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opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2022/01/15 02:27] princess_fluffypants |
opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2022/06/23 20:57] princess_fluffypants [Fantasy] |
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====== Common beginner mistakes ====== | ====== Common beginner mistakes ====== | ||
There are many blessings and victories in van life; this article is not about that. It's about the various ways to fail, to skin our knees, to waste money, time, and resources. | There are many blessings and victories in van life; this article is not about that. It's about the various ways to fail, to skin our knees, to waste money, time, and resources. | ||
- | |||
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For whatever reason, vandwelling attracts an outsized percentage of daydreamers, | For whatever reason, vandwelling attracts an outsized percentage of daydreamers, | ||
- | People | + | Those who have a good chance at successful ' |
- | * people who have camped or backpacked and liked it | + | |
- | * people who are self-motivated | + | |
- | * people who are disciplined | + | |
- | * people who can figure things out for themselves | + | |
- | * people who know basic cooking | + | |
+ | * Have camped or backpacked and liked it | ||
+ | * Have good DIY skills and fix-it/ | ||
+ | * Know basic cooking and are okay with simpler foods | ||
+ | * Are instinctive " | ||
+ | * Are very organized and good at planning | ||
+ | * Are flexible when things don't go according to their plan | ||
+ | * Are okay with being alone for long periods of time (introverts) | ||
People who are less likely to adapt to the life: | People who are less likely to adapt to the life: | ||
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* the "high maintenance" | * the "high maintenance" | ||
* social media addicts | * social media addicts | ||
- | * people | + | * Those who don't like having |
* stoners, daydreamers, | * stoners, daydreamers, | ||
* those that need internet access 24/7 | * those that need internet access 24/7 | ||
- | * people who can't or won't take care of themselves | ||
* the easily bored | * the easily bored | ||
* people who need constant excitement, crowds, " | * people who need constant excitement, crowds, " | ||
* picky eaters | * picky eaters | ||
+ | Further reading: | ||
===== Planning ===== | ===== Planning ===== | ||
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* what is depicted on social media | * what is depicted on social media | ||
* what others tell you to buy | * what others tell you to buy | ||
+ | * the cheapest van you can find | ||
* etc | * etc | ||
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The roof is where rain will enter if there are leaks. | The roof is where rain will enter if there are leaks. | ||
- | The very tall vans (High roof [[rv: | + | The very tall vans (High roof [[rv: |
---- | ---- | ||
===== Electrical Power ===== | ===== Electrical Power ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Thinking like an apartment-dweller ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | **A van is not an apartment**, | ||
+ | |||
+ | Power in the camper is misunderstood by most and hand-waved away by optimists. | ||
Reality check: | Reality check: | ||
- | - [[https:// | + | - [[https:// |
- A 100w solar panel on an MPPT [[electrical: | - A 100w solar panel on an MPPT [[electrical: | ||
- | * Chicago - **308**W/day | + | * Chicago - **308**Wh/day |
- | * Salt Lake City - **376**W/day | + | * Salt Lake City - **376**Wh/day |
- | * Seattle - **292**W/day | + | * Seattle - **292**Wh/day |
- | * Phoenix | + | * Phoenix |
- | - all of those harvests are conspicuously less than 29,000W. | + | - all of those harvests are conspicuously less than 29,000Wh. |
==== Heating and Cooling ==== | ==== Heating and Cooling ==== | ||
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- have typically invested thousands of dollars in battery banks and solar, or run a [[electrical: | - have typically invested thousands of dollars in battery banks and solar, or run a [[electrical: | ||
- | Electric heating is such a massive power draw that it can be an extremely effective | + | Electric heating is such a massive power draw that it's often used as a way to [[electrical: |
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- | ==== Thinking like an apartment-dweller ==== | ||
- | |||
- | |||
- | **A van is not an apartment**, | ||
- | |||
- | Power in the camper is misunderstood by most and hand-waved away by optimists. | ||
==== Failure to consider all loads ==== | ==== Failure to consider all loads ==== | ||
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Having no solar at all is generally an unforced error for vandwellers. | Having no solar at all is generally an unforced error for vandwellers. | ||
+ | ==== believing 100w of panel will make 100w all day long ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The 100w panel will make 100w in a lab in test conditions. | ||
+ | |||
+ | - the panel will rarely make anywhere close to 100w((under normal conditions)) | ||
+ | - the max power it //does// make will be around local solar noon. Before and after that power will be less. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Example: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ^ Time ^ Watts ^ | ||
+ | |6:02a |0w| | ||
+ | |7:02a |15.9w| | ||
+ | |8:02A |32.8w| | ||
+ | |9:02A |48.7w| | ||
+ | |10:02A |62.3w| | ||
+ | |11:02A |72.8w| | ||
+ | |12:02A |79.39w| | ||
+ | |**1:02p** - local solar noon |81.7w| | ||
+ | |2:02 |79.5w| | ||
+ | |3:02p |72.9w| | ||
+ | |4:02p |62.5w| | ||
+ | |5:02p |48.9w| | ||
+ | |6:02p |33.1w| | ||
+ | |7:02p |16.2w| | ||
+ | |8:02p |0w| | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
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+ | See the //not enough panel// section below. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== shade ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Shade will wreck solar harvest. | ||
==== Worrying ==== | ==== Worrying ==== | ||
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Don't get me started on people **flat-mounting poly/mono flex panels to the roof of their van**. | Don't get me started on people **flat-mounting poly/mono flex panels to the roof of their van**. | ||
+ | |||
+ | === mixing different panels === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mixing differently-rated panels will always be sub-optimal. | ||
=== Panel types and controllers === | === Panel types and controllers === | ||
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Understand that **efficiency is a relationship between rated output and physical panel size**: | Understand that **efficiency is a relationship between rated output and physical panel size**: | ||
This means **if you have limited space you will get more power out of of the same space using higher-efficiency panels**. | This means **if you have limited space you will get more power out of of the same space using higher-efficiency panels**. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Mismatched panels ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Mismatched panels (different voltage or current [[electrical: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * running // | ||
+ | * run different-spec panels on their own controller | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you are committed to running mismatched panels on the same controller see [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
==== Not enough panel ==== | ==== Not enough panel ==== | ||
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Let's address two issues: | Let's address two issues: | ||
- | Yes, there are situations where zero solar is part of a workable power plan but they are rare.(([[electrical: | + | Yes, there are [[electrical: |
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | For [[electrical: | ||
The majority of ' | The majority of ' | ||
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Buying "more panel than you need" usually costs extra money directly (panel cost * quantity) and indirectly (may need a bigger controller). | Buying "more panel than you need" usually costs extra money directly (panel cost * quantity) and indirectly (may need a bigger controller). | ||
+ | |||
+ | Having said all that, you can have too much panel((or string)) voltage for the controller' | ||
==== Relying on tilt ==== | ==== Relying on tilt ==== | ||
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* tilt advantage is reduced or nonexistent in poor weather conditions. | * tilt advantage is reduced or nonexistent in poor weather conditions. | ||
- | * tilt only makes a difference when the sun is relatively low in the sky (in winter, and/ | + | * tilt only makes a difference when the sun is relatively low in the sky (in winter, and/ |
* tilt advantage is greatest when the amount of power available is least, as at sundown | * tilt advantage is greatest when the amount of power available is least, as at sundown | ||
* if you feel bad, lazy, hungover or otherwise unwilling to get out and tilt your panels every time you will not meet your basic needs | * if you feel bad, lazy, hungover or otherwise unwilling to get out and tilt your panels every time you will not meet your basic needs | ||
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==== Failure to add alternator charging ==== | ==== Failure to add alternator charging ==== | ||
- | [[electrical: | + | [[electrical: |
- run more loads; and/or | - run more loads; and/or | ||
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Yes, you can have too much battery. | Yes, you can have too much battery. | ||
- | Most people use lead-chemistry batteries and carrying around unneeded lead is both heavy and expensive. | + | Most people use lead-chemistry batteries and carrying around unneeded lead is both heavy and expensive. |
Exotics like [[electrical: | Exotics like [[electrical: | ||
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* believing one can be 100% stealth and not be noticed; and | * believing one can be 100% stealth and not be noticed; and | ||
* believing the opposite, that one cannot tilt the balance in one's favor of not being kicked out of a spot | * believing the opposite, that one cannot tilt the balance in one's favor of not being kicked out of a spot | ||
+ | * staying in one spot for days/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
- | ---- | ||
===== Money ===== | ===== Money ===== | ||
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Here are [[communication: | Here are [[communication: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== buying random stuff ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | **OP:** {buys random gear without understanding needs, specs, how it works, or anything else really} | ||
+ | **OP:** why does my system not work? It'S jUnk!!!! | ||
+ | **Onlookers: | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
===== Advice ===== | ===== Advice ===== | ||
Good advice can save time, money, and heartbreak. But getting good advice is not simple or even natural. We have to slow down and force ourselves to think about the issues, our questions, the existing body of knowledge, the answers we receive. | Good advice can save time, money, and heartbreak. But getting good advice is not simple or even natural. We have to slow down and force ourselves to think about the issues, our questions, the existing body of knowledge, the answers we receive. | ||
The most important thing is no matter what advice you get or take, **it's your life and you have final responsibility for it**. Your decisions are your own. Make them wisely. | The most important thing is no matter what advice you get or take, **it's your life and you have final responsibility for it**. Your decisions are your own. Make them wisely. | ||
- | ===== Wanting easy answers ===== | + | ==== wanting personal attention from an internet-famous person |
- | Easy answers are rarely //correct// or //useful// answers. | + | No, Bob Wells and or Will Prowse will not answer your plea in person. |
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== wanting premium support ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | {note: | ||
+ | |||
+ | Renogy operates in the value end of the spectrum and must rely on (rather good) web and product manual documention for mass support. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Folks who want/need individual support might ultimately be happier paying 2x-3x for a higher-end product that has enough margin to provide individual support (Victron, Morningstar, | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Wanting easy answers ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Easy answers are rarely //correct// or //useful// answers. In real life "one weird trick!" | ||
Q. What is the best [fill in the blank? | Q. What is the best [fill in the blank? | ||
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* [[opinion: | * [[opinion: | ||
* when you hit a wall //then// ask for help. No one likes leeches, princesses, helpless snowflakes, or the lazy who expect others to do the work for them. | * when you hit a wall //then// ask for help. No one likes leeches, princesses, helpless snowflakes, or the lazy who expect others to do the work for them. | ||
- | * express your request as clearly and simply as possible | + | * express your request as clearly and simply as possible, including what you intend to accomplish |
- | * indicate what you do know, [[opinion: | + | * shouldn' |
- | * use human-readable style. | + | * indicate what you do know, [[opinion: |
- | * write a concise and specific title. | + | * write a concise and specific title. |
+ | * write the post in normal, human-readable style. | ||
+ | |||
> I am always surprised to see some people demanding the time of others and meeting a most obliging response. Both sides have in view the reason for which the time is asked and neither regards the time itself — as if nothing there is being asked for and nothing given. | > I am always surprised to see some people demanding the time of others and meeting a most obliging response. Both sides have in view the reason for which the time is asked and neither regards the time itself — as if nothing there is being asked for and nothing given. | ||
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* how does the responder react to other points of view? | * how does the responder react to other points of view? | ||
* is the responder a salescritter or consultant with a vested interest? | * is the responder a salescritter or consultant with a vested interest? | ||
+ | * does the responder spread [[https:// | ||
* is the responder willing to go for "the best!" with //your// money but not with their own? | * is the responder willing to go for "the best!" with //your// money but not with their own? | ||
* is the responder a partisan of some kind: anti-Renogy, | * is the responder a partisan of some kind: anti-Renogy, | ||
* is the responder an idiot, a druggie, a zero-experience dreamer, a poorly-informed blowhard, a black/white thinker? | * is the responder an idiot, a druggie, a zero-experience dreamer, a poorly-informed blowhard, a black/white thinker? | ||
* is the advice upvoted/ | * is the advice upvoted/ | ||
+ | * is the advice commented on favorably by onlookers whose opinion you value? | ||
* does the responder have experience and/or training in the area? | * does the responder have experience and/or training in the area? | ||
* does the responder expect you to believe him/her as gospel? | * does the responder expect you to believe him/her as gospel? |