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opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes

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opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2025/06/21 16:49]
frater_secessus [mounting or deploying panels where they will be shaded] 		opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2025/08/19 22:30] (current)
frater_secessus
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 [[lifestyle:words_of_wisdom|Words of wisdom:]]  "We have a lot of people here who get all excited, move into a van, then quit after just a couple months. The fact that they get disillusioned means they were "illusioned" to begin with. So don't be "illusioned"."  -- lennyflank((https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/el567y/any_advice_for_someone_considering_van_life/fdgq087/)) [[lifestyle:words_of_wisdom|Words of wisdom:]]  "We have a lot of people here who get all excited, move into a van, then quit after just a couple months. The fact that they get disillusioned means they were "illusioned" to begin with. So don't be "illusioned"."  -- lennyflank((https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/el567y/any_advice_for_someone_considering_van_life/fdgq087/))
  
-Note:  this area is for //opinion//, not objective facts. I may be jaded, grouchy, or cuss a bit.  -- secessus+Note:  this area is for //opinion//, not objective facts. I may be jaded, grouchy, or cuss a bit. In normal interactions I strive to be objective and careful with advice but the gloves are off here. -- secessus
  
  
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-==== Thinking like an apartment-dweller ====+==== overcomplicating the power setup ====
  
 +Rube Goldberg has nothing on a subset of new vanfolk.  They dream up weird setups with multiple banks, sometimes of different chemistries.  Strange wiring setups that require frequent human intervention.
 +
 +The main reason for this is a lack of understanding about how the components actually work and what they can do.  This confusion turns into anxiety, which turns into "Ima throw a credit card around and see if that calms my nerves."    The proliferation of //power stations// has made this worse since they often have limitations that really can require esoteric hoop-jumping.
 +
 +The best way to calm those nerves (and get a system that works for minimal effort and cost) is:
 +
 +  - figure out [[electrical:12v:dailypowerrequirements|what you actually need, power-wise]]
 +  - figure out [[electrical:12v:power_mix|how you will recharge the bank]]  
 +  - learn what basic types of product[s] that will you meet those needs, preferably with no continued input from you
 +  - **read the specs and documentation** on the product[s]
 +  - //then// start looking for specific products and deals on those products
 +  - now you're finally ready to start buying stuff
 +
 +If you are a drama addict who needs chaos to function, here's how to make an expensive clusterfsck:
 +
 +  - [[opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes#buying_random_stuff|buy random shit]] because it's on sale, it looked kewl, because you lack self-control, or are in a drunken stupor
 +  - try to use it
 +  - find out it doesn't meet your needs because it wasn't designed to.  The specs and manuals spelled this out, but [insert beating of dead horse]
 +  - try to add on more parts and complication to see if it helps.  It doesn't, because you don't know what you're doing, how whole thing works,  or even trying to accomplish
 +  - rant online that the random products you bought are "shit", "utter trash", "garbage", etc because they work as designed, not as you wished/hoped.
 +
 +
 +
 +==== Thinking like an apartment-dweller ====
  
 **A van is not an apartment**, so stop thinking that way.  A productive approach is to **start from nothing** then decide what you need to make your vanlife workable. Prefer non-electric approaches to electric ones.  This goes hand-in-hand with the math below. **Wanting all the amenities you had in a house or apartment** will cause disappointment, great expense, or both.     **A van is not an apartment**, so stop thinking that way.  A productive approach is to **start from nothing** then decide what you need to make your vanlife workable. Prefer non-electric approaches to electric ones.  This goes hand-in-hand with the math below. **Wanting all the amenities you had in a house or apartment** will cause disappointment, great expense, or both.    
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   * "I don't use any of my appliances for long" (except "my small hot plate for about 2-3 hours")    * "I don't use any of my appliances for long" (except "my small hot plate for about 2-3 hours") 
   * "What are the **most basic features** that are required to travel/live in a van in the US? I'm thinking something like a bed, **an airfryer**, and some food/ gear storage."   * "What are the **most basic features** that are required to travel/live in a van in the US? I'm thinking something like a bed, **an airfryer**, and some food/ gear storage."
 +  * "we will have a fridge, diesel heater , lights, water pump, awning, and possibly some other little things..."  Later in the thread:  "we have... an AC unit... that... pulls 97A on regular and 52A... on eco mode"
  
 [[rv:build:cardboard|Living in a van mockup]], for example,  //forces// one to assess what one really needs. [[rv:build:cardboard|Living in a van mockup]], for example,  //forces// one to assess what one really needs.
opinion/frater_secessus/beginner_mistakes.1750524558.txt.gz · Last modified: 2025/06/21 16:49 by frater_secessus

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