More than once I have explained something to my wife and after patiently staring at me blankly she replied “OK now explain it like I’m not a robot.” In the self reliance community we get so dang focused on efficiency and streamlined design that it hides the obvious from anyone else who comes after us. Sure, it’s Spock Awesome. But there is only one Spock and he ain’t here when it is all going pear shaped.
I remember buying literally a 7 lb. book on human factors data in 2001. If you were going to build a machine that required a Japanese woman to close a steam valve positioned below her waist, it told you how big the lever or knob should be.
The book started with a question: Which is a better sign? “High Voltage Inside” or “Lethal Voltage Inside”? Engineers typically choose the first phrase while people who want to go home to dinner with their families choose the second one. Its the difference between data (high, according to someone) and information (lethality, according to history).
Examples
We had this short guy at a local bi-weekly community preparedness meeting tell a crowd of 100 non-technical people they should tune in the following night at 146.420MHz on their shortwave at 7:00 PM. I thought “Dude, nobody even knows what a MHz is much less what 146.420 of them are.”
FailKhan was pretty screwed up but could still arm the Genesis Device with one hand.
Win
I visited Remotec in Tennessee and was surprised to learn their police robots used a (seemingly stupid) 12V car battery. Same for their operator unit (the thing used to pilot the robot) and that was bolted to a hand truck! I thought “Wow, this is so 1970s laaame!” so I asked around. “What do we have 15 of during a law enforcement event without a known time barrier? Car batteries. And the cars to charge them.” So instant and plentiful replacement power to keep the mission alive.
Win
Conclusion
My friend recently asked which was better, a 12V or 24V solar system? I told him 12V since it offered him the most opportunity to succeed for his family if/when things go awry considering interoperability of gear. He could take his kit around and use it with others.
I think it is fine if you want to get all fancy with 48V inverters to squeak out that last 5% of efficiency on your home rig with optimally pointed solar arrays and 8ga wire. But did you account for having to go mobile? And what if you took a .308 to the face, can your wife/husband still un-Spock your power rig?
Consider your audience. Please.