Generators

To import or not.

mbain said:

I was if it would be easier and cheaper buy a generator in the D.R. for my free zone manufactering company or should i bring one in with the rest of my machinery.

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There's only one way to find out.
Decide on a model, price it here, price it there, find out what it would cost in transport and duty, then expect the unexpected, maybe a few bribes, then calculate which is the better deal.
You might also want to consider the service and repair aspects.
Do not buy a model that can't be serviced here.

I bought a generator in March and the dominican installers broke it within the first hour, it is 12k, auto trnasfer switch and supposed to be quiet. with installation it cost me 440,000pesos, nearly $10,000. I could have imported one from Miami for $4500, I am still without a generator 4 months later and I deeply deeply regret not letting an American supply it in the first place. I thin k you have your answer. Good Luck.

Ladybird said:

I bought a generator in March and the dominican installers broke it within the first hour, it is 12k, auto trnasfer switch and supposed to be quiet. with installation it cost me 440,000pesos, nearly $10,000. I could have imported one from Miami for $4500, I am still without a generator 4 months later and I deeply deeply regret not letting an American supply it in the first place. I thin k you have your answer. Good Luck.

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How could they break a generator? They are pretty robust machines. If they damaged some component, why not just get it repaired? Why let 440,000 pesos just sit there?

gringo in dr said:

How could they break a generator? They are pretty robust machines. If they damaged some component, why not just get it repaired? Why let 440,000 pesos just sit there?

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I think its probably about knowing how to get things done here. Everyone gets taken a couple of times when they first arrive. She probably bought a dud generator.

Even if she'd bought the generator from Miami, it would still be stuck in aduana.

After a year or so, you get the hang of it, and things start to go pretty smoothly.

Adrian

If you can import it duty free and hassle free under the free zone law, I would think chances are -- once you do your due diligence to -- that it would be better to bring it in.

Have bought a 40 K Kohler generator and 100 K Detroit Diesel in the past from Ferreteria Americana and Santo Domingo Motors, and have no complaints. Everything went smoothly.

There is lots of expertise here in power plants. You should also network in the free zone and find out who is serving the power plants in the park where you will be located. Repeatedly over the years (as is happening now), the DR is subject to intense power outages, so good service is an important consideration.

Speak to either "Coastal" or "Escott" who both post on this board.
They maybe able to help you, as they have recently imported a few generators, ranging from 40-100+ KW.

gringo in dr said:

How could they break a generator? They are pretty robust machines. If they damaged some component, why not just get it repaired? Why let 440,000 pesos just sit there?

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Gringo get this one, an EXPERT came to set up the generator, he broke the automatic transfer switch and I dont know what else, it started to leak oil and water when he tried to get it running, and guess what their excuse was. The translation from Japanese to Spanish was incorrect, can you imagine?? the EXPERT needing to read any instructions. I have been fighting ever since, Denyo said if they replaced the generator I would have to knock down the protective housing and rebuild after the new one arrived, and pay for the transportation for its return to S.D. and the new one to here from SD. They finally sent someone this morning and removed the cylinder head thats what it is on a car but similar if that makes sense. WHen it is replaced they will see to the transfer switch,, Christmas is close I might just be lucky. I found out months ago how things work here and how they dont.

adrianb said:

I think its probably about knowing how to get things done here. Everyone gets taken a couple of times when they first arrive. She probably bought a dud generator.

Even if she'd bought the generator from Miami, it would still be stuck in aduana.

After a year or so, you get the hang of it, and things start to go pretty smoothly.

Adrian

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Stop being such a smart backside, you couldnt have coped with a fraction of what Ive had to deal with the past 7 months, with the size of my property, look at what you HAVENT got in comparison.

I don't think he was trying to be a "smart backside". I thought it was quite a kindly remark. People DO get "taken", things DO get stuck in customs. Adrianb, the only thing I'd disagree with is your timing on how long it takes for things to go "smoothly". A very individual thing, that, but I'd put it nearer the 3 year mark. And sometimes you can be here 12 years & more & still have those sort of challenges.

Ladybird said:

Stop being such a smart backside, you couldnt have coped with a fraction of what Ive had to deal with the past 7 months, with the size of my property, look at what you HAVENT got in comparison.

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So is this a case of "mines bigger than yours"? hehe.. I'm surprised to hear that from a woman!

No, I don't have a big property, but I live rather well here, thank you very much.

I'd suggest you think *hard* about what I wrote. Because its true. Your problems here are beginner DR problems. We all had them at the start, while we were learning the ropes. The fact that you still think you had an expert install your generator demonstrates this point exactly.

Here's two additional pieces of advice which will save you a lot of money if you choose to follow them:

1. If you still need to make purchases for things with amounts of money you care about, assemble for yourself a mini "BOA" of people who have lived in the DR for 5 years or more. And make sure you talk with each of them before you do something. Like buying a US$10k generator. They would have recommended you to someone trustworthy and you would not have been ripped off.

2. Find a married woman with children between 30-50 years old to be your part time assistant. She *MUST* be at a high level in dominican society. Hire her part time (I pay mine RD$9k/month). Have her arrange all your things locally. She will have alll the connections to get things done quickly and easily. You will notice most of your problems vanish when you do this.

Adrian

Adrian, thank you for your advice, if I misunderstood your first reply please accept my apologies. I have learnt the hard way already, believe me, that generator taught me a lot and one or two other rip offs. I have already hired someone similar to what you suggest and I have found the problems have decreased dramatically and so have the prices. I do have some lovely friends that advise, but some of them have been here over 12 years and still encounter the same headaches. Its not just a question of learning. Things are not functional here as you well know. You can buy the same part for a car 4 times before you find one that works, (and that guy has been here many years), people here are not trained properly, so mistakes are made and workmanship lacking. I have lived in similar countries throughout the world but have never experienced anything like this. I agree with you about the EXPERT, I realised that the first day he was here and told him never to touch the generator again. Maybe this is why so many have turned grey here so quickly, myself excluded of course., again thanks. :glasses:

mbain said:

I was if it would be easier and cheaper buy a generator in the D.R. for my free zone manufactering company or should i bring one in with the rest of my machinery.

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Bring it. much cheaper out of miami.

I suggest a "Detroit Diesel"!!!!!

I have a 20 kilo "Planta" that is at least 20 years old.When I bought my house 7 years ago,I had the unit serviced.It looked like it had never seen a service call!The previous owner was a dominican,and to a dominican,"Maintenance" means "thinking" about getting it fixed "after" it has been broken for several years!He told me that he had "just" had it serviced.The airfilter was so old it was in shreads! Soooooooooooo,the diesel mechanic here where I work(About 8 150 to 250 K "plantas"!)had been trained by Santo Domingo Motors on my specific model,as well as the newer models!He did a through service call,as well as put a "switch" in my bathroom,where I can turn the planta "on",and "off" as needed.I didn't want an automatic transfer switch,as I use my inverter most of the time,and the planta for my 220 volt needs,and to charge the inverter when there is a long time with no street power!
Detroit Diesel is the best made,you won't go wrong,and you can get good maintenance!
Cris Colon

Unfortunately everyone is an expert here. You can have an electrician at your house and he will notice some plumbing that needs work. No problem he is a plumber too. Mechanic? Of course, he has been trained on the latest and most complex models. And of course he knows how to work on your new generator too.

I have only met one dominican, that stated he is only an a/c tech/electrician.

The best advice I can give anyone, is to ask your friends for references. Sometimes you will still get a bum deal because the dominican decides that even with the reference, he is going to screw you because you are a foreigner.

To Cris Colon, about the Detroit Diesel, the only one I have seen in person made enough noise to be heard one block away. And that is inside an enclosure. How is yours for noise?

A report from the Hovel

the HB Hovel just passed from the 19th Century of darkness and stink of kerosene lamps that had pervaded the place for the past few weeks (after my beloved Denyo 5.5 kva gasoline genset bit the dust ), and has entered the 20th century or maybe the 21st with a new Onan 20 KV diesel with an automatic transfer and all the goodies.

Of course we will have to give it maintenence, but it will be a pleasure to know that we can now plan on doing anything, and there will be light!!

TECNICARIBE were the final installers, and it is under guarantee . It will handle the 6 a/c units, as long as they are not ALL started up at the same time!!...plus the water heaters, TVs and sundries. Oh Happy Day...

HB

Congratulations!!!

As I write this, the mechanics and electricians are attempting to complete the installation of a new Mazda gas-oil engine to my 10KW plant; the 3-cylinder yanmar having burnt out the center bearing caused by a stopped up oil hole.
The lights just went out again!!!

better go before the battery runs down on my confuser.

Texas Bill