What to watch out for when buying used kessils?

[djryan2000]

Saw a post online for used kessils. Priced lower than most listings and the seller seems… very eager to sell. If I show up and plug in the light and it visibly looks bright do I know I’m all set?

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I have a Kessil A360, an A360WE, an A360X, 2 AP9Xs, and 3 A80s at the moment so I have used plenty of Kessil lights. the A360 was purchased in 2012 and is still working today but I have had to replace multiple lights over the years which is the reason for the mixture of light generations.

On average, I get 5-7 years out of a kessil light. I would first ask how old the light is. If it is 3 years old keep in mind that this could be half of the light's usable life.

I would look at the LED cluster when the light is turned on and look for burnt out LEDS. The UV LEDs are not visible to the human eye so there are always a couple that look like they aren't turning on but if you see a complete row that isn;t turning on then that is an issue.

I would also check for salt creep and water damage. My one light that is 12 years old has been 16 inches off the water since day 1. Kessil does add water-resistant coatings to the circuit board but water and electricity do not go together and the more splashing the light has seen the greater the chances of a short life span for the light.

I generally do not buy used lights because I think people ask too much for them. It is common to see a used A 360X for $200 in my area but after looking at the light I think half the usable life of the light is gone. I am in this for the long haul so I would rather buy new lights and take care of them myself. If the price is right then go for it but just keep in mind that nothing lasts forever.