Off to Fiji

[richhagen]

I am about an hour away from heading out to O'hare Airport here in Chicago and heading off on a little mission to Fiji.  I am meeting BTHumble at Nadi Airport in Fiji, and heading with him over land to the Capital City of Suva.  I had pre-shipped a bunch of stuff there, but have not received word back on whether any or all of it arrived.  I will have 180 Watts of solar packed in my suitcases (if it makes it there unbroken)  and a small 1200 Watt inverter, along with some other odds and ends.  Ben is bringing equipment as well, and the plan is basically to upgrade/improve the computer lab at the school on Vanua Balavu that we worked on last year.

For information on last years trip see:  http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2007/6/5/85322/76409

I shipped out an Outback FX2012ET inverter for the school, as they have some desktop type computers that were donated, and the science class has some electric items such as microscope lamps that run off of 220V 50hz power as well.  I broke it down into several parts, the heaviest being the bottom of the case with the transformer potted into it.  I did this because there is a weight limit on what will go out to the island with the mail on the small plane that makes a weekly passenger trip and delivers the mail and 70 pounds is a bit over it.  I have not received word on whether all of the parts made it yet.  





Hopefully it will go back together without incident, otherwise I will be trying elicit some help from boB or someone to get it up and running.  (It's not like it could have been sent back from there for warranty service anyway since to ship it there and back would be about the same as the units cost)

I will post some updates and possibly photos if I can find a way to upload them from somewhere there.  It should be fun, Rich  

[DamonHD]

Hope it all goes well!

Rgds

Damon

[Bruce S]

Rich;

 Thanks for the post/update.

Still bummed about NOT being able to make it.

I sm real interested in how your new lights work out.

Safe travels

Bruce S

[richhagen]

Well, I am back at the Nandi, Fiji Airport, and will be flying back to the U.S. tonight.  Taking the inverter apart for shipping proved to be a disaster as had been suggested.  (Adventure is bad planning)  Some of the boxes shipped out never arrived there, or at least did not before I departed from the island.  What boxes did arrive were really smashed up, it looked like they were used as rugby balls.  I pictured some guy stomping on a pile of boxes into a ships hold saying 'I think we can get another two on the boat'.  How much force  does it take to break the aluminum case of a well built outback inverter?  Still most of the critical parts arrived, and we found or made substitutes for others.  The panels, and the second 'back up' inverter made it OK, and are mounted and in place.  The new lap top computers are there and the printer we picked up as well.  I will post a big write up like last years as soon as I get home and recuperate from the travel a bit.  Ben is on his way back to Sydney Airport already.  All in all, it was a fun adventure.  Rich