New Water Heater

Harsh home water is a minor inconvenience of living in my area.

When your water heater dies after only 6 years on the job, hope that you know a plumber or have access to someone with pluming skills.  As the son of a commercial plumbing contractor, I’m up for this easy fix.    $300USD will tackle the Do IT YOURSELF job vs. approx $1,000 that it will cost a reliable plumbing contractor.

Prices for water heaters certainly have increased since my last replacement at my home in Denver.  My recollection is $170 for that one.  But, that was for a natural gas heater, no liquid propane, and add to import fees for the Mexican purchase this week.  Paid $260 for this Rheem “energy efficient” model at Ensenada Home Depot.

40 gallon(152L) water heaters are standard.  Take a photo if your old tank’s info label with capacity, energy, blah blah along with you to hardware store.

5 connections for you DIY water heater replacement weekend warriors.  All threaded joints require teflon taping to the thread fitting:

1 + 2: Hot(output) and Cold(input to tank)…that’s the two hoses you see on the top of the newly installed tank.  Gotta have the right fitting sized on each end of hose.  Check with installation instructions whether you need Dielectric fittings in addition to hoses.  Easiest thing is to take your water and gas(#3 below) connections with you to hardware store when buying your new heater.

3: Gas hose input:  Typically, need a brass fitting that fits between the gas hose and the tank.  TURN OFF the gas at house end BEFORE DE-INSTALL and INSTALL!!!

4. Vent for heat exhaust through top.  If your previous water heater was installed properly, that venting pipe can simply be affixed in the same position for your new heater.

5. Pressure relief valve.  That is the shiny brass thingy on top of the new heater(or the dull brass thingy on oldy).  Due to water pressure fluctuation or other, this allows the tank to breathe, or spill out water content when pressure overloads.  Without this pressure relief valve, your tank becomes an effective bomb.

mineral content buildup in my water heater hose

I noticed several water heater connections “kits” at Home Depot.  WARNING, as these kits may not have the right size connections and you likely won’t need ALL of the parts included which waste your money. I replaced both water hoses, as they were looking pretty ugly due to my high mineral content water.

As mentioned, if you are a first timer DIY water heater replacement student, simply take ALL of your connections to your hardware store and break our your best Mr. Magoo clueless look to the 19 year old plumbing clerk.

After install a tricky thing is to get the pilot lit.  Instruction manual will teach you where to find the pilot light igniter.  If you heater does NOT come with an auto ignition lighter, have a long stem candle lighter on hand.

Set the temperature on the temp control knob(may need to experiment setting next few days to get enough/nottoomuch heat) and your off to a refreshing shower to reward your good work.

 

Expat Technology Support

Doc’s satellite dishes, Ensenada bay background

Contemplating an expat lifestyle?  Suggestion for a priority on your LIST is locating and evaluating expat technology support.

Computer, TV, music, internet, electronic gaming, security and other technology needs are not quite so easy outside of the United States.  If you are not a geek, finding the good and reliable geeks may be a challenge in your offshore retirement paradise.

In many areas in Mexico, especially the more rural locations, you may only find one or two geeks with iffy expertise.  You will usually find the uncle of a friend’s friend who did sales presentations via Power Point and that is their major claim to understanding PCs or web design.  COUGH!

I have encountered three of approximately a dozen advertised or recommended tech guys in the Ensenada area.  My experience with the three was underwhelming.  It reminded me of the time when I was interviewing medical doctors to be my primary physician.  Any doctor who appears less healthy than me is not up for the job.  By that same standard, any geek who can’t move far beyond my tech knowledge does not get my business.

Yes, I am an uncle, have friends and did sales presentations via Power Point.  My experience in the tech industry got me a taste of geekdom that gave me enough confidence to search the internet for tutorials on just about anything.

Just finished a 1 hour session of re-pointing my satellite internet dish to maximize my signal strength.  OK, satellite pointing isn’t a huge tech challenge.  But, getting my computer configured to talk to the program in the modem to talk to the satellite telemetry and then making the micro adjustments on the big honkin’ dish is not my favorite task to go with morning coffee.

Lucky for me, I originally installed my satellite dishes on the upper deck where they are accessible with my feet on the ground instead of balancing on a ladder.  Nice to have internet back up after an iffy signal past 7-10 days.

Hey, Doc, that’s great.   I’ve got a project that is perfect for you and your tools.  COUGH!  Unless we have enjoyed a handful of beverages together, you can’t afford me.

Second thought on expat technology support:  Don’t employ technology that you can’t support yourself.  CHEERS!

Ensenada Water Shortage

Table Source for Ensenada Water Shortage projections

Editor’s note: Land use, planning, environmental issues and money issues have delayed Ensenada’s 2 new water projects, The Tecate to Valle de Guadalupe aqueduct and the Ensenada Lagunita Desalination Plant.

UC Davis January 2009 report:

The city of Ensenada and the agricultural valleys of Maneadero and Guadalupeare located in Northern Baja California.  The climate is Mediterranean, with dry summers and rains during winter. Average annual precipitation is 245 mm(CNA, 1998). In 2000, Ensenada had a population of 260,065 and the primary economic activities were commerce and manufacturing (INEGI, 2004).  Ensenada’s water commission, CESPE (Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Ensenada) is in charge of both potable water supply and wastewater collection and treatment.   According to CESPE, the city has more than 86,000 water supply connections, covering 99.9% of the population, with physical losses ranging between 16 and 30 percent. Wastewater collection coverage accounts for 83% or15.6 million cubic meters (Mm3) per year.  All collected wastewater is treated in three wastewater treatment plants prior to ocean discharge.  About 2% of treated wastewater is reused for irrigation of green areas within the city (Mendoza-Espinosaet al.2004).

Rain in the region is sporadic and no significant surface water systems exist;urban and agricultural water demands are met by local or regional aquifers. The aquifers of Maneadero, Ensenada, Guadalupe, and La Misión provide potable water for the city.   The Emilio Lopez Zamora dam, now surrounded by urban development was built primarily for flood control and does not serve as storage for potable water.  Although the dam has a small-capacity treatment treatment plant, it is rarely used, requiring water surpluses to be present.

Due to low rainfall, increasing urban growth and agricultural activities, the Maneadero, Ensenada, Guadalupe and La Misión aquifers are overdrawn.  The Maneadero aquifer has a severe saline intrusion problems and water quality decreased dramatically in recent years (Daesslé et al.2006).

The Maneadero Valley of is an agricultural region of significant economic value for Baja California.  Located 10 km South of urban Ensenada, it has an irrigation area of 5,300 ha (SAGARPA 2005).  The Maneadero aquifer is the sole source of water for crop irrigation and domestic use in Maneadero (population 15,234 -INEGI 2005).  The main crops in Maneadero are tomatoes, peas, onions,asparagus, and alfalfa (SAGARPA 2005).  Approximately 90% of agricultural production is exported to the United States.  Irrigation is mainly implemented through drip irrigation.  Agricultural water uses account for 71% of total extractions, and urban uses account for 25%, other activities makeup the remaining 4%.  The aquifer has an Integrated Water Management Plan (CNA2003) which identifies groundwater overdraft in Maneadero and gives an estimated natural recharge capacity of approximately 7 Mm3/yr. Overdraft of the aquifer has increased energy requirements for pumping and caused severe saline intrusion.

The Guadalupe Valley is located 12 km Northeast of the city of Ensenada.  Approximately 200 l/s (6.31 Mm3/yr) of groundwater is extracted to supply Ensenada’s urban demand.  The Guadalupe valley has an agricultural area of12,115 ha.   Grapes and olives are the most important crops in the Guadalupe Valley, although in the last few years there has been an increase in organic produce and green house products.  The aquifer is also essential for agriculture in the valley, providing for grapes and the associated wine industry, which is the most important wine region in the country (Daessléet al.2006).  During 2001 wine production in the region accounted for 19.6 million liters of wine, 30% of which was exported (SAGARPA 2005).  Although water quality has not deteriorated over time (Daesslé et al2006), local farmers are against the supply of water going to Ensenada, arguing that such allocations should be used for larger agricultural production in the valley.

Due to current aquifer overdraft, the city of Ensenada needs to find alternatives to guarantee water supply in years to come. Wastewater reuse is a suitable water supply for crop and landscape irrigation, aquifer recharge, and industrial uses in Ensenada and the Valleys Manuaderon and Guadalupe (Ramírez-Acosta andMendoza-Espinosa 2005).  The National Water Commission (CNA) undertook a study in which members of the public were asked about their acceptance of reusing treated wastewater for urban activities (CNA, 2005).  Results showed most people favoring reuse of wastewater for activities in which the public would be in indirect contact with the water, as long as its quality is closely monitored and controlled.

Unlike most cities in Mexico, Ensenada treats all the wastewater collected by its sewer infrastructure (CESPE 2005). Treatment is provided in three wastewater plants, namely El Naranjo (capacity of 500 l/s, 15.77 Mm/yr), El Gallo (capacityof 250 l/s, 7.9 Mm3/yr) and El Sauzal (capacity of 60 l/s or 1.9 Mm3/yr).  All wastewater treatment plants are currently operated at slightly less than maximum capacity and their effluents meet standards for crop irrigation and have the potential for for aquifer recharge (Mendoza-Espinosa et al.2005; and2004).

The agricultural valleys of Maneadero and Guadalupe have been classified as“critical zones” due to problems arising from decreases in water quantity and quality from aquifer overdraft.  The urban Ensenada also has been classified as critical due to several factors including pollution by landfills, poor drinking water quality, extensive deforestation and a drought in the region (SIDUE, 2000).

Baja Climate Change

complete SD climate change report by The San Diego Foundation

For those not familiar with San Diego, the above graphic is a model of sea level changes of the peninsula of land at Pacific Beach, north of the SD airport and Sea World.  Left(west) is the Pacific Ocean and right is the inner bay, known as Mission Bay.  Looks like lots of purple is in the surf forecast for 2050.

And youbetcha, I titled this post “Baja Climate Change”, as the climate in San Diego is the same as in Ensenada.

Anyone who visits this site on occasion understands that I am not much for “saving the universe” causes.  I prefer to influence via a much smaller subject canvass and brush stroke.  My simple, monastic lifestyle practices a pragmatic path for the tiny time I am alive.

On the climate change thing, I dunno.  I have my suspicions that the reported human effect on the planet’s climate is a political stunt by those hot air blowing experts.

In this “everyone gets a trophy” (or 500 friends… or a blog!) culture, human conceits inflate human importance to a loftier perch than deserved.

Climate has changed a lot in millions of years.  Is that bad?  Weather changes by the hour.

Generally, if I hear an emotionally-charged discussion framed by “what are WE going to do about it?”, I walk away and grab some chips that will kill me and that also came in a plastic bag that will likely do something bad to the universe.  Or a baby seal.

Same goes for a discussion about “our leaders”.  How a politician becomes a leader is a big stretch for me.  And most of those payasos don’t belong to me.  Munching on something on the sidelines while watching a “D” or “R” or “left” or “right” lather each other up by saving the galaxy is great entertainment.

And if you want to “pray” for me or my soul, or seek ways to “save me” from my aberrant lifestyle, thanks.  Hope that helps you feel good today.  I’m feeling good today.

Back with our feet on the ground, golly, it has been unusually cool this December and January.  Reports provided by our spiffy new Colonia Puerto Escondido weather station.  Have had a few days with wind chills temps dipping into 30s Fahrenheit.

The whopping 5 degrees F that my former neighbors in Colorado experience tonight makes the recent Ensenada cooling trend seem like a heat wave.

Glad my high energy metabolism keeps me warm between the sheets at night.  Sending my warming trend your way.  “Share the sheets” is my campaign to save energy, save water(laundry) and kindle some love and affection.

Ensenada Desalination Plant

Ensenada Desalination Plant, Complete 2012 document(PDF)

There is also documentation and lots of recent news about the proposed desalination plant known as “El Salitral“.  El Salitral is located 3 miles south of the above location, in “la lagunita”(lagoon) near Estero Beach.

The Spanish company Inima is mentioned in both documents.         ensdesaldoc1           ensdesaldoc2

 

No Keyboard

If you find yourself addicted to the internet, remove your keyboard.

After 2.5 years, my Toshiba laptop keyboard started misbehaving.  Pried off all of the keys to clean it with alcohol, but, that didn’t help.  This is now my 4th laptop in 10 years.  So average life is 2.5 years.  My budget was not in the mood for a funeral for this computer.

I have removed laptop keyboards in past.  My first attempt was with an HP that somehow got in the way of a wine party.  That HP laptop keyboard had screws coming into from below, which made removal very complex.

This Toshiba has only 4 screws on top, slip open the plastic latch on the ribbon wire connection, and the photo above is the result.  Amazing how many tutorials there are on PC repair.  Here is a good source: Laptopkeyboard.com

With only the on-screen keyboard, I certainly minimized my emails, chat, facebook and other internet activity during the past few weeks.  Reminded me why I’m not a big texter.  Hunting and pecking for letters and punctuation is painful.

Found the right keyboard close by in Nevada and for a whopping $20, including shipping, I have a new keyboard.  I’m one of those internet shoppers who wants to find a distributor closer.  “Seven to ten  days shipping” from New York is not something I like to deal with.  And, no, I’m not paying double or triple what Fedex/UPS charges the distributor for rush shipping.

Keyboard shipped next day from order, arrived at my San Diego mail stop 2 days later.  THANK YOU.

$20 sure beats a new $600 laptop.

Baja Project Canceled

President Felipe Calderon has put the kibosh on a giant condo/hotel project in Baja California that could have rivaled Cancun in size.

The project, Cabo Cortes, was to be near the tip of Baja California and adjacent to the largest and northernmost coral reef system in Mexico.

The cancellation of the project is a reprieve to the marine park, known as Cabo Pulmo, which over the past decade has recovered from overfishing to become an example of how marine environments can come back to health.

The villagers of Cabo Pulmo, who fought hard against the development, may have the European financial crisis to thank for the suspension. The Spanish developer, Hansa Baja Developments, owes big time to Spanish banks, one of which was taken over by the Spanish government. Needless to say, Spain doesn’t have money to be throwing at major tourism projects overseas, especially ones that critics like Greenpeace say is damaging to the environment.

Read here for a story I did after visiting Cabo Pulmo last summer, and here and here for stories by my colleagues from other media.

In its statement, Calderon’s office said that it has become clear that “the project has not yet demonstrated its sustainability clearly and without question, particularly since the area is so important to the Gulf of California, Mexico and the world.”

The environmental and natural resources secretariat under Calderon had drawn withering criticism from foreign scientists for giving an initial green light to the project. And Greenpeace Mexico has basically suggested that payoffs may have led the secretariat to let the project continue until today, approving it at two levels.

In a tweet, Greenpeace demanded “punishment for the functionaries that approved this project twice.”

To read more reaction to the cancellation, largely in Spanish, follow the hashtag #cabopulmo on Twitter.

Read more here: http://blogs.mcclatchydc.com/mexico/2012/06/huge-baja-project-gets-the-axe.html#storylink=cpy

Baja California Environment

Views of Baja California.

SuperMoon

According to U.S. clocks, May 5, 2012 features the closest and largest full moon of this year. Calendars say May 6, by the way, for this same close full moon as seen from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. We astronomers call this sort of close full moon a perigee full moon. The word perigee describes the moon’s closest point to Earth for a given month. But last year, when the closest and largest full moon occurred on March 19, 2011, many used a term we’d never heard: supermoon. We’ve heard this term again at this 2012 close full moon. What does it mean exactly? And how special is the May 5, 2012 supermoon?

The word supermoon didn’t come from astronomy. Instead, it came from astrology. Astrologer Richard Nolle of the website astropro.com takes credit for coining the term supermoon. In 1979, he defined it as:

…a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, moon and sun are all in a line, with moon in its nearest approach to Earth.

complete article

Red Moon Eclipse Saturday

Editor’s note: Blood moon rapture(the second coming of Christ) is an interesting prediction from the Bible:

• Joel 2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
• Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
• Doc 12:11 Lo, as the red moon shall rise in early dawn, shall drink from the cup the sweet red juice.  For friend and family benefit, should be added extra spirits of Saint Anser and a green stirring sign to Saint Apiaceae!

From SPACE.com:  In North America, skywatchers located in western Canada and the United States should have a great view of the eclipse, which will start at around 7:45 a.m. EST (4:45 a.m. PST, 1245 GMT), when the Earth’s shadow begins to creep across the lunar disk.

“For people in the western United States, the eclipse is deepest just before local dawn,” NASA scientists said in a statement. “Face west to see the red moon sinking into the horizon as the sun rises behind your back. It’s a rare way to begin your day.“

Observers in Alaska, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and central and eastern Asia should also be well placed for the celestial show. [Video: Return of the Blood Red Moon]

“Viewers in Baja California  have the potential of gaining the clearest view of all if they follow La Luna Roja Madrugada protocol”, said Baja Tourism Guide’s Bebida Roja.

Unlike solar eclipses that are often visible to people within only a narrow slice of the globe, a lunar eclipse can be seen by anyone on the moon-facing side of the planet, explained Alan MacRobert, senior editor of the magazine Sky & Telescope.

By 9:05 a.m. EST (6:05 a.m. PST, 1405 GMT), the moon will be fully engulfed in a glow that could range from light orange to blood red.

Skywatchers in the central time zone may get only a short glimpse, as the moon will set while it is only partially eclipsed, before the total eclipse stage begins, MacRoberts said. Unfortunately, people farther east will also miss out on the opportunity due to the setting moon and rising sun.

“Not only will the moon be beautifully red, it will also be inflated by the moon illusion,” NASA scientists explained. “For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects.”

The upcoming eclipse also offers a special chance for some observers to catch a rare “senelion,” the sight of the moon and the sun at the same time during an eclipse, due to an optical illusion.

“During the lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the moon passes through the stratosphere, where it is reddened by scattering,” Keen said. “If the stratosphere is loaded with dust from volcanic eruptions, the eclipse will be dark. A clear stratosphere, on the other hand, produces a brighter eclipse. At the moment, the stratosphere is mostly clear, with little input from recent volcanoes. That explains the brightness of the eclipse.”

It might also be possible to see a hint of turquoise as the bodies become aligned, he added.

“Light passing through the upper atmosphere penetrates the ozone layer, which absorbs red light and actually makes the passing light-ray bluer,” Keen said. “This can be seen as a soft blue fringe around the red core of Earth’s shadow. Look for the turquoise near the beginning of the eclipse, when the edge of Earth’s shadow is sweeping across the lunar terrain.”

According to Sky & Telescope, the next partial lunar eclipse will happen June 4, 2012, and should be visible across most of North America. The next total lunar eclipse will occur in April 2014.

You can follow SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.