More Power!!!

Ramblus 13

Published on August 1, 2005 By OckhamsRazor In Blogging

I decided to forego the Top Ten list of things I have realized I have taken for granted about the states since I moved to Italy and skip right to the #1 thing. Power.

I had the following things plugged in and running yesterday: Refrigerator, two computers with 500W power supplies, Mobile air conditioning unit (cools one room), electric fan, a few sorted electric clocks, Plasma TV, and an XBox. Everything else was off. No lights, there was plenty from outside. It was this way for several hours when suddenly *poof* no power.

I've popped circuit breakers here before...usually in the process of frying something that's 110V by plugging it in to 220V. You'd think someone as fond of physics as I am would be a little more aware of electron flow. Maybe you wouldn't...anyhow, it wasn't a blown circuit breaker.

I walked outside with the key to the huge steel door to our courtyard (since it wouldn't be operating electrically anytime soon), opened the little person sized doggy door in it, and walked out into and down the street to the power meter.

Our power meter is digital...the only sign of technology I've seen around here. And having unlocked and opened the box, I see the switch is flipped off and some Italian gibberish is flashing at me. My neighbor, who is my landlord's brother, sees me and comes over to help interpret. I don't know how he's going to help, because he doesn't speak a lick of English, but he's quite happy to pronounce the words on the screen for me so I can hear how they're supposed to sound. Suddenly I catch a word I know.

If you're going to go to Italy and not speak Italian, be a musician. Why? Because musicians read Italian every day in the music they read (if you're a legit musician, that is). Lots of markings in written music that have to do with speed, and accents, and style are all in Italian. "Troppo" is one of them, and it means "Too much". In music, it usually is accompanied by some direction. Ex: Accelerando ma non troppo. This means "get faster, but not too much." So when my neighbor points at the box and says Troppo Volta, I think I understand. I'm pulling too much current. Say what?

Yes folks, that list of things I had on apparently exceeds my maximum allotment, according to my contract, of volts eaten per KW hour. Upon further investigation, it seems I have the 3KW Residential plan. They have "plans" here. If I don't want this to keep happening, I have to go pay for an increased plan that allows me piu Volta.

There's a lesson in here somewhere, but I'll leave to you to take what you will from the account

In the meanwhile, I have an appointment with housing to go get More Power!!

Ciao

Comments

OckhamsRazor

on Aug 01, 2005

The reason the system exists is that it IS being rationed - constantly. Italy has no solar panels, and no waterfalls for hydroelectric. They haven't embraced many power producing technologies, and a great amount of their power is purchased from France. So if you want to use more than your "fair share," you have to pay. And that's fine. Although I found out from my meeting with housing today that the difference is more than double. I currently have the 3kw plan. With this plan, I pay 7 Euro cents per kwh. To upgrade tothe 4.5KWH plan, my cost per kwh jumps to 15 Euro cents. Non buon, as we say.

Ah well, that's what Cost of Living Allowance is for

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