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[quote=”alexander69″][quote=”aenaze1″][quote=”alexander69″][quote=”DavidCMurray”]A participant in this forum, GreciaBound, has figured out how to use photovoltaic panels to produce the 24 volt (I think) power he needs for his pool pump. You could search the forum and maybe send him a message.[/quote]
Thank you David, I have figured we will need 12.5 kwhs per day to power everything including pool pump, water pump, fridge and washing machine and the misc. stuff. I will look him up. A.[/quote]
That seems pretty lean. Your avg household will use about 30kw/day.
If you are going to build for the long term >10 years you should oversize as the system degrades by about .5%/year. After 15 years you might have to replace an inverter. If its roof top you also want to be sure that the roof can support the size of the array you need to install.
I would be curious to know the permitting obstacles for wind in CR. In the US its a nightmare.[/quote]
Thank you! I may have calculated wrong. It was a very long (18 pages) of calculations, sort of like a tax return! Anyway, thanks for the roof advice. My builder and architect both know of our solar wishes. We may have separate panels for the well pump and pool pump. Anyway, I am still educating myself and will continue to keep you posted as things unfold.[/quote]
Off-grid solar update. Our architect and solar guru have been working together to design our house. We have the luxury of building a house for solar rather than trying to design around a house that is already built. There are very good products out there now. Our pool pump system(separate from the house system) will be 1300.00 dollars, the well pump, also separate will be 1700.00, the house system which we oversized for 3-4 people but only two will be living there, 24,000.00. That is full price for everything, including labor and a honda generator. The panels will be “straped” down or tack welded down for theft issues, although where we live I am not feeling that will be a problem. So, in summary, our costs for electricity will be will be 27,000. Not having to deal with ICE PRICELESS! There will be maintenance for the batteries and such but at the end of the day and taking into account the loss of power where we live and all the other headaches we will avoid it is well worth it to us. And by the way, ICE wanted 25,000 dollars and rights to our land to run a line to us that is sub-standard at best and we would have to maintain the poles! Hope this was helpful and I will update as things unfold. ~A~
[quote=”costaricafinca”]Our experience is also 30 days.[/quote]
It is thirty days. Utility bill with matching name, passport, letter from your bank in the US, a bank customer reference, and your little finger. OK, not your little finger but the rest. Funny how picky they are about taking thousands of dollars which is millions of colones and then act like they did you a favor. Good luck and take it all in stride.[quote=”aenaze1″][quote=”alexander69″][quote=”DavidCMurray”]A participant in this forum, GreciaBound, has figured out how to use photovoltaic panels to produce the 24 volt (I think) power he needs for his pool pump. You could search the forum and maybe send him a message.[/quote]
Thank you David, I have figured we will need 12.5 kwhs per day to power everything including pool pump, water pump, fridge and washing machine and the misc. stuff. I will look him up. A.[/quote]
That seems pretty lean. Your avg household will use about 30kw/day.
If you are going to build for the long term >10 years you should oversize as the system degrades by about .5%/year. After 15 years you might have to replace an inverter. If its roof top you also want to be sure that the roof can support the size of the array you need to install.
I would be curious to know the permitting obstacles for wind in CR. In the US its a nightmare.[/quote]
Thank you! I may have calculated wrong. It was a very long (18 pages) of calculations, sort of like a tax return! Anyway, thanks for the roof advice. My builder and architect both know of our solar wishes. We may have separate panels for the well pump and pool pump. Anyway, I am still educating myself and will continue to keep you posted as things unfold.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]A participant in this forum, GreciaBound, has figured out how to use photovoltaic panels to produce the 24 volt (I think) power he needs for his pool pump. You could search the forum and maybe send him a message.[/quote]
Thank you David, I have figured we will need 12.5 kwhs per day to power everything including pool pump, water pump, fridge and washing machine and the misc. stuff. I will look him up. A.
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”alexander69″]Good Advice! We are “in process” also but do not have any number yet.[/quote]
If you are “in process” you should have a document titled [b]Comprobante Requisitos, Expediente No. 135-xxxxxx[/b] with check marks beside the documents that you have filed.
The Expediente No 135-xxxxxx is the number that you use to find information or you can give her your U.S. passport number.
If you are using an attorney, the attorney should have a copy of the Expediente.[/quote]
Thank you Waggoner! Our attorney just sent it to us. Should be here next week. A.
[quote=”tomstew1″]Alexander:
I just got through doing some research on it for my house (which is on the beach and requires ac). It would cost me $42-$50,000 to be able to crank out and store the kw’s I need to run ac’s….so for me it wasn’t cost effective. You being in Puriscal where ac is really not needed so much, would be far less expensive…I called the guys that advertise on AM Costa Rica and they quoted me some prices bases upon my daily kw needs.
Daily kw need is the first thing you need to determine…There are alot of online calculators for this…Hope this helps.
ts[/quote]
Thanks TS,
Nope, we will not have A/C as it is not needed as you mentioned. Our biggest challenge now is the well pump and pool pump. I will keep you posted. Thanks! A.[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”rosiemaji”]Thank you all very much for this information. It was most helpful. Now if Migracion would just get around to my application for residency.[/quote]
[b]Do you know what “Tico time” is?[/b]
My wife and I submitted out files in February 2008 and with problems with two attorneys the files were not completed properly until August 2008. In a forced medical situation in January 2009 we were able to get my wifes pensionado through in three months.
My application lingered until February 2010 while it was rejected by the tecnicos and sent to the Director of Migracion three times. No explanation was ever forthcoming but I was finally notified of approval in May, three months after it had been approved.YOu can [b]find help at Migracion through the Office of Controloria by calling 2299-8109 and asking for Maria Jose Lizano.[/b] She speaks adequate English. Give her your Expediente number and she can follow up and find out the status. I probably made twen trips to talk to her and follow up in person on my file even though I have a great attorney.
Talking with people face to face helps a lot. You can never allow youself to get frustrated. We have elected to live within a different culture that does thing much differently than we are used to. [b]Go with the flow.[/b][/quote]
Good Advice! We are “in process” also but do not have any number yet.
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”rosiemaji”]Thank you all very much for this information. It was most helpful. Now if Migracion would just get around to my application for residency.[/quote]
[b]Do you know what “Tico time” is?[/b]
My wife and I submitted out files in February 2008 and with problems with two attorneys the files were not completed properly until August 2008. In a forced medical situation in January 2009 we were able to get my wifes pensionado through in three months.
My application lingered until February 2010 while it was rejected by the tecnicos and sent to the Director of Migracion three times. No explanation was ever forthcoming but I was finally notified of approval in May, three months after it had been approved.YOu can [b]find help at Migracion through the Office of Controloria by calling 2299-8109 and asking for Maria Jose Lizano.[/b] She speaks adequate English. Give her your Expediente number and she can follow up and find out the status. I probably made twen trips to talk to her and follow up in person on my file even though I have a great attorney.
Talking with people face to face helps a lot. You can never allow youself to get frustrated. We have elected to live within a different culture that does thing much differently than we are used to. [b]Go with the flow.[/b][/quote]
Good Advice! We are “in process” also but do not have any number yet.
[quote=”ticopaz”][quote=”alexander69″]Hola,
We are looking into being “off=grid” meaning total solar powered house and a well. If anyone has done this, and I will be shocked if no one has as ICE is a big pain in the ass, please let me know of your experiences. We are not going to give ICE 25,000 dollars to run poles to our home site and then turn around and give them the rights and land. It is absurd. Any solar experience is appreciated. Off=handed comments just to hear yourself ramble is not.
Saludos,
Alexander[/quote]Thanks
Hi There,
First… what do you want? If you want to live like you always have, solar is very expensive and high maintenance. If you want to have the basic necessities of modern life it can be done for about $10k. It will give you a great feeling of independence and self reliance. I have lived off grid in the past for several years and now have grid, but I use a small 12 volt system for my lightening and a chest type refrigerator (for cold pipas ;-). I also use solar hot water with a grid tied hot water tank for emergencies… that water is cold in the mountains!!Bottom line is… KEEP IT SIMPLE. I have four 75watt panels and 2 Rolls 400 amp hr batteries. This provides 12 volt lighting to my entire home and runs a 12 volt chest fridge. With a small inverter I run laptop computer, router and satellite television. What it will not cover is a standard style refrigerator, electric stove, hot water or washing and drying machine.
Now, that being said. With a system about 2x this size I personally could run comfortably a energy efficient washing machine (DAY TIME ONLY), Gas dryer, have a solar hot water collector, energy star refrigerator, lights, tele, computer and small appliances.
You learn to wash clothes in peak sun so as not to drain the batteries and other things like this, but basically it can be done with a lot less than the Solar Dude tells you!
As mentioned by another member it is a little more difficult in the rainy season, but with proper energy management on your part it can be done.
Oh.. and would probably need a separate small system for your well so add another 3-4k. Call it 15k and you will be enegizzzed :-)) and tell ICE no thanks… thats what I did 😉
Hope this helps,
TicoPaz[/quote]
Thanks Ticopaz and everybody. That was very helpful. We do not plan on being in CR in the rainy season. For our part of the country that is May-Nov. Our house will sit on a mountain and it has strong winds and LOTS of sun. We are looking to into a tri-plex line to the house as a back up just in case. We have to have permission from one land owner to run the line ourselves and have a meter at the road. About 1150 feet. I know it can be done and if need be we will go totally solar. We are already R-R-R people so being mindful wont be a problem. I will keep you posted as things progress.
saludos!
Alexander
[quote=”Scott”]Have you read Vicky Longland’s article about Jason Borner and his solar energy at company [ https://www.welovecostarica.com/members/408.cfm ]
Jason’s website is at: [ http://www.poderco.com/ ]but I haven’t spoken to him in about five years…
Scott[/quote]
Thanks Scott. It is hard to believe that many folks aren’t on solar or wind energy in CR. Any others that have experience with this please let me know. It will be greatly appreciated.Saludos,
Alexander[quote=”costaricabill”]Has anyone had experience taking a CR-born dog (small, 5 kilos) to the States via commercial air carrier? What is required to take the dog out of CR and what is requied to take the dog into the States?[/quote]
Thanks for asking this question Bill! I am also very interested in any experience that you all have on this subject as we will be bringing our 15 pound dog in November. I heard one needs to have a vet waiting in CR to greet the dog and check it out. We will have all the papers from USA vet and shots within the time frame allowed. Also, has anyone brought a dog as a “carry-on” in first class to San Jose airport and if so what was your experience? Thanks! Alexander
[quote=”yvette”]In 1991 i bought my dream on costa rica’s best kept secret beach south of jaco. we’ve enjoyed vacations once or twice a year for all these years escaping for brief periods (nafta. considered retiring/seeking residency because our precious c.r. didn’t have anything the u.s. wanted until recently -cafta. Still don’t know exactly what it is c.r. has that they want but i don’t want to be here when they go after it.
I have no idea how to proceed. gringo neighbors and some tico ‘friends’ have been circling my wagon recently. so i’m thinking of selling before i meet my sell-by-date as i like to refer to it. I think i’d be pretty fussy to whom i sold it just as i’ve been fussy to whom i rented it or let use it. not someone who wants to ‘flip’ it, so to speak. I considered just giving it to the town but last August i saw the mayor riding around in a Lexus SUV which spoke volumes.
Don’t get me wrong WeHaveLovedCostaRicaandWeStillDo but …[/quote]
Well. for what it’s worth, most likely not much, it seems you have mixed emotion with business. I’m a good guy, you could give your cassita to me! Or you could sell it at fair market value to whomever comes up with the money first and call it a day…….[quote=”wspeed1195″][quote=”DavidCMurray”][quote=”wspeed1195″]you said the dirty word,realtor.[/quote]
Huh?
(And, by the way, I am not a Realtor.)[/quote]I lived in Jaco/Hermossa for A bit.it did not take long to see that it was A dirty word.
by description and the physical definition of the actions I witnessed,or the phone conversation at Baglemans or the net cafe’s.the “realtor”,loud talkin and makin himself out to be somebody.then A friend had A big house for sale on the mountain.when someone wanted to see it with the “real agents” I again witnessed some delibrate lying and conning.
and this site over the years has testamented A gazillion problems presented by purchasers.
yeah,doing some leg work or due diligance is in order.sadly it’s hard to discern the lie from the truth.at some point with the effort you trust,only to be let down.
it’s a result of little to no regulating.
imagine were these “realtors to do this in their home country?they’d have a number on their back and a label tattooed to their forehead.[/quote]ANYBODY can sell a piece of dirt in Costa Rica. There are No laws regarding this. I can sell you my house if I wanted to. Get a lawyer, find a bi-lingual Tico/Tica. Proceed with caution. Do your homework. We had a great local person who found us a place to buy at a good price, but a dirty “lawyer”. Had to go back and re-do all paperwork. Recommendations from people with experience( someone who has gone through the process with great results are the only ones to really listen to. Opinions are like butt holes…..
[quote=”doover612″]2 seperate realtors told me I COULD GET 8% ON CD IN COSTA RICA OR PANAMA.FACT ORFICTION[/quote]
You can. Based on the local colone. Big difference. It would work out to around 4% us dollar last time I checked.
[quote=”Scott”]As I type this I am sampling a rather lovely Italian amber ale called G. Menabrea e Figli supposedly founded in 1846
It has a lovely nose, it has a delicious chewy flavor and I’m rather wishing I had bougt mroe than one bottle.
Their website is [ http://www.birramenabrea.com/ ] It’s an unusually artistic site (but then again isn’t real beer a work of art?) and their story is quite interesting…
Scott[/quote]
It would be great if I could find a IPA in CR. If you figure out how to get your micro-brew brewing please let me
know. I will be your first customer. Good luck!
