Solar Renewal in Llachon

Fire destroyed Solar Power in Llachon Home
On January 18, a fire in the little kitchen in Asunta and Armando's home in Llachon, on the Capachica Peninsula, started at the 5 gallon propane tank and spread throughout the kitchen. The solar panels were mounted on the roof above the kitchen. When the fire spread to the battery, it exploded. The family had run far from the fire before the explosion, fearing that the gas bottle might blow (it didn't), and no one was hurt. Neighbors rushed to help and buckets of water saved the rest of the house.

This first picture is during the repair, as it will likely be the thumbnail for my Facebook Post, and I don't want to emphasize the battery!

So here is the battery and fire damage:

Panel fell, broke, and burned

Battery. You can see the plates.

Kitchen tools melted and destroyed

When we arrived the power was off!

The family had rigged up power from the neighbors after the fire, bringing a 220volt wire across the field so they could have lights and so Armando could play his electric piano. He is a serious composer and sometimes forgets to eat when he is deep at work. However, a lightning strike that morning had taken down the grid, which is fairly frequent in this town at the end of the power line on the Capachica Peninsula. We prepared dinner by headlamp and ate by candlelight, and decided that the solar system needed to be replaced.

Mariella Sarita, high school student who wants to be a lawyer when she grows up.

Last year the power had gone out all over Llachon and none of the students could study in the dark. Sarita was the only student who submitter her homework! Because her family had solar pwere, she had light to work by. After that incident, one other family in the village installed solar electricity!

Early the next morning, Sam and Armando and Silvano left before breakfast to go to Juliaca to buy and new panel and battery. Only it turned out that a big protest was going on in the city. 

Tires on fire and roads blocked in Juliaca

 They had to walk several more blocks than planned, and store doors were only open a crack until the marchers passed. Happily, they found willing merchants in the solar stores and found some good equipment. The charge controller was located in another room and had survived the fire. Testing it at the solar store proved its worth.

Solar store in Juliaca testing the charge controller.

Assembling the equipment

As soon as the guys got back to Llachon, we started assembling all the parts, including testing the second 100w panel that seemed to have survived the fire. After the soot was cleaned off, it was fine!

Uniting and wiring two 100w panels

 Installing the panels on the roof:

Young Jhoel keeps positive and negative wires separate

Asunta had been working on a new and colorful manta.

Of course, one of the main reasons we went to Llachon in the first place was to visit Kusi and her new 7-week old baby boy. He was slightly premature in his birth, but is progressing nicely. He was awake enough for a little baby bouncing on Tara's part.

Jhoshua with mama Kusi

 It rained all morning in Llachon while the guys were in Juliaca, but we did life--

Jhoel with the sheep

 I actually got to make a drawing from the shelter of their comfortable comedor (dining room) looking out this big picture window. My drawing was in the early misty light, but then the sun came out:

Asunta and Armando actually do have a room to rent for tourists. If you ever want to stay overnight on Capachica, it's a sweet place to stay--PLUS IT'S SOLAR POWERED!