Update on the latest Power Cuts

Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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The power cuts here on the North Coast have been getting worse every day. In our area of Sosua yesterday they lasted 9 hours. I am told that they are shutting down the generator in Puerto Plata for 3 WEEKS on a daily basis for necessary maintenance, hence our lengthy power cuts. 3 weeks Dominican time?? YUK. I preserve my inverter, finished my washing when the power came back on late last night, but thank goodness for my brilliant 8 red trace batteries, they maintain everything we need even my sons PS3 and that takes a LOT of power. One tip from a great electrician microwaves consume a lot, so stick to cooking by gas, keep a spare bottle of gas, two if possible and buy extra distilled water for your batteries, some are already running short of bottles.
 

Ladybird

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Dec 15, 2003
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Too late to edit, but microwaves do not operate well on the square wave system, so they dont work well with inverters. When the electrician explained this to us he did a test to show us. Also PS3 consumes electricity even when it is switched off, it is better to disconnect from the socket. I believe the same applies to computers and other games consoles, perhaps someone could confirm this.
 
S

sokitoumi

Guest
apparently computers dont actually use much electricity...but fridges,freezers and the television use a lot

anyone else having telephone and codetel internet problems in Sos?a
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
de nada...Google is a good friend of mine :D and has many other possible options on the same subject
Thanks apostorpheman, I'll use that scheduleto convince my family about using electrical appliances.
It should prove interesting.

Texas Bill
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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what is PS3?

the only things connected to our inversor are lights, computer, laptop and fridge/freezer (i get very sick eating the food that has not been refrigerated properly). we have two additional outlets that only work when there is electricity and they support the washing machine and variety of appliances. our electrician has explained that neither microwave/grill/iron/mixer can be used with inversor.

we are in POP and the power has been horrible. luckily we are both at work all day so we do not care much...
 

Reidy620

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Mar 30, 2008
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The power cuts here on the North Coast have been getting worse every day. In our area of Sosua yesterday they lasted 9 hours. I am told that they are shutting down the generator in Puerto Plata for 3 WEEKS on a daily basis for necessary maintenance, hence our lengthy power cuts. 3 weeks Dominican time?? YUK. I preserve my inverter, finished my washing when the power came back on late last night, but thank goodness for my brilliant 8 red trace batteries, they maintain everything we need even my sons PS3 and that takes a LOT of power. One tip from a great electrician microwaves consume a lot, so stick to cooking by gas, keep a spare bottle of gas, two if possible and buy extra distilled water for your batteries, some are already running short of bottles.

You don't have to buy distilled water, all it is in "de-ionised water". Bring a pan of water to the boil, let it cool and then put it in a bottle and you have your very own distilled water!!

Works for me.

Reidy
 
A

apostropheman

Guest
Excuse me Reidy620 but that is not accurate.:pirate:
You don't have to buy distilled water, all it is in "de-ionised water". Bring a pan of water to the boil, let it cool and then put it in a bottle and you have your very own distilled water!!

Works for me.

Reidy
From Purified water - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Distillation

Distilled water has virtually all of its impurities removed through distillation. Distillation involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean container, leaving nearly all of the solid contaminants behind. Distillation produces very pure water but also leaves behind a leftover white or yellowish mineral scale on the distillation apparatus, which requires that the apparatus be frequently cleaned.
For many applications, cheaper alternatives such as deionized water are used in place of distilled water.

[edit] Deionization

Deionized water which is also known as demineralized water (DI water or de-ionized water; also spelled deionised water, see spelling differences) is water that has had its mineral ions removed, such as cations from sodium, calcium, iron, copper and anions such as chloride and bromide. Deionization is a physical process which uses specially-manufactured ion exchange resins which bind to and filter out the mineral salts from water. Because the majority of water impurities are dissolved salts, deionization produces a high purity water that is generally similar to distilled water, and this process is quick and without scale buildup. However, deionization does not significantly remove uncharged organic molecules, viruses or bacteria, except by incidental trapping in the resin. Specially made strong base anion resins can remove Gram-negative bacteria. Deionization can be done continuously and inexpensively using electrodeionization.
It should be noted that deionization does not remove the hydroxide or hydronium ions from water; as water self-ionizes to equilibrium, this would lead to the removal of the water itself."

It calls for distilled water for a reason and just using boiled water is not at all the same thing and in time will cause major issues with your batteries.

Please view this thread
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/34436-edta-inverter-batteries.html
for more details.
 
Last edited:

peep2

Bronze
Oct 24, 2004
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My dad used to use the condensate dripping from the air conditioner for topping off his car batteries.
 

Texas Bill

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Feb 11, 2003
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My dad used to use the condensate dripping from the air conditioner for topping off his car batteries.

That doesn't equate to "distilled" or "pure" water either, because the condensate absorbs some of the metal's molecules from the condenser vanes upon contact.
Just buy "distilled" water and forget all the hassle. It'll be cheaper and better for the batteries in the long run.
A simple solution for a simple problem.

Texas Bill
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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absolutely right like Bill said.
destilled water is anyways nothing expensive, if one spot runs out of it buy it at the next, every gas station, every car wahs, most fereterias sell that stuff. it is in the country as usual as rice &chicken.
all the other mentioned stuff works for a short while, too, and is causing irreparabel damage to your converter batteries.
if somebody doesn't wanna spend some pesos on the destilled water, use the ordinary tap water even without boiling or such, it will be fine for a short while.
same for your car batteries.
happy sunday
Mike
 

Texas Bill

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One can easily BUILD THEIR OWN DISTILLERY by going to the nearest Pharmacuetical Supply House and buying a LAGRE Glass Beaker witrh a Rubber stopper that has a hole in the top. Place a 45 degree glass tube in to the hole and attach that via a rubber connector to a glass coil leading down into another beaker. Surround the coil with an ice-pack to act as a condenser and VIOLA you have DISTILLED WATER coming out the other end after you apply heat the the first beaker to boil the water.
I learned THAT in high school Physics class over 65 years ago.
Just takes a little common sense and ingenuity.
Try thinking about what you can do instead of complaining about every little inconvenience you run into and you'll be a lot better off.
Just don't RUIN YOUR BATTERIES because you don't THINK!!

Texas Bill
 

Caz

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May 15, 2004
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Haha Texas Bill! Since when did common sense become an issue here?
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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woooaaahahaha,
yes Bill,
even your 65 years ago classes are just a 'yesterdays'(30+years ago) for myself,,
they told the same stuff.
the point of all on the topic:
spend 15-30 pesos for a bottle of 'real' water,
that mkes your batteries happy,
during the outage your wifey stay's happy 'cause of still running novelas on the TV,
so life is just perfect.
and don't tell me guys that somebody with brain uses 'bateries' for just in case and does not have 1-2 bottles of the golden water as the "spare part" at home.
it costs less than half bottle of beer you drink at the colmado every day, and it lasts loooong.
there's no shortage of destilled water on the island.
happy sunday eve
Mike
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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If it works for Reidy620, then Reidy should do it. There is no better teacher than experience ;). The rest of us, meanwhile, will buy distilled water. Remember we all operate on different levels of reality.................and on different levels of knowledge about what's in the water here. :cheeky: