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--- opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2025/08/19 22:17]
frater_secessus [overcomplicating the power setup]
+++ opinion:frater_secessus:beginner_mistakes [2025/08/19 22:30] (current)
frater_secessus
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[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
@@ Line 143: / Line 143: @@
 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 require esoteric hoop-jumping.
+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:
@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
   - 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]
-  - //only then// start buying stuff
+  - //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.

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