Solar Power

Taylor

Buy the ticket, take the ride
Jan 28, 2005
362
73
28
I am just in the final stages of finishing my house.

It's going to cost me $9K US to get the power to my house, plus the inverter etc so it's close to $15K for street power.

I've built the house with energy savings in mind, put as much of my appliances on gas as possible, put in high roofs and chimneys so that I don't need A/C, glass bricks so I don't need lights on during the day etc.

I got a quotation from protek for $25K that would come close to covering the bulk of my power need. However, in the past couple days, I can't seem to get in touch with them.

Is there anyone else in the Sosua area selling solar power?
 

The Virginian

Bronze
Mar 16, 2007
929
8
18

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
Regrettably their homepage is presently 'under maintenance' & can not be viewed.

I can not advise on SOLAR power contacts because I have never been down that riute but if the OP (or anyone else) wants facts & figures as to how my Solar Water Heating system has performed over the last 11 months, please feel free to contact me. The average monthly electricity bill last year was RD $7,200 - so far this year it is :bunny::bunny::bunny:RD $3,700. :bunny::bunny::bunny: ~ Grahame
 

Taylor

Buy the ticket, take the ride
Jan 28, 2005
362
73
28
power

Still no answer at protek. The cell number does not work either.

Has anyone used EZ power? Does anyone have their contact info? I've done a websearch and can't seem to find them
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Why didn't you take it just a tad further and placed led lighting all around the house, along some solar panels on the entire exposed roof. Then you could also do what I did for my Finca, I designed and built my own 12v refrigerator using aluminum and very thick insulation to the max.
Also you could build a holding tank on your back yard to re-route your hand sink and tub/shower water to reclaim it to use for toilet and lawn watering? Before some of you start to post here about the gray water being foul to use on a toilet:
There's a very unique combination of enzymes that will grow when added to that tank and continue to thrive as long as new soiled water makes it into the system within certain amounts of time.

The water can be stage clean by a common stone (easy to maintain) filter that would be placed along the line that will run from the tank to the exclusive john's line. Also it would require a low pressure sump pump to get the water running back into the house. Mind you the john should be separated from the bidet all times to avoid contamination when using the back up of actual street water services in the case of a malfunction or low water on the reclaimed water tank.

The adding of a foyer to avoid drafts when using the AC is a must and also a mudroom for the back door as well.

You can purchase a new polycarbonate or glass panel that is treated with a photochromic or photoelectrochromic agent to block even better the hot summer Sun rays and therefore keep the AC compressor from much work to extract the extra heat from it. The panels are easy to cut to size and can be applied to the windows like a facing on the inside. They last for decades!
And you can even choose colors (photochromics), just like spectacles!

Gas stoves are mostly inefficient by design; they try to have you cook the egg in less time using higher BTU consumption instead of the other energy saving way to do it.

Microwaves fall into the same category of horrendous energy wasters.
Microwaves shouldn't be part of any kitchen or cook book for that matter...

Keep in mind that when you buy a non-self cleaning range, you could be just as well removing the hose and opening the gas valve on your tank for no other reason than to see your money disappear into thin air... Self-cleaning ranges are better insulated and therefore waste less energy via heat loss.

And for crying out loud! Who's the last person on Earth that still drinks the water from that inane idiotic door server??? The water tastes always like anything but fresh water! Due mostly to the fact that no matter what stupid top of the line filter they use on the line, the germs and bacteria L-I-V-E on the spouts and tubing due to the optimal temperature they preserve for as long as the box is running... The germs are mostly aspirated every time you finish depressing the spout! It's called the vacuum effect on tubes and non-vented piping...

They'll tell you that the tubes are made with anti-microbial materials, but! They never tell you that slime (which is NOT bacteria related all the time) builds up on the tubing overtime and creates a bed for your nice fellows to thrive on... When was the last time you replaced the inner water tubing of your convenient door dispenser????

I went far on this...
 

Frog17112

New member
Nov 20, 2007
118
0
0
Regrettably their homepage is presently 'under maintenance' & can not be viewed.

I can not advise on SOLAR power contacts because I have never been down that riute but if the OP (or anyone else) wants facts & figures as to how my Solar Water Heating system has performed over the last 11 months, please feel free to contact me. The average monthly electricity bill last year was RD $7,200 - so far this year it is :bunny::bunny::bunny:RD $3,700. :bunny::bunny::bunny: ~ Grahame

Can you feed excess daytime power back into the power grid for credit?
 

elkangorito

New member
Sep 24, 2007
40
0
0
My comments in blue.

Why didn't you take it just a tad further and placed led lighting all around the house, along some solar panels on the entire exposed roof. Then you could also do what I did for my Finca, I designed and built my own 12v refrigerator using aluminum and very thick insulation to the max.
Also you could build a holding tank on your back yard to re-route your hand sink and tub/shower water to reclaim it to use for toilet and lawn watering? Before some of you start to post here about the gray water being foul to use on a toilet:
There's a very unique combination of enzymes that will grow when added to that tank and continue to thrive as long as new soiled water makes it into the system within certain amounts of time.

The water can be stage clean by a common stone (easy to maintain) filter that would be placed along the line that will run from the tank to the exclusive john's line. Also it would require a low pressure sump pump to get the water running back into the house. Mind you the john should be separated from the bidet all times to avoid contamination when using the back up of actual street water services in the case of a malfunction or low water on the reclaimed water tank.

You almost sound like an Australian...someone who is really concerned about water usage & rightly so. Although, there is a very simple & effective way to treat ALL of your waste water...with an aerobic/anaerobic waste water treatment system. I used to build these things back in the 80's. Very simple, very effective & saves money.


The adding of a foyer to avoid drafts when using the AC is a must and also a mudroom for the back door as well.

You can purchase a new polycarbonate or glass panel that is treated with a photochromic or photoelectrochromic agent to block even better the hot summer Sun rays and therefore keep the AC compressor from much work to extract the extra heat from it. The panels are easy to cut to size and can be applied to the windows like a facing on the inside. They last for decades!
And you can even choose colors (photochromics), just like spectacles!

What is the cost of this glass?

Gas stoves are mostly inefficient by design; they try to have you cook the egg in less time using higher BTU consumption instead of the other energy saving way to do it.

Microwaves fall into the same category of horrendous energy wasters.
Microwaves shouldn't be part of any kitchen or cook book for that matter...

So, what is more efficient than gas or microwave? Surely you are not suggesting the old resistive hotplates? With a 1200 Watt input power, a microwave can boil 250ml of water in less than a minute. Using a 1200 Watt electric jug, I doubt if you could do the same in less time.

Keep in mind that when you buy a non-self cleaning range, you could be just as well removing the hose and opening the gas valve on your tank for no other reason than to see your money disappear into thin air... Self-cleaning ranges are better insulated and therefore waste less energy via heat loss.

And for crying out loud! Who's the last person on Earth that still drinks the water from that inane idiotic door server??? The water tastes always like anything but fresh water! Due mostly to the fact that no matter what stupid top of the line filter they use on the line, the germs and bacteria L-I-V-E on the spouts and tubing due to the optimal temperature they preserve for as long as the box is running... The germs are mostly aspirated every time you finish depressing the spout! It's called the vacuum effect on tubes and non-vented piping...

What's a "door server"? Anyway, a few extra doses of bacteria will help to strengthen the immune system.

They'll tell you that the tubes are made with anti-microbial materials, but! They never tell you that slime (which is NOT bacteria related all the time) builds up on the tubing overtime and creates a bed for your nice fellows to thrive on... When was the last time you replaced the inner water tubing of your convenient door dispenser????

I went far on this...
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
Can you feed excess daytime power back into the power grid for credit?
I am sure that with a FULL solar panel system to provide electrical power that you CAN feed excess power back into the grid for 'credit'. Don't know if I would TRUST the credits of such a system here in the DR but .........

The system I have had installed is just a basic Water Heating system with a 90 gallon tank served by two panels - these HEAT the water via tubes within the panels & the HEATED water is stored in the 90 gallon tank! This system does NOT produce any electrical power for charging my inverter (regrettably!!).

I make my savings on the monthly electricity bill because NOW I never use the emmertion heater to heat my water & as such, keep the monthly consumption to under 700 KwH & as such am charged at the lower rates of useage. If I go above 700 KwH per month, my WHOLE consumption is charged at RD $11 plus per KwH which in turn doubles my bill!!

I am sure for someone of more youthful years (under 50) a full Solar panel ELECTRICITY PRODUCING system would be financially viable - for me at age 63, it would not as my outlay (with resultant loss of interest earned here) would not be recuperated within 15 (hopefully 20) years. ~ Grahame.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
My comments in blue.

Induction cookers are far more efficient than any gas, electric coils, radiant and any other existent machine out there nowadays. It has an efficiency rating well over 80% compared to 40 %( on best models) of gas and not to leave out the radiant and coil that fall flat just above 48 to 50sh%.
I have installed them on my home in Santiago and here in the States as well and can honestly say they are more than the touted 80% savings on most occasions that I use them.

About the polycarbonate photochromic panels or glass: I bought mines about a year ago from a Chinese on-line vendor on E-Bay. But I would recommend the Electrochromic way better; I did get mine by ordering them after I gave the shop specifications on them! You can gather more info on one manufacturer here: SAGE Electrochromics, Inc. - Products - FAQs
The cost varies accordingly to your size needs and specs.
I'm looking forward to purchase the chemicals and make them myself when time allows it.

The door server as I put it, is nothing else than the ice/water dispenser on most 2 doors refrigerators today.



I'm not that familiar with the aerobic/anaerobic system but will further investigate and read up on it!;)
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
I am sure that with a FULL solar panel system to provide electrical power that you CAN feed excess power back into the grid for 'credit'. Don't know if I would TRUST the credits of such a system here in the DR but .........

The system I have had installed is just a basic Water Heating system with a 90 gallon tank served by two panels - these HEAT the water via tubes within the panels & the HEATED water is stored in the 90 gallon tank! This system does NOT produce any electrical power for charging my inverter (regrettably!!).

I make my savings on the monthly electricity bill because NOW I never use the emmertion heater to heat my water & as such, keep the monthly consumption to under 700 KwH & as such am charged at the lower rates of useage. If I go above 700 KwH per month, my WHOLE consumption is charged at RD $11 plus per KwH which in turn doubles my bill!!

I am sure for someone of more youthful years (under 50) a full Solar panel ELECTRICITY PRODUCING system would be financially viable - for me at age 63, it would not as my outlay (with resultant loss of interest earned here) would not be recuperated within 15 (hopefully 20) years. ~ Grahame.

At the rate which utility bills blast into space in the DR, even 5 years will be enough to recap the initial investment old chap!:chinese:
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
I am sure that with a FULL solar panel system to provide electrical power that you CAN feed excess power back into the grid for 'credit'. Don't know if I would TRUST the credits of such a system here in the DR but .........

BushBaby, yes of course, it is possible. But I do not think that this capability exists in the DR technically as well as the credits, as you say. That will make us all power generators no? ;)
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
At the rate which utility bills blast into space in the DR, even 5 years will be enough to recap the initial investment old chap!:chinese:

My Dear Fellow .............. we are NOT talking 'utility bills' in general, we are talking ELECTRICITY bill in particular. You are welcome to check when the last increase in electricity prices were made to MY bill (remember I LIVE here & have the records to prove what I say rather than guessing from outside the country!). Do you suspect the last increase to have been 3 months ago? 6 months ago? Maybe it was a YEAR ago?? I DID my checking before I made the decision which way I wanted to go & I have NOT been proved wrong for the last 11 months. And this is when Oil Prices have gone through the roof!! At this rate of mnthly saving my capital outlay will have been returned within a 17 month period .... make that 19 for loss of interest I would have got on the capital sum used.

Now, if you want to talk Water charges (I think these remain 'fluid' :ermm:) or Natural Gas (which is has always been explosive :surprised), then you will need to open another thread 'Old Bean' as these are not relevent to this thread!

Maybe you are thinking of Camden Town :cheeky: ~ Grahame.
 

Frog17112

New member
Nov 20, 2007
118
0
0
BushBaby, yes of course, it is possible. But I do not think that this capability exists in the DR technically as well as the credits, as you say. That will make us all power generators no? ;)

There are places in the US where you can feed your excess solar power back into the power grid. I've been told some households have a net gain during the year. This arrangement can help offset the initial outlay of cash and could be worthwhile provided the DR allows you to feed back into the grid for credit. I'm thinking that's probably not available in the DR...yet.
 

BushBaby

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,829
329
0
79
www.casabush.org
BushBaby, yes of course, it is possible. But I do not think that this capability exists in the DR technically as well as the credits, as you say. That will make us all power generators no? ;)
When I was investigating the possibilities some 18 months ago (or was it 2 years?) I checked out the possibilty of wind power on top of my house Chris. Georgious (whom you may recall had spent a bit of time on this subject) advised me that the facility to hook back into EdeNorte WAS available at that time. My comments were based on what he said to me at the time but as my property was not really suitable for wind power (too many obstructions for a decent & constant flow of wind) I did not bother to investigate the facts with EdeNorte themselves.

I would be surprised if Georgious was giving me a load of HOT air though - he had nothing to gain because he told ME his wind system would not be suitable not efficient at my house. Someone might find it worthwhile checking further though if they are considering Solar Panel or wind generated power. ~ Grahame.
 

Bob K

Silver
Aug 16, 2004
2,520
121
63
Unfortunatly Michael of Protek listed below has left the country and is no longer in business. Peter has taken over and you can contact him at the HVB plaza.

Michael Abraham
Managing Director

ProTec
Proveedores T?cnicos de Cibao S.A.
HVB Plaza
Carretera Sos?a - Cabarete Km 3
Sos?a-Puerto Plata
Dominican Republic

Phone : (+1) 809 571 1400
Mobile: (+1) 829 889 4002
Fax : (+1) 809 571 2543
mail to: michael.abraham@protec-dominicana.com
Homepage: Sosua Solar Energy Protec PoolPumps WaterHeaters Inverters Solarpumps

There are lots of folks in you situation and hopefully it will be worked out with Peter.

Bob K
o