Master electrician NOT

Been using a pedestal fan under the palapa for the last year or so but really wanted to buy a new ceiling fan. The pedestal fan was always in the way and getting knocked over by the dog. The only light in the palapa was a bulb on an extension cord. The fan I wanted with the light and aluminum blades cost a little over a 1000 pesos now and then there is the wire, switches, conduit and the work of installing it. I finally decided that that fan was in my bodega and hardly ever being used. Why not steal it and use a pedestal fan in the bodega when I need it and where there is no crazy traffic.

So the easy part was making the mounting cross piece and securing the fan so it wouldn't wobble or jump around.   Also running and fastening the green conduit and running wire through.   Even mounting the one switch and finally two wasn't a problem.  What was a puzzle was getting the electricity running where it should be. I finally gave up on the dimmer switch doing it all because the rheostat (volume control) is going to wear out if it's also off and on and speed adjust.   Separate wall switch was the best idea but the light and fan were sharing the current.   Full speed fan and no light ... having only the light made the fan rotate very slowly. Had to be they were connected in parallel sharing a limited current.  Finally a separate power and ground is what worked. Still not totally convinced I know what is going on with only 3 wires to fan motor and light. Glad I had no schedule to meet.

Copacabana fan with light

Bought wire, breaker and switch from the new gringo

electric store - Costalegre Electrica 

Calderon cuts energy costs to calm crisis

MEXICO CITY, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Mexican President Felipe Calderon unveiled sweeping cuts to energy prices on Wednesday, his latest measure to soothe the impact of the global economic crisis on consumers and businesses.

The steps announced by Calderon should help the central bank get a handle on inflation, currently at a more than seven-year high.

Calderon said he would freeze gasoline prices and would lower household gas prices by 10 percent and electricity rates for businesses by up to 20 percent.

"Gasoline prices are being frozen across the country for the whole year," Calderon said.

Mexicans have increasingly called for the government to lower gasoline prices, which the government administers, since oil prices tumbled from record highs late last year.

Mexico is a major oil producer and gasoline is subsidized at the pump. The government accelerated price rises last year as soaring world prices made subsidies a bigger burden.

Lofty inflation has kept Mexico's central bank from cutting interest rates to shore up economic growth, expected to take a hit this year because of slumping U.S. demand.

"We're going to live through a period of big difficulties, in terms of economic growth, investment and employment," Calderon said. (Reporting by Jason Lange and Luis Rojas; Editing by James Dalgleish)


Reuters Article