prevent body contact with grounded surfaces such as pipes, radiators, ranges, and refrigerator enclosures during installation. (Huh?) Cover the connections with insulating rubber boots, not included. (so where do we get them?)
Warning: The warnings, cautions, and instructions discussed in this instruction manual cannot cover all possible conditions and situations that may occur (it sure looks like they tried. About all they left out was "do not take internally", and "smoking this inverter may be hazardous to your health").
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