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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Mothballing a home in Baja
I always wonder what I left open, on or undone when I exit Baja. It seems I always forget something. It's always a diffent scenario each time I leave.
This time the power was down like it always is in Mulege. Mostly tho it isn't a prob in the manana;. Usually just the city water is off
So when the power comes back on....wham, so does that air conditioner or anything else. This really sucks if you are 500 miles away when you
remember. I have a routine but it's based on real-time, not Baja time.
Now, do you other part-timers have a similar scenario or do you turn off everything and let Mother Nature take over. Since our city pressure is so
low one usually boosts the pressure with a pump and tank. So when I leave I switch back to low city pressure. With that said it's necessary to
ascertain if you can run a vacant household on 10-20 psi.
I have a drip system that works quite well on low psi. While inventing a no-clog emitter my dad realized a necessity to incorporate the ability to
function at very low pressures. In-line regulators keep the pressure at 20psi max. The emitters flush particulates upon line charging and shutdown.
This means that any dirt or sand that gets past the line strainer will be purged while turning on and off. This is a good thing where there seems to
be fine residual sediment in the city water supply. When the pila is used via the pressure assist the problem of dirt is much less.
I was looking at pics of before and after with my system. It is amazing how fast and furious things grow down there.
Turning off the power also turns off security and controllers and valves so importance is placed on battery back-up for programmers etc. The biggest
problem w/ my whole system comes from overzealous residents or people hired to water adjacent property. While the cats away......
Iam wondering if others have similar setups that allow them to return to a flourishing yard? It is helpful to have a person(like Bruce and family)
look in on yer place regularily to ck on status. 
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
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We turn off everything and let Mother Nature take her course, at least we THINK we've turned everything off....It usually hits us past the point of no
return that something MIGHT have been left undone, or still done, or half way turned off, or "I thought you turned that off"... We have mostly cactus,
so no worries about watering. It's the leakage in the house that we worry about. We do have good neighbors with a set of keys to keep an eyeball on
things. Without them we'd be in another worry bracket. If we could only turn off those big red water bugs that like to live in the bathrooms we'd be
cruisin'....
p<*)))><
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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"If we could only turn off those big red water bugs"
I know, but you have to completely drain the toilet dry in order to rid them completely. Poison just doesn't always last that long.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
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I'll do that next time. I also find them in the shower, so they must also find water down in the drain there as well.
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Reeljob
Nomad
Posts: 235
Registered: 12-1-2004
Location: Durango, CO
Member Is Offline
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TRY CLOROX IN ALL THE DRAINS AND VEGTABLE OIL IN THE TOILETS. PREVENTS EVAPORATION.
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Paulina
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3810
Registered: 8-31-2002
Location: BCN
Member Is Offline
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I spray the kitchen sink with WD40 to keep it from rusting, but never thought of what you mentioned.
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Great idea Durango - will try in on my next vacation from Baja
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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"They don't call em Waterbugs"
fer nuttin'!
| Quote: | Originally posted by Durango
TRY CLOROX IN ALL THE DRAINS AND VEGTABLE OIL IN THE TOILETS. PREVENTS EVAPORATION. |
Does this really work?? I realize bleach will discourage anything living....till it disapates. But how long will it be beneficial. The bugs seek out
the water. Will they just go crazy with that oil on top?
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Diver
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4729
Registered: 11-15-2004
Member Is Offline
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Your toilet trap, sink, shower and tub drains will always hold water until it evaporates. Then the buggers come in from the sewers.....yuck !
One of those rubber drain covers with a rock on top works well for the shower drains and sink drains. Compression test plugs also work if you can find
the right size. Toilets compression plugs are tougher to find but are the only way to ensure nothing in and nothing out.
.
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Reeljob
Nomad
Posts: 235
Registered: 12-1-2004
Location: Durango, CO
Member Is Offline
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Put clorox in toilets then about half cup of veggie oil. the oil will float on top of the clorox/water.
same for the traps. The oil will prevent evaporation.
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wornout
Senior Nomad
Posts: 595
Registered: 10-24-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Bad Days
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I use a checklist to shut down the house for extended periods. Then when I am driving away, I just call Bajalou to fix whatever I forgot to do.
Usually I shut down the big inverter and put my water timer on one of those 300 watt ones. My pump is a Surflo 12v. Haven't had any bugs come in
from the drains but then again, I worked one summer for a crop duster and still have some induatrial strength secret sauce for pests.
This Space Available, E-Mail Me If Interested.
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greybaby
Nomad
Posts: 182
Registered: 10-8-2004
Location: Idaho - formerly Cantu
Member Is Offline
Mood: Missing Baja
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Having left our house in Cantu last September and not having a chance to get back there until probably this fall, I hate to see how much dirt has
settled there. We did have friends from here visit it once but they have no concept of what it means to really turn everything off. If you've never
lived there it just doesn't compute.
Thankfully, we have a wonderful neighbor, Moises, who pays our power bill for us and keeps a watchful eye. Has even run off would-be buyers who have
been brought by a "friend" to sell it to them. Got the ejido and police involved to tell them they weren't welcome. Now that's why I love Baja. The
nationals who will do anything for you just because you're their friend. How I miss it there!
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jerry
Super Nomad
Posts: 1354
Registered: 10-10-2003
Location: loreto
Member Is Offline
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i have a different situation but i do use a 9 volt timer on my plants for irragation its programable for day of the week and duration and time got
it at wally world about $25.00 it goes tight on a spickot to a T then to the orange plastic tube buired aslong my plants i plug the ends off and use a
big fish hook to poke just the right size holes to acomadate the kind of plant im wateringhas worked well for the last 3 yrs oh i put a plastic bucket
over the time to prevent sun dammage
i have a friend check it once a week to make sure its working and the holes havent pluged and chack for banditos they also hire a local on a one time
basis to trim the plants ever 2 months or so its been working great so far knock on wood (knock Knock)
in have a moterhome and i drain all tanks close the valves put all hoses in the badaga close all windows and doors and vents
flip all the breakers at the meter ,the mains in the box breakers at the plug in and in the moter home park the vehical in front of the bagada
door cramp the locking steering wheel so it cant be move from in front of the door very easy double lock the gates and catch the taxie to the air port
when i get back i have to clean every surface because the dust in baja can go right throu glass and solid steel
i have had weavals but no cookaratchases or other bugs inside so far in 11 years its not sucure by any means but it just makes it harder for the
bandiatos so they go to the pidgons insted
have a good one
jerry and judi
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Yea, I'm always seeking the ideal scenario...plants happy, no varmints, low dirt accumulation.. and arrive with utilities ready and functional.  It's hard to have security w/o power tho.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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Sharksbaja I checked your house yesterday and all is fine.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64493
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Tell me about that emitter Sharks...
I started with the Global Flapper Emitter in 1980, then the Agrifim Iso-Flo emitter after '86 (both self-flushing)... Now using the PC Plus (turbulent
flow/PC emitter) for single point irrigating. Mostly use Netafim PC emitterline for landscape drip irrigation (emitters every foot pre installed in
the tube).
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Bruce R Leech
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6796
Registered: 9-20-2004
Location: Ensenada formerly Mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: A lot cooler than Mulege
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these things that Sharks has are really good . you can pump mud in to them and they wont plug. I have been in irrigation all of my adult life and I
have never seen anything like these units.
Bruce R Leech
Ensenada
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El Camote
Senior Nomad
Posts: 514
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Above the clouds
Member Is Offline
Mood: y Blues
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This is a great topic. The water in the toilet bowl always evaporates and leaves nasty rings but I figured leaving any source of water available just
encouraged the bugs and critters. I'll try the bleach/veg. oil solution. I always find several baby scorpions caught in the kitchen sink strainer,
often still alive. They can live forever w/o food or water it seems.
Made the mistake of leaving a half-full 5 gal. jug in the water cooler. Arrived back after several months and continued to drink the water until I
realized a slug, snail or similar had attached itself to the inner wall of the water container. Yeccch!  Have also found a variety of critters floating in the cistern including a complete rat. Man, did it stink after I
fished it out.
I do like wornout and shutdown the inverter and 12v water pump, especially since there's a faucet and outlets outside. Hardest thing to remember is
to securely lock every door and outside cabinet. Last trip down, removed the car cover from the Baja bug in shreds. Didn't even last a year - and
that's under a carport! Desert sun is brutal. I've had tires with lots of tread left, develop huge cracks and go flat from the sun torture.
Also, PVC plumbing fittings, especially in the trailer, need to be replaced every few years.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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One thing that heps the PVC outdoors is to paint it. Keep the UVs from hitting the pipe.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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Plastic and the sun...no bueno
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajalou
One thing that heps the PVC outdoors is to paint it. Keep the UVs from hitting the pipe. |
The PVC extruded flexpipe was manufactured exclusively for my dad's company. He utilized UV inhibitors and we bury it where possible. Using the
emitter with nipples for spaghetti tubing and his patented slotted insect stoppers complete burial is possible. For rodent control and water-seeking
critters he incorporated a non-toxic chemical to discourage nibblers
Painting outside pvc is a good idea. Crystalization occurs rapidly in the open sun where uv is high..
I use low flow/ low pressure 12v diaphragm valves coupled to a programmer with batt backup.
Camote, man you have your share of critters. Funny thing is, you'd think that big palapa of ours would rain down alacrans but I've only found two
little ones in over 2 years.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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