Electrical

*Things Electrical* *and an Up-Date on the South House 2nd Floor*
American-style 3-prong duplex receptacles are just now beginning to find their way into Lerdo. I have seen them only in the internet cafes. We elected to stay with the traditional Mexican receptacle and switch system except in the bathroom, kitchen and outside where we will have GFI's (ground fault interrupters) for safety around water.

I love this Mexican system. It is inexpensive and very easy to work with. It consists of a plastic face plate that is available with one, two or three slots into which switch or receptacle modules can be snapped in place. Also available in this form are push button and 3-way switches, indicator lights, telephone and TV jacks. As you can see, gang wiring is easy. The wires are held by set screws that bind the wires in metal channels which will accommodate up to two #12 wires. There is an older form of this system with a gold colored metal face plate that is really tacky.

		Later a metal electrical box will be mortared into this slot in the bricks to accommodate a receptacle plate as show above. Here a box has been set in the concrete column next to the front door for a light and fan switch plate.


The header beams are almost done. Another week and we'll be ready to move the floor slab forms to the north building to begin work on the second floor slab there. With luck, we will have the roof completed before the Christmas week holiday.

The cost of the form lumber has not been included because it has con-siderable re-sale value. Its net cost will be included later. The costs shown here do not reflect the true costs for the floor slab phase because we have bought several things (electrical, plumbing, etc) for the entire project.	Cost to date of the south building 2nd Floor Shell (US$ at 9 pesos per dollar)
	Material	$1,909
	Labor	1,667
	S 2nd floor shell on 8/10	3,575
	Previous Phases:
	South 2nd Floor Slab South 1st Floor Shell North 1st Floor Shell Property Walls Property Purchase	7,056 7,648 7,958 7,085 24,003
		7,056 7,648 7,958 7,085 24,003
	PROJECT TOTAL on 8/10	$ 57,325	Next