The solar electric panel is installed...

The solar electric equipment has been installed.  There was some confusion at the end about how we wanted it hooked up, but I think that it has all been figured out.

We installed the system on a new building that is going to house the village medical/dental clinics, as well as the library.  The building is not quite done yet, so they haven't moved the equipment in.  We are hoping that it is finished before we leave next week so that we get to see it all operate.

The equipment consists of 4 solar panels and 6 batteries. The equipment was brought up from Beni in a trailer hooked to a tractor:

The batteries weigh about 75 kg each.  It was a struggle to get them up the steps and into the clinic.  Then came the decision of where to put them so that they weren't too heavy on any one spot on the floor...  I'm sure that the people in the library would not appreciate them crashing through!

Here's the frame going up on the roof...

(Hey, Debra - has anyone given any though into putting an access into the clinic from this side of the building?  Just a thought...)

Solar panels are up!  Now we just need some sun...

Here's the inside wiring.  Admittedly, I don't have a very deep understanding of electrical things.  Nipun - the electrical engineer in charge of the installation - was VERY patient with all of my dumb questions and requests for changes to increase flexibility.

Here's the front of the clinic.  I'll add some more pictures as things get finished off so to show how it looks when it is done.

Jessica is complaining that my blogging is too engineering-ish (ie boring and un-witty).  Sorry!  Guess who will be in charge of the next one :-)

Tomorrow we are leaving for Mohare.  It is a spot along the trekking trail where they have recently built a lodge, and we are checking it out because we will probably put a solar water heater in up there next summer.  Right now in Nangi, we are at about 2200 m (I think!) elevation.  Mohare is at about 3200 m - so we are going UP tomorrow.  We've been told that people from Nangi can reach Mohare in about 4 hours, so we expect that it'll take us all day!  Apparently from Mohare - if it is clear - there is a view of 27 tall Himalayan peaks.  Here's hoping it's clear...