Observation from the Frontier !

kfrancis · #1 03-02-2006, 03:23 PM

Greetings from the Frontier.

At the request of your distinguished moderator I have been asked to share my thoughts on the subject of the Environment and points of discussion within this forum from the perspective of the SW or what we like to call the Frontier.

As time allows, I will gladly offer up my two cents worth on these matters and hope you all find some merit in our observations.

First Observation from the Frontier:

Know where to ask the right question or at least close to the right question.

Now, being one who does not really understand all the bells and whistles of the renewable energy game but enjoys the concept and its advantages I looked for and found some folks who do. This was over 25 years ago and they still provide the answers to my engineers on the various projects we have undertaken.

So my first contribution to this forum and to your " Green Team " is my research source and good friends at Real Goods / GAIAM .

www.realgoods.com is where you want to check in with these leaders in the industry of Renewable Energy Technologies. Suggest you all pop in and visit the site.

Second Observation: If you can somehow get your hands on a copy of their "Solar Living Source Book - The Complete Guide to Renewable Energy Technologies & Sustainable Living " GET ONE !!! My copy is the Eleventh Edition, and there might be a newer one.

My edition is 590 pages of information, tech data and equipment that even the novice can understand and those in the know consider a BIBLE.

In closing, we are actively working on various projects and ideas here on the Frontier that might be of interest to this forum and will, as I mentioned earlier as time allows, drop in and offer our thoughts and updates.

kFrancisco de Cabral

Mirador · #2 03-02-2006, 10:22 PM

KFrancis,

Now that you mention solar power, I remember many years ago, I accompanied a representative group of provincial community organizations, including FUNDASUR, and the former Ordenador de Lomé, (now Environment Minister), Dr. Maximiliano Puig, for the inauguration of a solar powered acueduct in a community by the name of Charco Prieto - Leonardo. A commitee of local campesino was formed to look after and maintain the installation. Since you are in the area (Paraiso), you must be familiar with this solar powered acueduct. What have been the problems associated with it?, after about 8 years operation?...

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kfrancis · #3 03-03-2006, 06:43 AM

Have no recent first hand knowledge of current status but am headed in that direction today. Will put out an inquiry and will schedule a visit to the site in the near future. About the time you mention I was in the US recovering from a propane explosion I was in and was not in country at the time. Will be back to you on this one Mirador.

Spend a lot of time in Paraiso and the beautiful river valley behind which runs 27km from the ocean back into the moutains toward Polo. The Paraiso area is well named and folks miss alot when they just zip on by on their way to Perdernales. But that is one of the secrets of the Larimar Coast and we like it the way it is.

However, this is the Environment Forum, and I was asked to share our thoughts from this neck of the woods, even the secrets.

So, if any of you folks want a good 4 x 4 day trip to see things you might not see elsewhere on this beautiful island go from Paraiso to Polo back to Enriquillo through the mountains. And believe it or not, going the other way is a whole different experience in sight and splendor. The old woodsman's adage of " always look behind you when traveling in the woods for the trail back is always different " applys here, BIG TIME. Enriquillo to Polo to Paraiso is also a great trip also.

kFrancisco de Cabral

windeguy · #4 03-03-2006, 07:21 PM

Anybody know of anyone that recycles lead acid batteries on the Sosua area?

I just had to replace mine after only a few years of very hard use.

By the way, the Real Goods website does has some very good information on equipment, batteries etc. Since I moved here, I had wondered how long to expect my batteries to last. Three to five years is the norm for the deep cycle, lead-acid, golf cart type batteries most of us can purchase locally and use. I used my now replaced set of batteries to the point of being deeply discharged too often and that will kill them much faster. I am not sure if EDTA will help my new batteries with that kind of hard use, although I think EDTA helped my old set last longer by about 6 months.

I am not sure if I will ever make a move to solar power, although I like the concept of using less grid power and renewable cleaner power aspects.. The initial costs are quite high for me to justify.

kfrancis · #5 03-03-2006, 08:31 PM

Can not help you on the battery recycling ?? for the North coast, we are over the mountains in the SW.

But am interested in how you are charging up your inverter / battery system at this time ? Land line on the grid ??

Reason for asking is to bring forth a basic alternative energy problem faced by most of us here in the RD. Not only do we not get power at all times when we do get it, it is not all there.

Everyone, even those not using inverters and batteries in their systems, should do a voltage check of the voltage actually coming into your homes. The typical voltage will be somewhere between 95 - 100v, the more rural the area maybe 90 - 95v. This can wear out your everyday applainces quite easily. Wonder why that stero system locked up one day ??

This was the case when we installed a 3.5 inverter with an 8 battery pack in the house in Cabral. Right after installation I was finding that I was not getting a good deep charge and not quite making it from one power outage to the next. Ran the voltage test. Not enough ummmp in the lines to really charge the batteries back up.

Solution can be the same for both those on alternative power systems or those just wanting 110v to run 110v appliances.

What we did was get a $11,000RD voltage reduction transformer for the 220v water pump line to feed 110-15v into the inverter's battery charger and problem was solved. Charging time was reduced and strain on the battery system also. I can now tell when the inverter kicks in because my desk lamp brightens up. Battery system is putting out more voltage than the land lines.

An Observation.

kFrancisco de Cabral

windeguy · #6 03-04-2006, 09:31 AM

You are correct on the voltage problem issues. We charge off the power lines and the charger part of the inverter/charger is much less efficient as the line voltage drops. Did have to replace my stereos output transistors once, but i cannot honestly say if it wasn't running from the inverter at the time of the problem. No other problems with other appliances in a couple of years of use.

I have called Edenada on the low voltage. They came took a look and did nothing. Par for that course.

Regarding the tranformer: Does your system also have a voltage regulation system consisting of same type of electronics to keep the voltage at 110V after converting from 220V?

Mirador · #7 03-04-2006, 09:48 AM

Many years ago I bought something called in the market 'Aumentador de Voltage' (Voltage booster) which increased my home voltage back to normal. The problem started when Felucho Jimenez (now Tourism Minister) moved into the community, by buying a large rural property next to the river, where he installed his own personnal zoo and weekend retreat. He also installed his own personal electrical line from the highway, including transformers. The result was that the voltage in all the neighboring homes dropped to around 80v. CDE did not want to fix the problem, and Felucho was not willing to share his line with the neighbors...

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