As a Dutch person who is from the Caribbean, we definitely love the air-conditioner down here. Especially since they all are "inverter" technology, doesn't use as much energy as before.
They also love them on the mainland but nobody loves the hassle of getting one installed.
It's also insurance related. Houses are insured based on also their insulation. Try making a hole in that insulation for an a/c without 'gezeik' as we say.
When I lived there I had a portable mini split unit. I ran that baby constantly during heatwaves. Blew every single-hose portable AC unit away.
I've had one job in my life, still at the same company. (8 years).
I applied cause the listing mentioned Python, and I was programming in Python at the time.
Once I started they were like yeah we put that there to reach a broader public but we use Ruby (on Rails).
So that's what I learned. I've just returned to Python via LLM's. I literally have not felt the need nor desire to use Python once I got used to writing Ruby.
Well the truth is we forget the time tracking system too. The solution is to keep the system in your face.
Maybe a programming/assembly analogy can help you understand the issue.
In my case, ADHD makes my brain want to work in a parallel way.
While I'm busy with task A it's like HEY CONDSIDER TASK B. Did you see C?
On good days, we see that and say NO OP - BUSY WITH TASK A. And refocus our mind.
Say it's a bad day...
Instead of CONSIDER TASK B, it's more like GOTO TASK B. And here it's equally harmful.
What should happen is the registers (context) of the CPU (brain) should be saved when task A stops. Likewise before task B starts it should be fully loaded into the brain.
None of these things happen for us.
So task A is left in an unfinished state, the context to finish it dissolved into thin air. Task B is started without properly being prepared which negatively impacts efficiency and performance.
And the moment the going gets hard, dopamine release decreased, you can feel it coming...
INTTERUPT - GOTO TASK C.
So it's managing that that's hard. Writing things down helps a lot, but good luck remembering to write :D
I think it's the reason why we ignore regulation. It's not really malice or greed, local government is just a mess. It takes months of waiting.
And when we "break the rules" we consider the rules and break them in a way that minimizes our liability.
Like the reason for the certified install is to protect the line workers. I live on an island, so that's basically my neighbours. Nobody wants them dead. Likewise nobody wants to go through bureaucratic hell.
Solution: grid-backed installs that doesn't interact with the grid. Which any Juan or Pedro can do if you don't want to do it yourself. It runs around $200 to add a new "electric group" to your house.
And to be fair the standard rate is 0.38 cents per kWh and some fixed rate. But the poor they force on the pre-paid package which has no fixed rate, but runs at that higher rate.
And so when you can't afford to buy the electricity you end up in the dark without giving the utility any moral obligations.
I live in the "Caribbean Netherlands", the largest island of the 3.
We get Chinese solar panels here. $175 and produces 550 watt.
We then get Chinese MPTT inverters, always 2 if you run your fridge on it lol.
$350 ish for one. The 5kW model. It's all one and the same.
You need a minimum of 3 panels.
So for less than $1000 you have 1.5 kWh with no storage.
Connecting the panels requires some care to ensure you stay within the parameters all GPTs know. Two pictures is all it takes. The spec label of your panel and that of your inverter.
I can't stress enough how easy it is.
The output of your inverter is 1 phase power. You can route that anywhere in your house safely since houses have.. circuits. So once the circuited is moved to the inverters grid, its seperated.. at the circuit breaker.
The scariest part was driving a screw through my roof.
The post you replied to isn't fully correct. I'll tell you how you could do this in many ways that prevents the fuse problem.
There's 3 ways to run solar.
Grid tied, grid backed and off grid.
I live on a farm and am off grid. The solar inverter is my "utility". After the inverter I have my main breaker. The inverter makes 5 kW max at 230 volts, so my fuse is 5000/230 = 20 amps.
I'm outside the US, regulation is a suggestion here everyone ignores. So many many houses have solar panels here to offset grid costs ($0.60 per kWh).
The main way we do it is make it grid backed. This means the inverter creates power that is in no way mixed with grid power. It forms a microgrid within the home. All ac's are connected to this. This can be done in the electrical panel as its just rerouting wires to fuses.
So then you have your 20A fuse behind the inverter, and smaller fuses (which you should already have) to your house loads. Btw you guys run 110v so your fuses are probably double the rating of ours.
When you do grid backed a battery is nice, since it helps prevent using the grid when a cloud passes by, it forms a bit of buffer. A 5kWh battery already helps. At night the grid powers the loads.
Grid-tied is the one nobody here uses, so you can feed back to the grid. This involves complicated electrical stuff so you don't electrocute the line workers. Plus it gets complicated with split phases and such.
Not to mention utilities pay less than what they ask you for the same kWh.
In the case of balcony solar you can feed the inverter utility power and connect your AC to the inverter. It uses solar power first and takes the needed diff from utility.
It is with much hesitation that I write this, because I just implemented such a flow.
My reasoning was this: my customers keep forgetting their password and somehow that becomes a trigger to contact me. No passwords, no problem.
I tried convincing them to use password managers but that was pointless.
But I see the pain and frustration so I will add passwords. And I quite liked the passkey idea, have to see how that works. Not that my customers would ever use it, but I would. It literally never occured to me.
I never heard of this quote, but "heard" something similar a while ago, must have been 2020.
I was watching a live worship session on Youtube and it was beautiful, kept my mind at peace.
Now mind you at the same time I was also a perfectionist, which means you tend to see imperfections in others.
Now at a certain point the singer's voice broke as she was hitting a high note. But before I could mentally register the imperfection I heard or felt such a clear gentle voice that said: "that was the most beautiful part".
In an instant it reframed the imperfect into perfect for that moment and thus forever.
And that's what your quote encompasses. Good read, thanks for sharing.
They also love them on the mainland but nobody loves the hassle of getting one installed.
It's also insurance related. Houses are insured based on also their insulation. Try making a hole in that insulation for an a/c without 'gezeik' as we say.
When I lived there I had a portable mini split unit. I ran that baby constantly during heatwaves. Blew every single-hose portable AC unit away.