Episode Summary
In this episode of The Expat Files, Johnny Mueller reflects on the unique experiences of expats in Latin America, highlighting the cultural and generational connections that resonate with his audience. He begins by discussing the demographic of his listeners, particularly boomers, and how they relate to cultural and media references from their youth. Johnny acknowledges the similarities between his radio style and that of Casey Casey, a famous boomer-era radio personality, and shares a humorous anecdote from a listener, Jeff, about a memorable encounter with Casey during their honeymoon in Honolulu. Jeff describes Casey as a small, flamboyant figure with a distinctive radio voice and a lot of gold jewelry, and Johnny humorously accepts the comparison.
The segment then shifts to a discussion on the term 'chappies' or 'chappia daughters,' referring to women perceived as gold diggers, often associated with gold-plated jewelry. Johnny explains the origin of the term, noting that it comes from the Spanish word 'chapiado,' meaning gold-plated. He highlights that in Latin America, real gold jewelry is preferred, but many women cannot afford it and opt for gold-plated alternatives, which can symbolize a lack of genuine affection. He reads an email from Sven, a 52-year-old psychologist, who comments on the prevalence of gold diggers on dating apps and questions whether American women are also guilty of this behavior. Sven shares insights from his counseling experience, noting that some deal breakers for men are trivial, while others are serious, and that some women are willing to trade their looks for financial security. Johnny acknowledges the issue and mentions how platforms like TikTok have exacerbated the problem by showcasing gold-digging behavior.
The episode also includes a question from Bert in South Dakota about mandatory vehicle inspections in Latin American countries. Johnny explains that while Chile and Brazil have mandatory inspections, most countries do not. He notes that newer vehicles, especially from the U.S., have cleaner emissions but face strict regulations in cities like Mexico City, including alternate-day driving laws and restrictions on foreign license plates. He mentions that rental car companies like Hertz provide tourist passes to bypass these restrictions, while smaller companies may not. The segment concludes with an email from John T. discussing safety concerns in Tijuana and Los Cabos, highlighting the complexity of safety perceptions in the region.
Johnny then shifts to a discussion on hybrid solar systems, explaining how they can switch between off-grid and grid power automatically. He notes that while some people prefer selling excess power back to the grid, he personally prefers being completely off-grid. He mentions a CEO's advice to secure permission to sell back power now, as it may become harder in the future. Johnny shares feedback from listeners, including a comment from Horatio about solar systems in Germany, such as balcony solar panels with microinverters. He explains the limitations of these systems, like their low power output and inefficiency when not horizontal. He concludes by comparing them to solar systems for mobile homes and offering a tip for listeners.
Finally, Johnny provides advice on installing solar systems in Latin America, recommending the use of local companies due to their competitive pricing, guarantees, and access to high-quality Chinese-made equipment. He highlights Lux Power as a leading brand for inverters and emphasizes the importance of checking with local installers for better deals. He also shares a humorous anecdote about a gringo who had a suit altered in Guatemala, only to find the ticket still valid after a long absence, illustrating the cultural and logistical challenges expats may face.
Episode Notes
Join Johnny Mueller as he shares his experiences and insights on living, working, and thriving as an expat in Latin America. From cultural references and dating dynamics to vehicle regulations and solar energy, this episode offers a mix of humor, practical advice, and real-life stories.
For more episodes, seminar information, resources, and the full archive, visit ExpatPlanB.com.
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Topics
Demographics of the audience, Cultural references from the boomer era, Radio personality comparisons, Listener engagement and anecdotes, Gold diggers, Cultural perceptions of jewelry, Dating apps and behavior, Vehicle inspections in Latin America, Vehicle emissions and pollution in Latin America, Driving restrictions in Mexico City, Safety concerns in Tijuana and Los Cabos, Hybrid solar systems
Chapters
00:00:00 Opening 00:00:14 Introduction to the Show and Audience Demographics 00:01:15 Boomer References and Radio Personalities 00:03:24 Listener Anecdote and Comparison to Casey Casey 00:05:52 Introduction to the concept of 'chappies' and gold diggers 00:06:59 Sven's email about gold diggers and deal breakers 00:09:44 Discussion on the prevalence of gold diggers and the impact of social media 00:10:40 Response to Bert's question about vehicle inspections in Latin America 00:11:50 The Repair Shop Receipt Workaround 00:12:14 Mandatory Vehicle Inspections in Latin America 00:12:24 Pollution Trends in Latin America 00:13:36 Driving Restrictions in Mexico City 00:15:15 Safety Concerns in Tijuana and Los Cabos 00:17:26 Hybrid Solar Systems and Off-Grid Living 00:18:48 Advantages of Selling Power Back to the Grid 00:19:25 Solar Innovations in Germany 00:21:44 Limitations of Vertical and Non-Horizontal Solar Panels 00:23:09 The Benefits of Local Solar Installers in Latin America 00:26:31 The Importance of Checking Local Installers for Better Deals 00:27:34 Conclusion and Call to Action for Expats
Transcript
Automatically transcribed from the original recording; names and wording may contain errors.
[00:00] South of the border down Mexico way That's where I fell in love when the stars above came up to play and now I wonder Hello there all you ex-pad wannabes. I'm Johnny Mueller and you're listening to the expat files living in Latin America The show that tells you just what it's like to live work play and or retire down here in Latin America It's a mix of the good the bad the ugly and the great and it's all right here. So let's get started Now I don't know how many boomers are listening to this show I have to think at least a quarter of my listeners are boomers By the way, if you're hearing some dings and booms and POWs There's still some massive construction going on with the building next door. I can't help that. The shoe must go on
[00:49] anyway, I got a feeling that about a quarter of all you guys and gals listening out there are boomers because of Certain references you make when you send me emails now. Remember a boomer is someone who was born before 1964 so the youngest of boomers are around 61 years old now Anyway, I know when people reference certain names that they're boomers because Gen X Y and Z I'm sure never heard of these guys Like for example the famous dead DJ Casey case him only boomers remember that guy same thing with Dick Clark or Wolfman Jack Who was in fact pretty annoying? Larry King what a lightweight he was softball questions and all that and how about Don Kirchner? Remember he had the midnight special Don Kirchner's rock concerts every Friday at midnight
[01:38] And then there was Billy Graham not the evangelical guy, but the owner of the famous Fillmore East and West Anyway, I can't get away the fact that so many boomers are still sending me emails saying I sound like Casey case him Hey, I'm not denying it. I probably do But not knowingly cuz I really didn't like the guy much myself He was a product of his time and all that, you know Yep, a lot of those famous guys and gals if they were young and vital today They'd probably be flipping burgers or pumping gas. How about soupy sales only boomers remember that guy Oh, and there was that serious little guy with the big head Ted Koppel. Not that he was big-headed Egotistically, he just had a big frickin head also about four foot. Nothing. Yep. Some people remember those names Boomer era guys completely forgotten today. Oh and just a little aside here
[02:25] Ever noticed that there's a certain point in your life when you realize you're not hip with the trip anymore You're no longer part of the young up-and-coming generation Well, I'll tell you what for me the realization came when I was reading Rolling Stone magazine Because you see I was one of those guys always I mean always since high school had a subscription to Rolling Stone had it all through college through my 20s Even till I was around 30 That's when I realized I didn't recognize half of the new musical talents and new bands coming out And I thought to myself if I don't know who this person is or this band is on the cover of Rolling Stone this month Man, if I never heard of them before I'm just not getting it anymore And when three-quarters of the stuff on the radio Not only do I not recognize who's doing it and I'm thinking man, this music kind of sucks. It's way too derivative
[03:13] That's when I knew I just wasn't part of the hip generation anymore So it happened to me when I was about 30 How about you which brings me to this email from Jeff from Clearwater, Florida? He was one of those many listeners who wrote quite a few months ago telling me how much I sounded like Casey case them Now if you were listening back then you probably remember me talking about it Anyway, he sent me another email and he said Johnny. Thanks for the shout out reading my email on your recent show I got a big laugh out of your Casey case some description All right me Johnny. I'll interrupt here for a minute. I wasn't too complimentary Regarding Casey case him but hey, I'm entitled to that opinion because so many people say I sound like him anyway being that I wasn't very complimentary I said if it wasn't for his stature in the radio business his popularity
[04:00] He'd probably be working at chicken licking or he'd be driving a cab in New York City I mean look the guy's about four foot nothing and he's got a face that would stop a clock and I'm six foot And I haven't stopped any clocks lately. So I got that going for me. Anyway, Jeff from Clearwater, Florida says Johnny I got a big laugh out of your Casey case him description. You are so correct about the guy funny story, too He says in 1982 my wife and I were on our honeymoon on the way to Singapore We scheduled a few days rest in Honolulu on the way We were staying at the rather exclusive Kahala Hilton on the quiet side of Diamond Head We were down at the pool one afternoon and looked up from our lounge chairs to spot this very dark four-foot, whatever Casey case him Alongside him was this very chesty beautiful blonde
[04:49] She appeared to be at least six foot tall. He says to me little Casey looked almost like a 13 year old boy next to her I'll never forget that scene. It was so funny Casey was weighted down with huge gold chains around his neck and a big gold male bracelet Trying way too hard to be a real cool cat and funny Johnny I don't mean this racially but his Arab skin was so deeply suntanned. He looked exactly like an African-American He was trying so hard to be seen so busy work in the room from his pool chair When he caught me looking at him from my chair about six feet away He cracked a big smile not it and waved at my wife and said hey kids How you doing with that unmistakable radio voice of his of course? I smiled back and said hi Casey and boy Johnny. He seemed pleased his punch to be spotted by a fan
[05:40] Anyhow Johnny, I did listen to him back in the mid 70s into the 80s and always enjoyed his great radio style Your style Johnny is very similar indeed and is part of the reason I've enjoyed your show for years So I thought you'd enjoy this little story signed Jeff Clearwater, Florida Well, thanks for that Jeff. I guess I'll have to ask Santa Claus for some gold chains You know that whole four foot nothing Casey Kasem and his six foot tall beautiful wife reminds me of that gold digger theme We hit on once in a while in the show. You remember the Spanish name, right? Chapia Dora or chappies for short. Remember that word. Chappia Dora or chappy comes from the base word Chapiado or Chapiada, which means gold plated Originally attributed to fake or costume jewelry. So then how did that label come about the thing is?
[06:29] It's infinitely preferable throughout the world here in Latin America to for a girl aware Real gold chains and real gold bracelets and earrings, right? But 99% of them don't they wear gold plated because they can't afford the real thing fake gold jewelry gold plated And since they're real allegiances to a guy's money the professed love she has for him is fake anyway, that whole subject gives me the opportunity to read this little email from a 52 year old psychologist named Sven He says Johnny occasionally you talk about gold diggers on your show Chappies or Chapia daughters there seems to be an epidemic over those creatures on the dating apps But it's not all one-sided you talk about latinas being gold diggers. What about American ladies? Do you avoid calling them?
[07:16] Chapia daughters too because you don't want to offend your female audience. I wonder he says he says I'm a 52 year old psychologist I've counseled many couples in the midst of a breakup and some of the stories my patience clients Tell me would blow your mind. I Often hear some of my American lady clients talking about the deal breakers in men that turn them off Some deal breakers are serious. Some are trivial. Some are understandably turn offs Like for example when a guy's way too short for a girl when he's got dirty hands or dirty nails Sweats a lot bad hygiene then I hear about deal breakers that don't seem like deal breakers at all to me Like for example a guy who eats with his mouth open for many ladies. That's a deal breaker yet
[08:04] I never had a male client say a woman's chewing habits were a deal breaker as is no sense of humor But how do you grade that maybe he's got a great sense of humor when he's around the guys But his girlfriend's personality just doesn't bring that out in him I've had ladies tell me deal breakers and turn offs for them are men who are obsessed with sports Some girls dump a guy because his life is just messy in general and even guys who snort while laughing Can be a big turn off. Yeah, you heard me, right? Some people say a turn off in men a deal breaker is a guy who snorts while laughing He says Johnny I can agree with some of that but I've also watched many women go for the five foot four 290-pound snaggle-tooth guy with a mullet. I've been a witness to it all Johnny
[08:50] I've seen very attractive ladies hook up with their ugly horse-faced. No personality boss Some ladies will tolerate a guy with horrible body odor as long as he's wearing a real Rolex has a boat a beamer and A bankroll. Yes, there's a good percentage of women out there who would readily trade on their looks for security and the high life Funny how money does that? Oh and Johnny if you want to see some fireworks Next time you're at a mixed gathering a get-together throw out the following question to all the women there ask this Would you rather be a struggling middle-class housewife married to an average working-class guy? Or the kept woman the lover the number two or number three girl in the life of a billionaire Ask that question Johnny and watch how the ladies will lie science fan Columbus, Ohio
[09:36] Well Sven thanks for that sounds to me like you've had some relationship problems yourself or is it you just like whacking the horn its nest But you are right gold diggers are everywhere and those internet dating sites tik-tok and only fans have only exacerbated the problem I personally think there are lots and lots of gold diggers and chappy adores out there who Probably would not have been if not for seeing all the other chappy adores on tik-tok Bragging about how easy it is to wangle the cars the trips to jewelry out of lonely gullible guys though Some might say they deserve it since neither party seems happy not the man who soon enough feels like a fool nor the girl Desperately pleading for relevance on tik-tok All right, how about this email from Bert in South Dakota? He says Johnny do any Latin American countries have mandatory
[10:25] vehicle inspections or emissions testing signed Bert PS anxiously waiting for you to announce your next seminar dates Well Bert good questions about the next seminar. No solid dates selected yet We'll keep you posted as for the other thing do Latin American countries have vehicle emissions testing or inspections I say Bert This is where I should insert a very very long laugh track with a few snorts in there, too Burt Burt I kind of get the idea you have not been on the roads very much down here in Latin America The truth is things are always in flux here in Latin America and sometimes countries announced They're gonna have vehicle inspections or emissions inspections. They haven't for a while
[11:11] Then suddenly they disappear or they never follow through for example Costa Rica I remember many many years ago thirty years ago now is living in Costa Rica And yes, you had to go once a year to a vehicle emissions testing station And you know how long that lasted about one year What a coincidence huh because you see the way it worked is if your car didn't pass the admissions test and about half of them Didn't which also included a vehicle inspections test like you know seeing if your headlights work your horn You didn't have any cracked windows, etc Well as it turns out if there was anything wrong with your car You'd have something like 14 days to go to a repair shop and have it fixed And the repair shop receipt would be the proof of it Well guess what you could just pull into a repair shop give the guy ten bucks and you give you a receipt
[11:57] Because a lot of times you know, especially with catalytic converters and such repairs are so expensive that in Costa Rica Anyway, the repairs were worth more than the piece of shit you were driving So the workaround was easy ten or twenty bucks and the repair shop would issue a receipt But as of now as of today Chile and Brazil are the only two countries that have mandatory vehicle inspections That's two out of twenty Latin American countries But here's the thing Expections are not I have noticed over the past thirty something years I've been down here that the pollution the visible pollution the stuff you can see coming from cars buses, etc Is so minimal compared to just a couple of decades ago that it really is like night and day What I mean is that these days it's so rare to be behind a vehicle that's blowing smoke
[12:44] Yet when I first got down here about every fifth car blew smoke and certainly every chicken busted now Of course, that doesn't mean in the air in the big cities clean Certainly there's lots of unseen pollutants coming out of tailpipes of vehicle But you have to remember as years go by cars and truck manufacturers are always tightening up on the pollution spec and those vehicles Do end up down here in Latin America. So when they first land down here in Latin America They have cleaner exhausts right off the bat But still if you're in a big city when you wake up in the morning and look out the window You will undoubtedly see a line of demarcation between the clear blue sky and the dirty sort of city smog Hanging over the city But luckily since Latin America has lots of extreme weather patterns Most of that stuff will get blown away in a couple hours and won't hang around except of course in cities that were built in Valleys then they've got that inversion effect like Mexico City
[13:33] Which seems to be in a never-ending cloud of smog Which is why Mexico City has alternate day driving laws as part of its oi no circular Programma, which means today your car cannot circulate program So in Mexico City it depends on the number your plate ends in whether you can drive on Monday Wednesday Friday or Tuesday Thursday and Saturday And if that doesn't ruin your day think about this if you bring your car down from the United States Let's say you drive down through Mexico, which is not recommended but a lot of people do it and you drive to Mexico City cars with foreign license plates like any car coming from the states are not allowed to drive from 5 in the morning to 11 in the morning on weekdays and 5 in the morning to 10 p.m. One Saturday a month
[14:20] That's in addition to the even odd last number on your plate thing For example, let's say the last license plates digit of a vehicle from, Illinois is three Well, then from Monday to Friday, it may not be driven between 5 a.m. And 11 a.m And on Wednesday, it can't be driven between 5 a.m. And 10 p.m. Along with that Saturday restriction as mentioned which begs the question. What about a rental car? Well, as it turns out, for example, if you get a Hertz rental at the Mexico City Airport They'll give you a 14-day tourist pass so you can drive that car every day Continuously if you want for 14 days But not all rental companies will give you that pass only the big ones like Hertz or Avis Obviously the international more expensive rental car companies not the mom-and-pop rent-a-rack outfits
[15:09] So definitely ask before you rent that car. All right, here's an email that came in a while back better late than ever It's from John T. He says Johnny. I remember sending you an email about a woman born in Tijuana She says she lives there part time of the year because it's safe and away from the narcos Now I'm sending you another story here, which would seem to contradict that Alright allow me to read some bullet points from this contradictory story. All right news from Baja California Sur You know that little peninsula that jets off from California that is actually part of Mexico It starts out the governments of Canada and the US have issued a security alert for travelers going to Los Cabos Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo and La Paz following a series of violent incidents in the state of Baja
[15:57] California sir the alert comes after several reports of shootings and clashes between civilians and police throughout last week Three passenger buses were also set on fire in Los Cabos Then separate attacks in the area surrounding Los Cabos claimed the lives of three high-ranking law enforcement officials including two soldiers and the commander Of the narco unit of Baja California. It says both incidents are presumably related to the recent appearance of narco Montas in English, that means banner or sign These signs that were put up it says at the Los Cabos International Airport announced cartel threats in the area Mmm, so I guess that means if you're flying into Los Cabos International Airport, you're gonna see some signs Let's say beware of narco threats
[16:45] Meanwhile John T who wrote this email to me says his neighbor a woman born in Tijuana Says it's safe. Hmm. So what do you make of that? what would you do for example if you flew into LAX or O'Hare field or Kennedy Airport in New York and you saw signs posted there Saying beware of narco's just saying well, maybe they should have warning signs Especially in Chicago should say beware of stray bullets and drive-by shootings All right moving on remember a couple of shows ago I offered to send any of you listeners my latest greatest off-grid solar plan I made that offer because I'm deep into building a new solar system right now. By the way, it's a hybrid solar system Maybe you haven't heard that word But hybrid means it's multifunctional meaning you could go completely off the grid and for example
[17:31] If your batteries run out of power because you've overused it at night Whatever as soon as your batteries discharged to a certain level it switches automatically over to the grid Seamlessly the other function of a hybrid system is that you could set it up So if you're producing extra energy, let's say during the day, you could sell it back to the grid Which you heard me say in a previous show is not a good idea Not for me anyway, because you have to sign all kinds of forms and get permission from the electric company I personally would rather be completely off the grid with no involvement of the government or the electric company at all But some people really like the idea of selling back their excess power to the grid Besides the cost savings that can think of another reason think of this if you're ever gonna sell your place That's a huge bargaining chip for the new owner. Why?
[18:17] Well, I was just talking to the CEO of a very big solar installation company here in Latin America They do giant projects hotels hospitals banks insurance companies gas station. Anyway, he advised me He says if you have a solar system I recommend you make that deal with the electric company to be able to sell power back to the grid Because even though you'll have to get an inspection and sign some paperwork He said to get this as more and more people get solar panels and go off the grid Electric companies will be less and less likely to let you sell it back to them But once you've got permission and the documents are signed and the deals made they can never retract it You're always able to sell back any time in the future, even though I'll never do it others Certainly will most people I think would be on board for that Anyway, after that previous show where I mentioned I'm setting up a new solar system
[19:04] I got lots and lots of people asking me to send them the plans and if you're sending a bunch of them out I got lots of thank-yous and a couple of comments like for example this one from Horatio. He says John Thank you very much for your links Johnny. Your solar system is truly robust and impressive He says I can't swing it right now at the moment, but eventually I'll settle down and plan it But what really caught my attention lately is what your compatriots are doing in Germany For example, they've got balcony solar panels with individual microgrid inverters whose outputs are simply plugged into receptacles My question is Johnny. Why don't we see this in Latin America? At least I haven't seen it in Mexico where distributed solar generation could really help bring down the cost of high electricity And in places like Mexico and Latin America where electrical codes like the NEC are not strictly enforced
[19:54] Best regards signed Horatio. Well Horatio. Thanks for the info and the link to that article What he's talking about here folks is that in Germany you could buy a system that has a couple of solar Panels and you hang them outside your balcony window on your apartment complex And each setup has a little micro inverter that you plug right into the nearest regular electrical outlet So while the sun's out It's powering your appliances and stuff that you've got plugged into your outlets in the house And if you got nothing plugged in it's feeding that power back into the grid like a hybrid unit I was just talking about and Horatio is asking why aren't they selling those things in Latin America? Well, they probably will but think of this unless your apartment is high up in a residential tower There is always a danger you'll come home one day and it'll be gone Because it's just hanging right outside your balcony
[20:41] And if it's close to ground level and people know you get free energy out of it It's gonna be awful tempting now aside for that a few years ago I was in Germany and one of my engineering buddies was telling me about this new solar paint Everyone was gonna be using pretty soon He even showed me a couple of new construction projects where you paint the walls with this solar paint And it's got some special current carrying electrodes to and whenever the Sun hits it you got electricity Well, guess what? It was a viable product but never took off at the same time my buddy He's an engineer too. He showed me some double and triple glazed windows They were using in Germany that had lots and lots of little tiny Transparent solar cells impregnated in them and that means any window in your house if the Sun was shining on it would produce electricity And it was true. Well, I saw that a couple of years back and that never took off either
[21:30] Whether it was too expensive or just wasn't that efficient Who knows the thing you have to remember is no matter where you put your solar panels if they're not Horizontal if they're vertical like hanging from a balcony or painted on the side of a wall or a solar window They're only gonna get Sun a certain percentage of the day and the steep 90 degree angles are gonna cut down on the efficiency, too So there are lots of great ideas out there, but it's a matter of cost and efficiency. Oh and Horatio I noticed with that system in Germany, they're limiting the solar output at the electrical outlet to 800 watts or 3 amps Well, you know what that will not power much Except your lights and computers and stuff It won't power up a microwave oven nor refrigerator washer dry or anything with a decent motor 800 watts
[22:17] That'll help but it'll never get you completely off the grid unless you've got a hell of a lot of balcony space and again It's only gonna put out a couple hours a day when the Sun's shining pretty much directly on the panels You know, it reminds me a lot of those solar power systems people buy for their mobile homes and trailer You know where they've got a couple of solar panels on the roof of the thing and when they can't they could fold Out a couple more definitely a good idea. But with many limitations now while we're talking about this solar stuff I'm gonna give you a little tip that can really come in handy Here's what I've noticed if you're living in Latin America anywhere in Latin America You can go on the country's version of Craigslist and cuantro venti cuatro or whatever it is Even fake book market play put in solar panels or solar contractors Whatever and wherever you are, whatever country and there's gonna be 20 or 30 different solar system sellers and installers
[23:09] One-stop shops that'll do it all they'll sell you all the components mount the panels hook up the inverter Do all the wiring to your breaker panel, etc, etc, and they'll even give you a nice guarantee sometimes five even ten years and you know I think that's a very good idea because labor is so cheap here in Latin America and the equipment class is pretty much the Same as up in the States. Why not get a local company to do it and you'll get the guarantee, too The thing is though you want a company that it's been around five or so years and has done many installations Many of them fit that bill now Here's the thing though when you get one of these companies to come over to your house and you say design me a system That'll get me completely off the grid, etc, etc They'll have a few of their favorite products. They want to sell you There are tons of different solar panels and inverters out there with I'd say about 90% of them being made in China
[23:58] Nothing wrong with that though. If it's a company like Lux power lux p o w er look it up I'm talking about the inverter and batteries now there are lots of different solar panels you can get pretty much anything they'll all work and they all have basically 20 or 25 year Guarantees and these days the best ones are putting out around 600 to 650 watt. It's just amazing Anyway, as far as the solar panels themselves You almost can't go wrong with any of the brands that have been around for a while But the inverters man that can be a crapshoot. Here's something most people don't know There's a company in China biggest solar power inverter company in the world called lux power l u x p o w er They've got over three hundred Thousand installations around the world. They're sort of the industry standard for a home solar in China and Asia India Japan
[24:47] That's not to say there aren't lots of other very good solar inverter company anyway what a lot of American solar companies have done as they partnered up with Lux power and They simply rebrand the things they look exactly the same, but they've got another brand on them a different logo So then what do you get if you buy one of these rebranded lux power units from an American company? Well, you get American tech support in perfect English And they'll give you a little bit more warranty five years or so as an incentive to buy from them long story short The system I'm installing right now is an EG for system from an American company in Texas Well, guess what? I found out it was gonna cost me $5,000 to have it shipped down from Texas with the taxes and shipping and insurance etc. Etc
[25:32] That's what three big 14 point 3k batteries that weigh about 300 pounds each Then by hook and cook I found out that eg4. I was just about to order It's just a rebranded Lux power unit and down here in Latin America almost all the good solar power installers Stacked and install Lux power units so I was able to buy the very same inverter down here from a solar installer and the three battery combo for $5,000 less than ordering it from that American company in the States So what I'm saying is just do your homework when you're thinking of doing solar here in Latin America check with all the local Solar sellers and installers ask them about their hybrid inverters specifically Lux power, of course, there are other good ones like grow watt soul arc and phase and lots of others
[26:23] Which are also mostly made in China except solar, but none except Lux power have 300,000 units in the field So bottom line if you go to a US company, you're still getting mostly Chinese made stuff My advice check with some of the local installers in your Latin American country They're probably selling the same products with a huge discount because they're getting this stuff shipped directly from China Not China to the States and then to Latin America. Oh, we're near the end Here's a little story for you a gringo takes his suit into a Guatemalan tailor shop to have it altered The tailor says no problem have it done by Friday Next day the gringo gets a distressing call from the states. His mother just died He's got to go up to Cleveland for the funeral So he goes up to Cleveland and finds out he's the executor of the state
[27:10] He's stuck there for six months working it all out with the greedy relatives He finally makes it back to Guatemala and when he's unpacking all his stuff He finds the ticket for the alterations for that suit So without expecting much the next day he goes to the tailor shop The tailor looks at the ticket and says I remember you walks into the back room comes out a minute later and says No problem, sir. It'll be done by Friday You've been listening to the expat files living in Latin America If you need some help with your own plan B We can schedule a one-on-one phone or Skype consult Just send me an email the expat files at gmail.com And if you want to get on the waiting list for my next week-long expat insider seminar in Central America Where you're guaranteed to get a two to five year head start on your plan B
[27:55] Send me an email the expat files at gmail.com. No spamos