Carol Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Ok, so we moved to Spain 3 months ago today, and I have to say we have not been without electricity or internet for 1 minute. Yes, our electricity bill is about 75% more than what we paid in Panama, and we do need heat in the winter and probably a/c in July & August. The entire house is electric and we do have a small pool. But I guess you get what you pay for. Our internet is the same as we paid in Panama. Fuel (gas/diesel) is a bit more, but household goods, vehicles and groceries are less. The choices are unlimited. No surge protectors needed! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I had never seen or heard of the battery powered plug in lights. They sound like just the ticket. I'm off to David to get a couple as soon as I recover from having made two trips there in two days. Thanks, John. I have a heavy duty refrigerator grade plug for my washer and am waiting for the electrician to come install it. I suppose I also could put a light of some sort on the UPS I have for the computer. I do have a generator for really seriously long outrages. (But I still think Fenosa stinks.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyS Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Bonnie, you can get them at Ivan and at the Dorado mini-super in Boquete. I have one very large one, a couple of long medium size ones, a couple of lanterns, and a small flashlight, all rechargeable and very bright. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 OMG. Our power in Texas never goes off. Once it was off 2 hours when a neighbor's tree limb fell on a line but that was years ago. Reading the posts on fickle Fenosa, and our power goes off! Since the sun is shining and the temps are perfect, I was going to pick up where I left off in my current book. Instead, I decided this was a sign to run the generator that I neglected all winter (we only had 4 days where the temps reached freezing). I filled the gas, connected the cable, and was just about to start it when the power came back on. So, I decided it was too much trouble for such a nice day and put everything away. It was the LONGEST ten minutes of the whole year, though. jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Bonnie,. to save a bit you could put one of the battery powered lights outside at your door "IF" you can cover it from the weather. Only drawback to that is that it will remain on until the power comes back. If you can run an extension cord ( or you have a plug out there) it is a quick and easy fix. I'm a big fan of Yvans, especially after the expansion and as Judy said, they likely have them there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Thanks, John. Actually, I had already thought of that. I have a covered porch and two plugs out there. Do you know what these lights are actually called so when I go to Ivan's or wherever I don't flounder around all day? Jim, you have expressed my sentiments exactly. Every minute that the power is off seems like 30 minutes to me. I guess I'm a wuss. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 (edited) Emergency Light, Luz de Emergencia, Luz de Bateria I believe there were some installed similar to those pictured below in the BCP auditorium, although I did hear a rumour once that they were turned off because of interference with performances. Edited February 23, 2017 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Thanks, Keith. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 10 hours ago, Bonnie said: Thanks, John. Actually, I had already thought of that. I have a covered porch and two plugs out there. Do you know what these lights are actually called so when I go to Ivan's or wherever I don't flounder around all day? Jim, you have expressed my sentiments exactly. Every minute that the power is off seems like 30 minutes to me. I guess I'm a wuss. You are not a wuss, Bonnie. Anyone who can last more than 2 years in Boquete and not be born there is no wuss. Nena was born there and escaped to David to live with her aunts as soon as she could. Out of the nine sibs, only one still lives in Boquete. The lamps you might check on are Lamparas de Emergencia Recarg. Here are some at Doit Center: http://www.doitcenter.com.pa/tienda/home.php?cat=3032001 jim 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 2 hours ago, JimAndNena said: You are not a wuss, Bonnie. Anyone who can last more than 2 years in Boquete and not be born there is no wuss. Nena was born there and escaped to David to live with her aunts as soon as she could. Out of the nine sibs, only one still lives in Boquete. The lamps you might check on are Lamparas de Emergencia Recarg. Here are some at Doit Center: http://www.doitcenter.com.pa/tienda/home.php?cat=3032001 jim Jim, just checked the link and it says nothing available. I saw a whole bunch of them in DoIt a few weeks ago on sale, maybe they ran out? There is a lighting store on lhe left side just over the new bridge in David (I think it is the LED store) near the Beverly Hills Plaza. They have a good assortment of lights in there, prices a bit higher than DoIt, but stuff is available. DoIt does have small UPS units for around $50, will run one of my big TV's for 15 mins during a power outage. For those with UPS units that have bad batteries, Casa de Batteria has new ones for about $25. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 I just clicked on the link, and it revealed a number of battery-powered lights. Try again, John. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyS Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 42 minutes ago, Bonnie said: I just clicked on the link, and it revealed a number of battery-powered lights. Try again, John. I have never found them at Do-It. Panafoto had them years ago, but when they ran out, they didn't restock them. I have found them only in the Chinese mini-supers. You have to look, because they are among other stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 15 hours ago, Keith Woolford said: Emergency Light, Luz de Emergencia, Luz de Bateria I believe there were some installed similar to those pictured below in the BCP auditorium, although I did hear a rumour once that they were turned off because of interference with performances. The emergency battery powered lights in the BCP theater were recently replaced by our great electronics guy Phil Bennett. I can ask Phil where he bought them. As I remember they were relatively inexpensive (maybe $30???) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF13 Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 9 hours ago, Bonnie said: I just clicked on the link, and it revealed a number of battery-powered lights. Try again, John. Ahhh, the vagaries of the interweb. Personally, I blame Al Gore... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 9 minutes ago, JohnF13 said: Ahhh, the vagaries of the interweb. Personally, I blame Al Gore... I blame him for global warming too, John. I tried the link from my English keyboard and it did not work. Who knows? As for finding stuff in the stores, you must send the sales person to the back to look, sometimes twice. That is not a guarantee that they have what you want, but they often find something better back there. The warehouse area is not quite as organized as you might think. jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 6 minutes ago, JimAndNena said: I blame him for global warming too, John. I tried the link from my English keyboard and it did not work. Who knows? As for finding stuff in the stores, you must send the sales person to the back to look, sometimes twice. That is not a guarantee that they have what you want, but they often find something better back there. The warehouse area is not quite as organized as you might think. jim Why would I think the warehouse area might be organized? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Not wanting to jinx things for us, but we now are approaching three consecutive days without an electrical outage. I can't remember the last time that we have had uninterrupted electrical service for that length of time. Disclaimer: I am not including fairly sizable voltage variations in my definition of outage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Hampton Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 Quiet Bud. The belts are starting to get a little loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimAndNena Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 11 hours ago, Bud said: Not wanting to jinx things for us, but we now are approaching three consecutive days without an electrical outage. I can't remember the last time that we have had uninterrupted electrical service for that length of time. Disclaimer: I am not including fairly sizable voltage variations in my definition of outage. This is something I have always wanted to do, but during my annual visits I was never able to get enough time. Bud, do you have a method of recording the mains voltage for an extended time, say a week or more. And has anyone ever looked at the mains on a 'scope to examine the amount of noise or dirty power or frequency control? If the frequency isn't accurately controlled, motors such as those in the compressors of refrigerators, and freezers can fail from overheating. The canal zone has large backup diesel generators for when the water level at the Lake Madden hydroplant gets low. Those generators have been used constantly since the canal operation was given to Panama to supply additional power to the grid in Panama City. jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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