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Show HN: My product idea on Quirky

5 points by marcomassaro 15y ago

HN I had an idea for a power saving product so I decided to use Quirky to see it out as I don't have the funds, experience etc in creating a product. I think this is a good idea that would definitely save people money in the long run. Excited to see what some of you think of the idea, and I will also report on my experiences using Quirky for anyone else with an idea.

marcomassaro 15y ago
Clickable: http://www.quirky.com/ideations/144470 http://www.quirky.com/ideations/144470
glimcat 15y ago
I've explored this idea before. There are a few problems, although not necessarily fatal ones. Major categories are engineering and sales. Engineering, you have to build the thing. The best solution I found was bistable mechanical relays. A solid-state approach will have limited current handling and a lot of waste heat, while a monostable relay will consume power continuously in one state. The catch is that the fabrication cost is nontrivial. You'll also want some various things like current meters and a programmable controller. You also need to pay close attention to usability and ensuring that it behaves intuitively. Safety needs to be adequately addressed, probably including certifications despite the significant time and cost. The key sales obstacle is that the end result is going to be expensive compared to a passive power strip. You'll want to constrain the fabrication cost as much as possible while still affording the most important features. It may be worthwhile to go with basic and premium versions, although this significantly increases your development, certification, and production costs. I haven't had the time or capital to do this, but I'd be glad to see you pull it off. I was thinking about it in the first place as a practical way to reduce my electric bill.
- marcomassaro 15y ago
  Thanks for your input. You state some very valid points, which led me to basically posting the idea on Quirky. I don't have the money and background experience to go from idea to concept (and time). If the idea peaks the interest of others on Quirky it has a chance of becoming a product in which Quirkly will build and sell.
hansy 15y ago
What about the fact that in order to turn on a device, say a toaster, there needs to be some minimal current flowing to relay the "on" signal to the rest of the machinery?

5 points by marcomassaro 15y ago

marcomassaro 15y ago

Clickable: http://www.quirky.com/ideations/144470 http://www.quirky.com/ideations/144470

glimcat 15y ago

I've explored this idea before. There are a few problems, although not necessarily fatal ones. Major categories are engineering and sales. Engineering, you have to build the thing. The best solution I found was bistable mechanical relays. A solid-state approach will have limited current handling and a lot of waste heat, while a monostable relay will consume power continuously in one state. The catch is that the fabrication cost is nontrivial. You'll also want some various things like current meters and a programmable controller. You also need to pay close attention to usability and ensuring that it behaves intuitively. Safety needs to be adequately addressed, probably including certifications despite the significant time and cost. The key sales obstacle is that the end result is going to be expensive compared to a passive power strip. You'll want to constrain the fabrication cost as much as possible while still affording the most important features. It may be worthwhile to go with basic and premium versions, although this significantly increases your development, certification, and production costs. I haven't had the time or capital to do this, but I'd be glad to see you pull it off. I was thinking about it in the first place as a practical way to reduce my electric bill.

marcomassaro 15y ago
Thanks for your input. You state some very valid points, which led me to basically posting the idea on Quirky. I don't have the money and background experience to go from idea to concept (and time). If the idea peaks the interest of others on Quirky it has a chance of becoming a product in which Quirkly will build and sell.

hansy 15y ago

What about the fact that in order to turn on a device, say a toaster, there needs to be some minimal current flowing to relay the "on" signal to the rest of the machinery?