Cebu Electricity

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Click on thumbnails to view larger images in a separate window.

Above is a view of one of two home generators that I currently own. This unit is a 3,000 watt, 220vac generator. It is made by Powermate, a common name in the US. This unit currently runs most of the necessary electrical appliances in my home, and is kept in the dirty kitchen out back. I ran a circuit to the dirty kitchen specifically for the generator. Once line service has dropped, I simply kill the main breaker feeding the house and close a double pole-double throw switch for the generator, allowing it to feed into the entire home. The 3,000 watt unit also offers a 12vdc charging circuit to charge 12volt automobile or motorcycle  batteries, as needed.

Incidentally, the dirty kitchen has proven to be a fantastic generator house, offering security (lockable door) and more than adequate ventilation for the flow of fresh air and engine exhaust.

This is a "new" alternator that I acquired late last year (2007). It is a 5,000 watt unit, which is currently set up to be driven by a belt and pulley configuration. I have not decided if I will keep it set up this way, or if I will attach it directly to a (diesel or petrol) motor. If I do, it should be about an 8 horsepower unit, for optimal performance and economy. Anyway, it has a twist lock, full power plug, at 120 / 240 volts. It also has a dual 120volt power point to receive two, three-prong, grounded plug.

This is a (single) 1000 watt voltage converter, that is common in the Philippines. It transforms 220vac to 110vac, for US made appliances. I feel that this is the single, largest transformer you would need for any appliance in your home. I  do know a number of guys here who run 5,000 watt units in their homes.

This is a 50 watt version of the unit to the left, but still costly for its size, at Php 425 for a 50 voltage watt transformer, vs. Php 3,200 for the 1,000 watt version.

 

Please note that all of these transformers will draw 220vac electricity while plugged into the power point, even if an appliance is not plugged into it.

This is a dual purpose unite, a Zebra ZP-88 Power Protection Circuit, that you would purchase to protect window mounted air-conditioners, high ampere draw appliances. The two purposes it serves are as follows.

1. Over-Under Voltage Protection: It protects for over-under voltage going to the appliance. If the voltage goes over or drops under a preset limit, the unit will cut the power flowing to the appliance. This will happen even if power continues to be provided to the  It will then use its second feature to make sure of a safe restart of the appliance, the five minute timer.

2. Five Minute Delay Timer: An internal five-minute timer delay begins to count, once power has been restored to the house. If a brief lapse in utility power occurs, or if the voltage exceeds the upper or lower limits set in the unit, it will stop voltage flow to an air-con, for example so as not to burn up the compressor.

Once utility or emergency power has been introduced to the home circuits, the (left side image) red indicator will illuminate and the five-minute timer will begin to count. After five-minutes, (right side image) the green lamp will illuminate showing power has been restored to the appliance.

Here is a typical wall receptacle in my home. It is identical the the two-conductor flat bladed receptacles in the US. It is also the standard for many Filipino homes. Typically, you will find only two - conductor wire, without the third prong for a ground (bond), as you will in the US. The two pronged plugs are like it used to be in the US, years ago.

On the left is an image of a basic 2 pronged flat plug which would be connected to typical 2 conductor wire. The image on the right is of a basic surface mount type receptacle (power point) for (220vac) voltage in the Philippines. The  power point (socket) can be connected for low (e.g. refrigerators) or high (e.g. air-cons) ampere drawing appliances.

This is a typical plug adapter, usually about Php 40, which are commonly found in most Philippines hardware stores. They serve to convert most foreign male plugs from other countries. If you go to the larger hardware stores, either in SM or Ayala Mall, you will find these, as well as a wide variety of other adapters, voltage converters (as seen in the top-right image), and other powering devices, such as UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) battery backups, as shown below. However, the brands of UPS products found in hardware stores typically will not be APC. APC is commonly found in most computer/electronics stores, as their equipment is far superior to other UPS manufacturers.

This is an APC (American Power Conversion) brand UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply), which will continue supplying power to designated electrical appliances, computers, etc., during the brief period between utility voltage drop and cranking a generator. I use this particular one, specifically for my network. Believe me, this is a very worthwhile piece of hardware, especially when you have an entire network (or other voltage sensitive equipment) in your home. No more rebooting modems, routers and voice over adapters. I am much happier now, since I connected this unit inline, as it also provides over and under voltage protection for sensitive hardware.

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Revised: 03/24/08 03:44:17 +0800