Brown out in Ajijic centro

There has been a power problem in and around the LCS since yesterday morning so be advised that the LCS and some of the other immediate businesses have no or limited power.

I thought LCS had solar power

I live nearby, so the person running the Art Camp contacted me a little before 9 a.m. and said they had no water or power. Our power was on, so we provided them with enough water for their projects in progress, but our power went out too, along with most of the neighborhood. (Just imagine having 110 kids on board at LCS with no flushing toilet for hours.  OY!)

About the LCS solar panels:  We have nine solar panels, but we still lose all power along with the rest of the neighborhood, so apparently we are dependent on electricity to make the solar system work.  Maybe someone on here can give some details on how this happens.

The solar panels that most people have feed back into the grid and garner credits which are applied towards your electrical usage. You still get your power from the CFE. The systems that have battery packs are self sufficient ( and expensive).

CanuckBob wrote:The solar panels that most people have feed back into the grid and garner credits which are applied towards your electrical usage. You still get your power from the CFE. The systems that have battery packs are self sufficient ( and expensive).

That makes sense. Yes, I've heard about that battery system. Still too expensive for my taste. Maybe lower in the future, just like the solar systems.

We have been clicking on and off all day.

Solar is a great option and inexpensive these days. Battery can be added later which is a great option.

It wouldn't be safe if the solar panels did not disconnect themselves from the AC grid. Normally the black box takes your DC from your panels and makes it AC. The box also has to output a sine wave AC waveform that matches the grids sine wave AC waveform. It would also stall the panels and black box as a home solar panel setup could not handle the local load alone during a power failure if you think about it. Batteries are still the most expensive part of a standalone power system. Grid tie has a short payoff time thus most of us have grid tie rather than the standalone capabilities of a battery based power system. It only takes money.

IMO for the number of power outages I have experienced in Ajijic centro (6 in the last 4 years) with the longest total outage lasting 8 hours I would get a generator before I invested in the cost and maintenance of the solar battery packs assuming your dependence on power is that necessary. At this point for me they have been a very minor inconvenience.

Yep CB you got the math/money right. The only thing I really need is something to keep the fridge cold. I have been looking at LP generators to run the fridge and keep up sat and TV. Have a 12V system now for lights and small AC loads but a generator is a tempting purchase to complete the system. With startup surge on a fridge (big side by side) how big a generator do you need?? 2000w or 3000w?? Sure would like a quiet Honda 2000 generator but not sure it could handle the surge. Anybody done this?

I would love an LP generator too for the fridge and pressure pump. Let me know what you find.

Zed, we did this on the coast. Best to disconnect everything for when the power comes back on then connect the important stuff one at a time to the heavy duty power bar attached to the heavy duty outdoor extension cord that went to the generator (a Honda i2000...that small I stands for invertor which means you can connect computer and electronics to it). The fridge was always first but it wasn't a big side by side just a 22 cubic foot two door with the freezer on top. I'll take a look for a website that gives the start up loads again. When the fridge had stabilized, we then plugged in the fans, then TV or computer....parked ourselves in front of a fan and waited for the sweat to dry. We endured many power failures during the hurricane season.
Here, I no longer worry about a power failure because I have a tinaco and the outdoor temperature is moderate. I can do without a lot of things but not having water will make me downright cranky.

http://www.costco.com.mx/view/p/generac_generador_portatil_de_17500w_531975

We had a huge windstorm oh five years ago or so and lost our electricity for three days so it can happen here Ferret. Luckily our neighbor on a different part of the grid threw a extension cable over the wall and we had fridge. I really like the Honda i2000 generator but have doubts about its startup surge capability. Anybody have one that we could try?? For the folks who don't know it is uber quiet which is so so nice for a generator.

Canmex 87 wrote:
http://www.costco.com.mx/view/p/generac_generador_portatil_de_17500w_531975

Generac while a great value are noisy and thats not acceptable for me also who need 17500w unless you want to run AirCon? Big it is!

http://www.generatorgrader.com/what-size-portable-generator-do-i-need/

I wouldn't call the Honda i2000 uber quiet but it is much quieter than most generators.
If I was in the market, I'd buy the Honda i3000. I don't even know if they sell them here now...in 2005 the largest available here was the Honda i1000. But the really cool thing about the Honda's is that you can hook more than one together for more power options.
I have my idiot phone, I have a tinaco and I'll eat all the ice cream in the freezer. I'd call that the perfect disaster plan.

Solar panels have a very short payback period in our case. The previous owners paid $200+ a month for electricity and with solar ours is a fraction of that... We have a pool which is the kilowatt eater...

Looks like 800/1200watts for run/surge for fridge so i would think the 2000I would work. I thought only the 2000I could hook two up to combine power. Had a small 1000I Yamaha model. Sweet little generator but too small so I sold it. Gotta find a 2000I and try it out.

Z

I ordered my photo-voltaic power system in 2007 and it was hooked up in running when I moved into my the new home in March 2008. In those days there were more and longer power outages so I put in a battery backup system for one of my phases that connected to emergency lighting throughout the house, the fridge the TV and my computer.

I love having this guarantee of no major power outages, but if I were installing a new system today I think I would have installed a more economical alternative, perhaps a natural gas backup power generator. Because the outages are much more infrequent and shorter lasting than 10 years ago

Of course with the USD and even CDN trading at record highs against the peso the payback is much longer given that the quote I received for a system was in USD. I was quoted $7000 USD for a system that would consistently produce enough Kwh's to keep me below the DAC. My current bills average $3500 pesos every two months ($189 USD) or about $95 USD per month. At that it would take almost 7 years for payback given I would still he paying a nominal fee each month.

You're young Bob. It would be worth it.
Did you take into consideration that the CFE rates are also going to go up every year?
And, if it makes you feel any better...on the coast, our summer bills were between 15,000 pesos and 17,000 pesos every two months. Ouch...pressure system, submersible pump, pool pump and air conditioning (zoned to only be on in the room you were occupying) from the end of May to the end of October.
My current bill is 450 pesos every two months and the biggest sucker of electricity is the fridge which will consume about 475 KWH every year (tested with a meter over two days on the hottest days of the year). I'm going to try levelling it and see if it makes a difference to how hard the motor has to work and I still need to get it pulled out so I can clean the grills too. Vamos a ver.

Jaja......I'm not worried about living that long (although one never knows) however I'm not certain I won't want to move to another place within 7 years. The longest I have ever owned a house was 9 years and I already have 3 1/2 in this house......

But Bob think what solar will add to the value or salability of your house. Little or no electric bills for the prospective buyer.

SunFan

CanuckBob wrote:Jaja......I'm not worried about living that long (although one never knows) however I'm not certain I won't want to move to another place within 7 years. The longest I have ever owned a house was 9 years and I already have 3 1/2 in this house......

Where would you go?

I don't know if solar actually adds value or not. I'm thinking probably not. It wasn't on my list of requirement's when we bought and not on the list of anyone I know. I think it is a "nice to have item" but not something you could charge more for at resale time.

I agree with Bob. And when I put my system in, what I looked at was my return on investment time. And I'm doing very well.

When the power went off at about 5 PM today, here in upper Ajijic, what I liked best about my solar powered battery backup system is that the only reason I knew the power had gone out was because a short beep. And then from a phone call from my next door neighbor asking if my power had gone out at my house as well.