<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SCVJeff:
Tantalum's are much more fun in that you get a nice mushroom cloud along with a change of shorts
But the above point was that not using it won't necessarily prolong it's life. I have a room of emergency spare equipment at the office that I will occasionally open up the boxes and plug whatever it happens to be in, just so the caps remember what they're supposed to be doing in life. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That is true however using it to power a battery charger (ie: laptop) could shorten it.
See an example of a common warning packaged with many inverters:
"Warning: Some rechargeable appliances may damage the Power Inverter or the
appliance. When first using a rechargeable device, check the Inverter's temperature
for the first 10 minutes. If it becomes abnormally hot, do not use this
device with the Inverter."
Checking to see if you think it is abnormally hot is a bit subjective.
Anyway my comment was based on these warnings as to the possibility of loss using an inverter to power up a rechargable device along with personal first hand experience. I would personally choose to put an easily and economically replacable portable inverter at risk then the more expensive internal one.
I knew the risk when I plugged in and presumed that since it was a name brand (expensive) built in inverter that I didn't need to consider this. It now appears that I was wrong.
I will go with either a plug in inverter designated for powering a laptop computer while the engine is running or a dedicated 12 volt adapter to power my laptop from now on.