28 March 2017 Wednesday

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After devotions, work began on pulling in the 100 feet long 4 conductor 4/0 cable that is about 2 inches in diameter, and heavy!  I was amazed as a couple of the VanderWerf grandsons grabbed the end of the cable and shoved it through the hole into the loft.  Two more grandsons received the cable to pull it through the loft and push it through a hole in the wall onto the cable tray going to the power room.  The remaining two grandsons pulled the cable down the tray and threaded it through the entry into the power room.  I didn’t time this operation, but guess it took no more than a couple minutes.  All I know is that there was not enough time to run outside to take photos of the process before it was already done!!

This 4/0 cable ran from the 200 amp panel in the transmitter hall to a breaker in the 800 amp distribution panel.  We were trying to determine the best routing through the power room, as the cable was too short to run down to the trench then back up to the breaker.  We decided to route the cable up and across the ceiling and use 2 hole saddle clamps to attach it to the ceiling.  There were not enough clamps in stock, so Ralph and I made a trip to Kooyman, Bonaire’s hardware store.  Kooyman had exactly what we needed.  We gave these clamps to Paul and when we checked back in less than an hour, the cable was attached neatly to the ceiling and connected to its breaker.  I suspect he enlisted the aid of his brother, or a cousin, to hold it up and secure it.

Now that this 4/0 cable runs to the 200 amp panel, Ralph and I switched off power to the temporary power cable that we had attached to the 200 amp main breaker a couple of days ago.  This temporary cable keeps lights and outlets powered in the new transmitter hall.   We quickly attached this temporary feed to a 25 amp three phase breaker in the panel.  Power was then restored with the circuits now being back-fed through the 25 amp breaker.  By switching the main breaker off (and taping it off), we were now able to connect the 4/0 cables to the 200 amp main breaker.  When the power company finally connects electricity to the power room, the temporary line can be disconnected and the main breaker switched on (after removing the tape) and this panel will be receiving its power from its designed source.

Meanwhile, ten 50 foot long 500mcm (about 1″ diameter) cables were being run from the 1,200 amp breaker in the power room to where the transmitter disconnect switch will be located.  These are also routed on the cable tray.  These cables are so heavy that the small tractor with front-end loader could not lift the spool containing the cable.  The spool had to be lifted with a chain hoist to put it on the stand for unreeling the cable.  These ten cables were cut for length then pulled through one-at-time, then Paul terminated then on the 1,200 amp breaker.   The other end was left hanging to be connected to a disconnect switch that will be coming with the transmitter.

These ten 500mcm cables were bundled in two bundles of three cables and one bundle of four.  Each bundle contains one wire from each phase.  The fourth cable in the larger bundle is a ground cable.  Each bundle is tie-wrapped to the cable tray to keep about 3″ spacing between each bundle.

At noon, Ralph and I went to the duplex for lunch and siesta.  We found out that Lionel treated the rest of our team to some goat meat stew and iquana.  Apparently the iguana was female, so they also had some iquana eggs!

Jim and Jake began connecting the copper lines to the condensing units.  The air handlers and cooling coils are supposed to be delivered tomorrow, just in time to avoid delays in the process of installing the air conditioners.

Bruce completed the modifications required to connect the dual 350mcm cable to the standby generator.

Philip and Brian progressed to the point of being able to switch on the LED light fixtures located above the future transmitter.  Multiple outlet circuits are also being installed.

As we reviewed progress at the end of the day, all the heavy cabling has been completed that can be done.  The connections for incoming power need to be done by the power company and the transmitter needs to be here to connect the other end.

Since we had been invited out for desert at 7pm this evening, our swim at Bachelor Beach was shortened.  We then had ‘tater tot’ casserole, cole slaw,  applesauce and salad with craisins and sunflower seeds.

Dessert was at the guest house where the VanDykens are staying.  All the missionary staff were there and each family brought a dessert to share.  There was a carrot cake, a couple of ‘dump cakes’, and ‘glorified rice’.

27 March 2017

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 8 am devotions were at the site this morning, so we were able to start our work tasks by 8:30.  Yesterday, I mentioned that work seemed to go into ‘hyper-drive’.  Today that trend seemed to continue–maybe even faster as the newer members of our team learn where the various supplies and tools are located.

With all the interconnecting conduits installed between the three panels used for providing power to the 800 amp distribution panel in the power room, the process of installing the 500mcm (about 1″ diameter) cables began.  Two 500mcm cables are required per each of three phases and two for neutral.  This means there are 8 cables to be installed per run.  One run is from the 800 amp breaker to the ATS (automatic transfer switch and another run is from ATS to the 800 amp distribution panel.  There is also a run of 8 cables from the standby generator to the ATS but these are slightly smaller 350mcm (about 0.9″ diameter) cables.  Paul was the ‘work horse’ on this project–bending the cables by hand, or with a special bender at times.  I was kept ‘hopping’, just cutting the various lengths of cable as he needed them.
Meanwhile, Bruce was busy modifying connectors to attach the 350mcm cable to the standby generator.  The modifications were done and half the cables were connected by the end of the day.

Steven completed installation of the 18″ wide cable tray, and its supporting brackets, that run between the power room and the transmitter hall.  He and Lionel (a TWR Bonarian worker) had to design and weld the support structure for the last section of cable tray, which is a 90 degree bend into the power room.

While Ralph and I went to the duplex for lunch and a siesta, the rest of the team ate their sack lunches at the site.  By the time we got back, Paul had finished wiring up the two step-down transformers for the air conditioner condensing units.

Jim and Jake continued to make good progress on the multiple long runs of large copper tubing for the air conditioning.  For some reason, all the coupling and elbows are fitting tighter than normal on the copper tubing.  This is slowing the process of soldering the joints.

Philip and Brian installed conduits and 8 four foot lighting fixtures and in the transmitter hall.  These fixtures will use LEDs instead of fluorescent tubes.

Quitting time, 4:30pm, arrived quickly again, and I am amazed at how much has been accomplished in just two days.  Tomorrow, it should be possible to begin installing the much longer runs of cables.  I am glad that we have the six young men to help with this part of the project.  One of the cables is 100 feet long, about 2.5 inches in diameter, and heavy!  Actually, all the cables are heavy!!

We learned that the air handlers with their cooling coils for the air conditioning units are on the island, but no one is available to transport them to the site until Thursday.  Fortunately, we still have enough other work to keep us busy tomorrow.  Pray that these air handlers will arrive before causing any delay in the work.

I joined Steven, Paul, Phil, Bruce and Jake or a half-hour cool-off swim Bachelor Beach before supper.

Supper this evening was rice and chicken, peas, cole slaw, and pear halves.  Dessert was a Dutch wafer cookie called stroopwafel.  In addition to water, there was again ice tea and lemonade for drinks.  We really appreciate all the effort on the part of Maryjane and Virginia!

27 March 2017

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Instead of going to the site first thing this morning, it was requested that all 11 of us come to the office for devotions to meet all the staff there.  Ralph was asked to give a short devotional.  The Snyders celebrated the birth of their first grandchild by making a treat for everyone.  It was like a crispy cookie with little pink-and-white sugar-coated pellets (BB sized) on top.  Inside, the pellets were licorice flavored.

We got to the site about 9:30am and, with our additional crew of 8 young men, our work seemed to go into ‘hyperdrive’!  Paul and Jake worked with me and within two hours all three remaining panels (one 1,200 amp breaker, one 800 amp breaker and one 400 amp distribution) were all moved in and anchored to the wall.  Paul then began to install the 4″ and 3″ interconnecting conduits between the 800 amp breaker panel, the automatic transfer switch and the 800 amp distribution panel.  By using these conduits, it will be possible to keep the trenches under the panels clearer for the power company’s cables.  Brian helped by installing cable lugs on terminals of the two transformers and the automatic transfer switch.

Meanwhile, Steven began installation of the 40 feet of 18″ wide cable tray, and its supporting brackets, that run between the power room and the transmitter hall.  Jake began helping his uncle Jim with running the large copper tubing required for the air conditioning.  The others began to run conduits from the 200 amp panel in the transmitter hall for lights and outlets inside that part of the building.

While I brought Ralph back to the duplex for lunch and a siesta, the others ate their sack lunches at the site.

The work continued in the afternoon with installing additional conduits for the two transformers for the condensing units into the trench.  Circuit breakers were swapped around in the 800 amp distribution panel to allow for neater wiring.  The large cables from the standby generator were moved around in the 6-foot-deep by 1-foot-wide trench (that circumvents the room on three sides) to make the wiring look neater after all the connections are made.  Wooden supports were made to hold other cables off the bottom of the trench.  This will allow the power company’s cables to easily cross underneath.

Quitting time, 4:30pm, arrived quickly and all of us ‘younger men’ swam at Hilma Hooker Beach (http://www.scubadiving.com/dive-hilma-hooker), just across the road from the transmitter site gate.

Supper this evening was sloppy joes, beans, ‘glorified rice’ (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/22627/glorified-rice/), potato salad and lettuce salad with craisins and sunflower seeds.  Dessert was a snicker doodle cookie.  In addition to water, there was ice tea and lemonade for drinks.

26 March 2017

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All 11 of us went to the International Bible Church (www.bonaireibc.org) this morning for their worship service at 9 am.  The church has no air conditioning, but has large windows and doors to let any available breeze pass through the building.  The message on the finished work of Christ was such a good reminder that our salvation does not depend on our works.  The pastor reminded us that we should be concentrating on ‘renewing our minds’ rather than trying to do works in our own strength.

After church, Daryl and Carol Van Dyken invited us to convoy with them on a tour of the north end of the island of Bonaire.  We had a quick dinner at our duplex then met them at 1 pm.  We took the road north on the west coast to Gotomeer (lake with a few flamingos).  Since there was a cruise ship in port, there were tour buses and cars blocking all the scenic points.  We traveled on to the Rincon, the first town on Bonaire established by Spain in the 1500s.

We then arrived at the east coast of Bonaire where there are 12 large wind turbines.  The wind is almost always blowing out of the east, but like with any wind or solar energy source, there is still need for oil fueled engines on standby to make up for this power when the wind is calm or the sun doesn’t shine.

At the south end of the line of wind turbines are some undercut rocks with ancient paintings.  From there we traveled the shorter route back to Kralendijk, the capital of Bonaire.  It is the second, and only other, town established on Bonaire.

After arriving back at the duplex, most of us men went to Bachelor Beach to cool down before supper.

Since the internet seems to be working fairly consistently, I used Skype to make my usual Sunday evening phone call to my mother in Colorado.  We then Skyped Allan, Joyce and family and tried out our new webcam.

25 March 2017

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Normally no one works at the site on Saturday, so we took the day off to relax and recover. Since our whole team of 9 men will be here next week, we will request to be allowed to work next Saturday, unless we are way ahead of schedule with the work we want to do.

Six of Ralph’s grandsons (one is actually a grandson-in-law) arrived on the 1:30pm flight from Newark. They had all flown to Newark the night before (3 from Michigan and 3 from California) and spent the night in the Newark airport. Their names are Steven, Paul Phil, Brian, Bruce and Jake — ages 17 to 32.

Since the TWR Toyota Hilux pickup that we are using can only seat six people, Ralph rented another Hilux pickup like it (only newer) at the airport to accommodate our crew for the next two weeks. Maryjane and Virginia had lunch ready for everyone when we got them back from the airport. Even though our numbers only doubled, plus one, the amount of food eaten nearly quadrupled!!

After lunch, Jim and I took these young men by the transmitter site then on to the salt pier. The smaller ship that we saw yesterday was already filled and gone and another, even smaller ship, was getting ready to receive its load of salt. The two ship loads of salt that were taken hardly seemed to have even made a dent in the ‘mountains’ of salt waiting to be loaded.

We then went to Coco Beach, by the TWR office north of town, where we swam with Daryl VanDyken, the project manager, his wife Carol and two men that also just arrived from Alabama. Jim, Ralph’s son, taught all of his nephews the basics of snorkeling and ‘they were off’ to check out the beautiful fish found on Bonaire. All but the one who swallowed too much salt water through his snorkel were elated by what they saw.

Maryjane and Virginia had a huge pan of spaghetti, vegetables, and salad ready by the time we all got back from the beach, got the sand rinsed off in the shower at the back of the house, and then showered inside to get the rest of the salt water off.

After supper, everyone sat around the table and sang hymns. What awesome singing, with all the parts! Someone counted that 22 songs, nearly all hymns, were sung including all the verses. Rarely did anyone have to look up the third or fourth verse in a hymnal.

After not getting a good night of rest on their trip here, all the young men were in bed by about 9pm and quiet.