Update

It feels as if I've been away for a g e s but realistically, it's been five weeks. Tonight, as I'm writing this, a soft rain is falling making the most soothing sound on the roof of the RV. It's the rainy season here but while the sun shines almost all day long, the rains have the good grace of manifesting mostly at night. Who could dream a monsoon season so convenient! And check this out, I've got POWER! I'm still cool about boondocking on my lot though I'll admit that the past five weeks have been trying.

I have a particular outlook on new projects. If things fall into place at the very beginning, it's the right move. (They did.) Then, if problems pop up (and boy-oh-boy, did they ever!) it might be that my resolve is being tested. I know that life isn't a bed of roses, but even if it were, roses DO have thorns. . . (Pardon me for philosophising, I've earned the right to do so.)

Back to my problem with the regulator. I had followed the guide to identify what was wrong and come up with nothing other than the regulator since it failed to recharge the batteries. I greatly admire George  http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net who is so knowledgeable after more than 7 years on the road. Patient too. As a woman traveling alone, my goal had been security first. Later, while I was boondocking in the Arizona desert, there were so many experts in all areas related to full time boondocking that all I had to do was get on the CB radio and call for help. Someone would come and teach me. What a boon that was! (No pun intended).

Now in Mexico, in a rather small town, solar energy is in a state of development and focused on housing and industry. The trouble shooting guide kept indicating that a battery diode was faulty and I had thoroughly checked each and every one and found them all ok. At my wits' end, I called a solar energy technician across the border to help me identify what needed fixing. He figured that the regulator was most likely the culprit so I ordered a new one.

I'll make this long story shorter. (It DID last for weeks after all!) I got the new regulator, my deep-cycle batteries were found to be in excellent shape and fully recharged. However, after I'd installed the new regulator, the reading was the same! By then, thoroughly disgusted and in the absence of anyone qualified who could figure out what the problem still was, I appealed to local help and came Manuel, a young man who is a mechanic by trade here in Santillan. Manuel is bent on learning as much as he can in as many areas as possible. It helps that he's a little genius. He was determined to find out what was what. Methodically, he followed all wire connections and found the culprit hidden away in a tiny cubicle that rarely needs checking. A connection from the panels to the batteries where a fuse was located was too slack and the fuse had blown out. I simply had forgotten about that ONE fuse so remote is it in its tiny cubicle; I had checked all others. Oh well... I now have two regulators and will probably use both when I get a solar energy system installed for the house.

When I was traveling full time, I had a calendar of maintenance chores (believe me, there are many...) and religiously attended to each and every one. Those that were beyond my ken, I relegated to professional help. However, construction so occupied me in the past months that the chores calendar became secondary. Never again!

Regardless of the problems that crept up, I know that I'm in the right place. Like I know that my vagabonding ways are a thing of the past. And, how I do love Mexico and its many friendly people. The climate is incredible. Peter (Schuster) had told me about the climate here and he was right on. I would not change one iota. As I was telling my sister today, I have finally found my SPOT!  You can bet I will not budge from here. My bones will find a final resting place right here in Tequisquiapan, Mexico.

LiveJournal Tags: Solar energy,Tequisquiapan