Life in the Tropics

[Ecoman1949]

My Dad, Mom and I all had Dodge Darts with slant six engines at the same time in the early '70s. None of us ever had the engine worked on. They ran until the bodies fell off (we were in upstate NY and salt was used on the roads).

I agree. This is the land of where everything breaks all the time. Part of the reason is the cheap Chinese imports, refurbished TVs sold as new, and other cunning tactics to get the most out of the consumer. But certainly the main reason is salt air and high humidity at warm to hot temperatures. The closer you are to the ocean, the worse it gets. Those three factors of salt, heat, and humidity all in one place are murder to metals and electronics. Here is music that came out when I owned my 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger with vinyl top (oh what a back seat it had.)

[video=youtube;FMvjfBdeiKw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMvjfBdeiKw[/video]

It really doesn't matter where you live in the DR. My friend in a Luperon has to deal with prematurely rusting appliances and other issues caused by constant high humidity and he is miles away from the coast. Mildew in closets, mildew on your clothes, army's of termites, centipedes on steroids, snakes, tarantulas, etc. are part of the tropical lifestyle. Tropical Paradise is really just an oxymoron.

Windy, I had a 1974 Dodger Charger R/T. Very nice back seat. Wink wink, nod nod! I still remember the Ramblers, the first to have fully reclining front buckets seats. Not sporty but much nicer for socializing. I envied my friends who had them.

 

[AlterEgo]

Is the north coast/Atlantic Ocean air saltier than the south coast/Caribbean Sea?  We don't have anything even close to what you're all describing.  Lucky maybe?  

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

In areas close to the coast or that receive a breeze predominantly from the direction of the ocean, salt can be a significant factor in rust formation and degradation to painted surfaces that are outside. A layer of salt accretion is much more likely on exterior surfaces. Inside the house it is usually just the high humidity and less than ideal air circulation that promotes rust, the setting like concrete of any powder product (such as spices) etc. I use a light coating of vegetable/olive oil on my carbon steel kitchen knives that don't see frequent use. For tools, BBQ's, machetes and other rust prone metals that do not come in contact with food I use CLP (gun owners will recognize this product). Hinges on interior of products such as doors, oven doors and other moving metal parts like locks and padlocks receive WD40 primarily because it is easy to apply in tight spaces. Exterior hinges get a smattering of silicone grease or Vaseline for places where the lubrication and protection needs to stay put.

For rubber gaskets, seals and hoses, 70%+ rubbing alcohol cleans and rejuvenates, then a thin layer of Vaseline keeps them supple (eg. fridge/freezer door gaskets). Rubbing alcohol is a good way to recondition rubber windshield wiper blades. Corrosion here like mold & mildew is an ongoing focus but usually ends up being more work than one can realistically keep up with forever. So you have to choose the most important items to receive the endless attention. The other things, just die a slow death and get replaced.

I have a couple of dust free clothes that I keep in their own ziplock bags. One with a misting of vegetable oil that I use to wipe down metal kitchen surfaces and one with a light penetrating oil for the other things that just need a thin coating of protection such as frequently used tools and metal trim.

I solved the spice and powder caking problem by using small food grade desiccant packs and for some items, oxygen removers in the larger stored packages, only transferring small amounts to the counter top spice jars. Bulk packs of these items are available on Amazon.

On my Moto, ATV and metal fasteners (that I may need to be able to unscrew someday) that frequently get soaked , I use vehicle undercoating in a spray can.

Yep, stuff rusts here.

 

[cobraboy]

When I lived in FLA, I was warned to stay away from the ocean... the screens filled with salt & needed frequent cleaning.

This fridge has been 'iffy' for a while..... the next will be a death rattle and I want to be ready.

Ohh LaLa.... just a normal Whirlpool... about $300 off.
Check fridge prices... what you're quoting is the local type Mabe or something....
nowhere near the name brand stuff....

I love buying appliances... wanted the inverter type but settled for this b/c of my size restraints....
poorly designed aperture for the fridge.... 70" tall and only 36" wide
bottom freezer a must.

The mudanza price includes the Aduana....
e.g. New fridges cost more to ship than old.... there's the tip off.
I like scratch'n dent specials but you can only buy them in person..
no mail order bride type sales.
The dents ship as used -- I've done it --- saves $100-200

We bought a barely used big stainless steel Kitchen Aid with French doors and bottom freezer, hooked up a task-specific pump for auto ice from a 5gal. water bottle.

At the same time, we attached a separate faucet on the sink so that the pump that fills the ice maker also delivers bottled water at the sink, a fantastic convenience.

We bought the fridge from a guy who's been buying, repairing and selling major appliances in Ft. Lauderdale for 30 years, then ships some them to Puerto Plata in a container along with any other items a person wants, like a barrel of stuff mudanza-like. He has a shop in POP with numerous appliances stocked at all times.

I think we're about to do a whole house regulator because the problems with the 'fridge are caused by---surprise---inconsistent voltage.

On another note, regarding better water into the house, a few weeks ago we added a $7 1 micron diesel fuel filter on the water coming into the cistern, and the difference in water quality in the house is incredible! I just hung the 7" x 32" bag from the inlet valve, allowing the bag to dangle into the water in the cistern. A simple, elegant solution for an ongoing problem. The bag does need cleaning every two weeks or so, a task that is easy but wet...and worth it.

At the same time I bought a basic chlorine floater, put in 1 puck of chlorine, set the slider on 1/2, and the house water now has a consistent 2ppm of chlorine, the same as the water in Tampa.

I'm half considering a water test to see how close to potable the water is now.

 

[cobraboy]

Is the north coast/Atlantic Ocean air saltier than the south coast/Caribbean Sea?  We don't have anything even close to what you're all describing.  Lucky maybe?  

You are further away from water, and the prevailing wind there is more offshore.

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

As for the trials and tribulations of daily life here, I am still on the lookout for a person or company that with one telephone call I can solve most of the drudgery that I would prefer not to deal with myself. Vetting qualified repair people, builders, vehicle mechanics, arranging for the pick up and delivery of stuff I find more time consuming here. Back home, I call 1-800 Got Junk and stuff disappears. Finding Fausto with a truck and a pair of work gloves is still not so easy for me. I dread the times that I need to explain to the fridge guy replacing my condenser coil why the return line must run through the bottom of the condensate pan when the original is being replaced with a generic part that is not a custom fit for that particular appliance. I still roll my eyes at the plumbers who insist on bleeding all the air out of the pressure tank after they do piping work for me. Having to point out that there needs to be a drain valve installed so that said pressure tank can be emptied without having to drain the entire cisterna results in frequent nightmares.

I just can't seem to lower my expectations enough to achieve that zen-like existence that I see touted in all the living abroad books. I wonder if the authors have actually lived where they write about?

There is some good here and those days and times are to be relished because they are fleeting.

 

[jstarebel]

We bought a barely used big stainless steel Kitchen Aid with French doors and bottom freezer, hooked up a task-specific pump for auto ice from a 5gal. water bottle.

At the same time, we attached a separate faucet on the sink so that the pump that fills the ice maker also delivers bottled water at the sink, a fantastic convenience.

We bought the fridge from a guy who's been buying, repairing and selling major appliances in Ft. Lauderdale for 30 years, then ships some them to Puerto Plata in a container along with any other items a person wants, like a barrel of stuff mudanza-like. He has a shop in POP with numerous appliances stocked at all times.

I think we're about to do a whole house regulator because the problems with the 'fridge are caused by---surprise---inconsistent voltage.

On another note, regarding better water into the house, a few weeks ago we added a $7 1 micron diesel fuel filter on the water coming into the cistern, and the difference in water quality in the house is incredible! I just hung the 7" x 32" bag from the inlet valve, allowing the bag to dangle into the water in the cistern. A simple, elegant solution for an ongoing problem. The bag does need cleaning every two weeks or so, a task that is easy but wet...and worth it.

At the same time I bought a basic chlorine floater, put in 1 puck of chlorine, set the slider on 1/2, and the house water now has a consistent 2ppm of chlorine, the same as the water in Tampa.

I'm half considering a water test to see how close to potable the water is now.

Rather than spend money on a water test, buy a small TDS / Conductivity meter for about $25.00 and a pool test kit for pH and Cl2. If your TDS is below 500 ppm and you have 2ppm (that's a little high and .5-1.0 ppm would be better) free chlorine, then you have potable water. You could also just install a carbon block filter on the cold side and leave the 2ppm as it is. I wouldn't be afraid of using your cistern water if the cistern is relatively clean.

 

[william webster]

As for house water.... $2,000 gives you a houseful of potable water
Never think again and a big selling feature for gringo buyers.... hopefully

Whether it be subtropical (FLA) or tropical (RD), the problem is the same.
You get eaten alive 

Commander 
As to my fridge, there's no way the same fridge is cheaper here than USA...
 Not possible nowhere close

 

[AlterEgo]

As for house water.... $2,000 gives you a houseful of potable water
Never think again and a big selling feature for gringo buyers.... hopefully

Whether it be subtropical (FLA) or tropical (RD), the problem is the same.
You get eaten alive 

Commander 
As to my fridge, there's no way the same fridge is cheaper here than USA...
 Not possible nowhere close

Agreed, about price. We bought a GE fridge at La Sirena, 5 years ago, and paid something like 27,000 pesos back then, and is certainly nothing to write home about.

We were at the big Sears Appliance Outlet in Delaware, just over the bridge into DE, a few months ago. Amazing prices, no sales tax if you take it with you, and they had several big inverter fridges. It was the first time I'd ever seen - or even heard of - them.

 

[cobraboy]

Rather than spend money on a water test, buy a small TDS / Conductivity meter for about $25.00 and a pool test kit for pH and Cl2. If your TDS is below 500 ppm and you have 2ppm (that's a little high and .5-1.0 ppm would be better) free chlorine, then you have potable water. You could also just install a carbon block filter on the cold side and leave the 2ppm as it is. I wouldn't be afraid of using your cistern water if the cistern is relatively clean.

Water tests are free here when you buy bottled water.

I have a pool test kit. I use the same 1 micron diesel filters attached to 4 (of 8) outlets and have crystal clear pool water. They make up for a trerrible quality sand filter in a poorly engineered pool system.

Not my house, so I'm not going to spend money on a carbon filter anywhere in the plumbing. The 1 micron diesel filter bag works well. Problem in the cistern has a layer of silt on the bottom with who knows what, and I'm not going to clean it out.

We thinking of building a new Camp Moto (with a mega 6 car garage/Man Cave, my handle may be back...YAY!!!) and I would design a completely different system than the "norm" here built by clueless maestro's.

 

[william webster]

AE
The inverter fridges are relatively new to the US and Canada.... more prevalent in Europe and Latin America 

 NoAmerica has yet to buy into power savings in a big way.
Yet, in Canada the cost of power drops significantly between 7pm to 7am and weekends

Less commercial use then
Nobody does their laundry outside those times.... half price almost then

 

[CristoRey]

Every now and then I can overdose on paradise...
This time is new record....  a week 

This climate is hard on everything... my nerves included.

My normal life is reasonably care free...
I'm well cared for by my people who anticipate a lot.

But
After who knows how many years, my DISH satellite fell off it's moorings.... just rotted out.
So, no SIRIUS XM.... no TV.... DVD only.

Offline Spotify solves much of it.


Then
The fridge seems sluggish....
Genius technico takes the fan away for rehab....nope not the fan.
I borrow my neighbors freezer....whew 

Fridge is back to almost normal but I fear the next failure will be fatal.

Best Buy to the rescue,,,, with my 10% birthday month discount.
I Price Match from Lowes to save $170 then add the birthday freebie.

Which introduces the next conundrum...

We talk regularly about importing or buying in RD
I almost always ship in 

Whirlpool #WRB322DMBW.....$999
Will be about $300 to ship.

Back to the climate...
Everything takes a beating here...

My DISH unit, my fridge... cars go downhill faster... salt air and rust never sleep.

Don't start me on cars ??????.....thousands of dollars lately.

Oh well, the price of living in a tropical climate.

My skin likes it..... trying to think of what else does


That's it.... comments welcomed.... criticism, not so much 

No offense but have you ever thought about giving up your "western" materialism?

 

[william webster]

Well.... forget music....hum me a tune
No need for a fridge.... cooler lifestyle.... nevera type

I hardly am living in a bubble.....
But external contact and certain necessities of life are called for

I lived out of two coolers for the days of my fridge repair...
Sort of like camping.... go to the garage in the morning for the milk to add to coffee... no rain was a plus

Not too western here ... but not Bohemian either.

Oh! No offense taken 

 

[jd426]

I Run Well water , and would not even THINK about even doing my Laundry in that water without a Carbon Block filter ..
it takes out all the smells .
And this is NOT my field of expertise, but i dont see how you guys can go directly to a 1 mircon filter ????
I run a 10 Micron full size 20" BIG BLUE, First and have to replace IT every 6 months, or i can Clean it out if I wanted to go cheap, its PLEATED would take a while , not worth it so i just grab a new one ..
Then the Carbon Block, then a 5 Micron.... 1 Micron is just super fine ..and would make a wonderful 4th Filter ..
I still buy bottled water because I have been too lazy to finish plumbing in my Reverse Osmosis for the Fridge and Drinking water at Sink.. water is very clean, but i dont trust anything , definitely not TAP water from a City or town even. or especially i would say.. diff topic though.

Not doubting what you guys are saying ... but 1 Micron right out of the tank , really ?
How long does it last.. a month, would be my guess. Im pretty sure about this , but I suppose could be wrong.
Im just judging by how fast a 20" Pleated 10 Micron clogs up and changes color.

 

[jstarebel]

Water tests are free here when you buy bottled water.

I have a pool test kit. I use the same 1 micron diesel filters attached to 4 (of 8) outlets and have crystal clear pool water. They make up for a trerrible quality sand filter in a poorly engineered pool system.

Not my house, so I'm not going to spend money on a carbon filter anywhere in the plumbing. The 1 micron diesel filter bag works well. Problem in the cistern has a layer of silt on the bottom with who knows what, and I'm not going to clean it out.

We thinking of building a new Camp Moto (with a mega 6 car garage/Man Cave, my handle may be back...YAY!!!) and I would design a completely different system than the "norm" here built by clueless maestro's.

Just so you know, the silt on the bottom of your cistern would be classified as "non choloforms" and are considered harmless due to chlorination. Every water tank I've ever been in including the states had sediments in the bottom. Precipitation is what the largest cause is. I wouldn't put a dime into a home that wasn't mine either.

 

[Catseye]

I really like it here.  I don't want to grow old in the US, that's for sure.  If you end up in the hospital they will stick a tube up your behind to keep you alive as long as possible to rack up a big bill.  Living here could be considered "roughing it" for some, I guess.  It's not for wimps and whiners.  I've since learned to stop my mind from asking those questions that used to keep me up at night, like why the plumber asked the maid for a knife instead of a screwdriver as he used it on a screw and broke the tip off.  And why someone made a ring on the nice wooden coffee table with a wet glass and then tried to scrape it off.

One thing I'm very happy to see go from my old life is my mailbox.

 

[cobraboy]

I Run Well water , and would not even THINK about even doing my Laundry in that water without a Carbon Block filter ..
it takes out all the smells .
And this is NOT my field of expertise, but i dont see how you guys can go directly to a 1 mircon filter ????
I run a 10 Micron full size 20" BIG BLUE, First and have to replace IT every 6 months, or i can Clean it out if I wanted to go cheap, its PLEATED would take a while , not worth it so i just grab a new one ..
Then the Carbon Block, then a 5 Micron.... 1 Micron is just super fine ..and would make a wonderful 4th Filter ..
I still buy bottled water because I have been too lazy to finish plumbing in my Reverse Osmosis for the Fridge and Drinking water at Sink.. water is very clean, but i dont trust anything , definitely not TAP water from a City or town even. or especially i would say.. diff topic though.

Not doubting what you guys are saying ... but 1 Micron right out of the tank , really ?
How long does it last.. a month, would be my guess. Im pretty sure about this , but I suppose could be wrong.
Im just judging by how fast a 20" Pleated 10 Micron clogs up and changes color.

I run 1-micron diesel fuel polyester felt filter bags in the pool and now cistern.

When they clog I take them out, put them on a pole hole side down and rinse with a pressure nozzle. It takes maybe 5-7 minutes a filter.

The last filters lasted two years. I just installed a new set two months ago. I buy six for around $36.00. They look like this:

The ones I use are 7" x 32". Attaching a 7" hole around a 2.5" orifice (the pool outlet) takes some creativity.

For the pool, I remove the ring & strap, fold them in a particular way and attach to water outlets with a stainless steel hose clamp. They work well, but the folds make the process more difficult. Today I took a razor knife, a straight edge and large needle with fishing mono to an old bag and did a custom fit job. Worked great, no more folding and bunching. Pool pros call them "finishing filters" because they are so fine. And do an excellent job!

I leave the ring & strap on the filter for the cistern, and just put the float ball through it, then loop the strap around the water faucet coming into the cistern so the water falls into the filter first.

I resorted to these filters because the sand filter for the pool just sucks and I could not get rid of the gunk in the pool. They have been fantastic!

I'd post pics but Photof@cket won't allow.

I order them from Duda Filters

 

[cobraboy]

Just so you know, the silt on the bottom of your cistern would be classified as "non choloforms" and are considered harmless due to chlorination. Every water tank I've ever been in including the states had sediments in the bottom. Precipitation is what the largest cause is. I wouldn't put a dime into a home that wasn't mine either.

Nice to know but we won't be drinking the water from the cistern. I will say clothes are much cleaner that they used to be.

 

[jd426]

I understand Diesel fuel being filtered to ONE Micron, as its already pretty darn clean believe it or not ..
If it were NOT clean, the INJECTORS WOULD FAIL left and right ... not good, REALLY expensive..

But with WATER ??? from a Cistern no less ? where FROGS sometimes reside, and you are filtering it to one Micron.. right out of the Gate ? Lets keep in mind here Human HAIR is 100 Microns... to put this in perspective ..
and NO PRE FILTER at like 10 microns ?
I can not wrap my head around this at all.. and cant imagine how it could possibly not get clogged in like a couple days, or at most in a month... and you are saying YEARS ?
again, not doubting your story ..
Can you post a picture of the Chamber this Filter drops into ?
I am fascinated with this .. and may add it as my 4th Filter ..
going from 5 microns, to ONE Micron would be awesome especially if they last that long.. and can be Re used too ?
The Carbon Block they claim has to be replaced every 6-8 Months, no matter what
.. so I'm SOL there .

 

[cobraboy]

I understand Diesel fuel being filtered to ONE Micron, as its already pretty darn clean believe it or not ..
If it were NOT clean, the INJECTORS WOULD FAIL left and right ... not good, REALLY expensive..

But with WATER ??? from a Cistern no less ? where FROGS sometimes reside, and you are filtering it to one Micron.. right out of the Gate ? Lets keep in mind here Human HAIR is 100 Microns... to put this in perspective ..
and NO PRE FILTER at like 10 microns ?
I can not wrap my head around this at all.. and cant imagine how it could possibly not get clogged in like a couple days, or at most in a month... and you are saying YEARS ?
again, not doubting your story ..
Can you post a picture of the Chamber this Filter drops into ?
I am fascinated with this .. and may add it as my 4th Filter ..
going from 5 microns, to ONE Micron would be awesome especially if they last that long.. and can be Re used too ?
The Carbon Block they claim has to be replaced every 6-8 Months, no matter what
.. so I'm SOL there .

There is not much to see.

There is no chamber.

It's a felt bag with a strap that loops over the inlet valve going into the cistern. It took two weeks for the water in the cistern to become totally clean.

Every two weeks or so I have to clean it out. I know it's time when the water going in overflows the top of the bag. I then carefully unhook the bag and gently pull it up and out of the cistern. If I pull too quickly some of the gunk caught can squeeze out of the bag. But done correctly, it's like picking up a heavy felt bucket full of water.

Then I just dump the water out, put the bag over a verticle pole (I made a pvc stand) with the ring and strap down, and hose if clean from the outside. All the captured gunk flows out.

Seriously, it works!

The link I supplied shows where to order then from 1-micron to 100-microns.

In my aviation business, we were required to filter incoming jet-A through a canister that had a series of similar 1-micron filters. But those we had to throw away and not reuse.

Don't get me wrong: this is a McGyver filtration solution...that works...

Here is the thread when I first experimented: How I De-Slimed My Pool

I've since refined techniques and use the bags in the cistern with a chlorine floater.