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But to maintain a functional safe state, you do not need Internet access. If you need Internet access to maintain a functional safe state, then you are doing it

But to maintain a functional safe state, you do not need Internet access. If you need Internet access to maintain a functional safe state, then you are doing it wrong. There is also no reason at all to make availability depending on Internet access. Especially, when you are providing a solution that is intended for a self-contained, self-sufficient use case: "Make" power, store power, use power.

new299 9y ago
I'd totally agree under most circumstances. However, putting a large number, of potentially very dangerous Lithium Ion batteries in peoples home is a new and novel application with potentially fatal consequences. I guess the risk is that there's some unknown failure mode, such as after X hours of continuous discharge there's a higher possibility of thermal runaway etc. Being able to disable a unit, or deploy an updated firmware seems valuable in those situations. At least, this is how I imagine it would be sold to management and users.
- pdkl95 9y ago
  > the risk is that there's some unknown failure mode Estimating and mitigating those risks are part of the safety analysis that should be happening for every product before it's sold too the public. If there is still a legitimate concern about the possibility of future catastrophic failure, the product isn't ready to be sold. > possibility of thermal runaway etc It would be incredibly negligent If protection against thermal runaway[1] isn't already part of the design from the very beginning. > as after X hours If a completely novel problem happens is discovered, that's what recalls are for. > deploy an updated firmware The network is not reliable. Where did everyone get the idea that the internet is acceptable when safety must be guaranteed>? 0Everyone has experienced network outages. > seems valuable Video games demonstrate that the ability to fix problems after purchase causes laziness. "Search/test for problems before purchase becomes "that's a minor bug, fix it after-launch", and eventually "We don't fix bugs in old products". > sold to management I guarantee that the managers will be sold on the dream of monetizing everyone's "pattern of life" profit, which should be easy to infer from electricity usage rates.

new299 9y ago

I'd totally agree under most circumstances. However, putting a large number, of potentially very dangerous Lithium Ion batteries in peoples home is a new and novel application with potentially fatal consequences. I guess the risk is that there's some unknown failure mode, such as after X hours of continuous discharge there's a higher possibility of thermal runaway etc. Being able to disable a unit, or deploy an updated firmware seems valuable in those situations. At least, this is how I imagine it would be sold to management and users.

pdkl95 9y ago
> the risk is that there's some unknown failure mode Estimating and mitigating those risks are part of the safety analysis that should be happening for every product before it's sold too the public. If there is still a legitimate concern about the possibility of future catastrophic failure, the product isn't ready to be sold. > possibility of thermal runaway etc It would be incredibly negligent If protection against thermal runaway[1] isn't already part of the design from the very beginning. > as after X hours If a completely novel problem happens is discovered, that's what recalls are for. > deploy an updated firmware The network is not reliable. Where did everyone get the idea that the internet is acceptable when safety must be guaranteed>? 0Everyone has experienced network outages. > seems valuable Video games demonstrate that the ability to fix problems after purchase causes laziness. "Search/test for problems before purchase becomes "that's a minor bug, fix it after-launch", and eventually "We don't fix bugs in old products". > sold to management I guarantee that the managers will be sold on the dream of monetizing everyone's "pattern of life" profit, which should be easy to infer from electricity usage rates.