Electric and Drainage - Week 22

Chui is still not feeling well enough to get back to work after his fall and may require next week off as well. This week I got the plumber/electrician out and we put in the drainage for 3.5 bathrooms (outside wash basin below the stairs and a toilet under them).

I was advised to buy a 4 meter pole for the electrical hookup but it turns out is was too long and wouldn't be well supported. We cut it back to almost 3 meters and cemented the castillo (column) around it. Then installed the two meter bases (basos) and installed a main breaker for each meter behind the wall. Also one outlet so have electric on the site. Will be headed for the CFE office in Cihuatlan next week to apply for installation from the pole.

Drainage plumbing runs along the outside of the house to a connection box (registro)

Breakers and an outlet

Two meter bases (basos)

Week Sixteen - Installing the Cistern

Brought in a backhoe on Monday to dig the hole for the cistern (fresh water holding tank) and the ditch for the wall foundation on side of lot. The tank is 2800 liters and cost $4000 pesos (less than $300us). At the bottom of the pit is a cement floor with rebar. They decided to put in 3 castillos (support posts) to tie it together. The form for the top is made a few feet away, also rebar reinforced. We'll see how easy it is to move next week.

It was the first time these guys had installed a plastic cistern (usually just a block box) so the plumbing presented a few new problems. We had conversations about venting, where the pipes go and height of the top above the tank. They had no problem with pipes coming out the top - but the top will be part of a patio. I talked them into another ring of block so pipes exit the side.

Next day I brought out our plumber and he had us turn the tank around so the 1" fitting aimed at where the pump will be. He also mounted the street shutoff on the front wall of the lot, made a spicket for garden water and ran the line back to the cistern. We then waited 'till after 1 pm for city water to start flowing

Building the container walls for the cisterna

Mixing cement for the lid - before the extra ring of blocks were added

Cisterna installed and plumbed with lid sitting in the background