PV Helpful Hints

As time goes by and Grupo Union's (Portman Golf) interest in honouring their building and infrastructure warranty diminishes we find ourselves in a position of having to fend for ourselves. Communication regarding services and sources has become even more important. The topics below are are an attempt at addressing these issues. Obviously the list will grow over time. It is important for the association to establish what maintenance is the Owners responsibility and what is the Associations responsibility. The following topics are addressed:

The handles have a basic flaw - the ratchet (silver coloured gear in the middle of the handle - second picture) has spines that break off so you can't get the door open of closed. Once the door is open they are easy to take off .

080908 - Another source is Bernardos on the right going through Los Belones on Calle Mayor, just across from C/ de Cervantes in Los Belones. These are more substantial than the ones from Goysa

New ones may be obtained by contacting Goysa Carpinteria de Aluminio Y P.V.C., Avenida Lo Tocon, 1, La Union. (at the end of the strip of businesses on the right hand side as you pass the Tanitorio on the la Union bypass) Tel 968 540 956. Cost €10. Cremonas Falleba Blanca. Best to have one on hand. I have gone through three so far as my doors don't stay adjusted properly.

The shutter closure handles may fail. The replacement may be purchased (around €5) from Ferreteria Cala Flores, Bajo Commercial No. 6 (Cala Flores) 30370 Cabo de Palos. Tel: 968 563 980. They have a pretty good selection of hardware, paints and hard to find items.

The original installation was poorly designed. Firstly and in general the railings were cut so they fit tight. When the wood expanded the plaster would crack. This was exacerbated by the fact that the bolts holding the metal to the railing were tight. Secondly, some of the metal brackets re tilted up so the catch the water. As a result, some of the wood has dry rotted and may eventually become dangerous - the railing could give way.

However, there are ways of correcting the situation. The wood should be removed and checked for dry rot. If there is dry rot then it should be treated and if necessary replaced by treated wood (the original was un-treated). Before sanding and refinishing with the stain standard (see Paint)

The toilet flush plungers sometimes stick open when both plungers are pushed simultaneously. You can release the plunger by carefully slipping a sharp pointed knife between the edge of the plungers and the enclosing ring ring and with a slight twisting motion, pull up. (see picture) This can leave the toilet running - not a good idea if you are going out the door for 6 months. Ensure that the toilets have refilled and the water has stopped before you or your guests leave or you could end up with a hefty water bill.

The garage doors and gates are sometimes inoperative. There are three situations that have occurred which are easily rectifiable by an owner:

To correct item 1 locate the garage power box (see picture on left), open it and ensure that the relay marked 'Puerto' is in the 'ON' (Up) position. If not, switch it up. If it quickly moves to 'OFF' then there is probably an electrical fault and the association must be notified to correct the matter. Try the door in the usual way to see if it works.

To correct item 2 switch the relay marked 'Puerto' to the 'OFF' position, wait 10 seconds and switch the relay to the 'ON' (Up) position. This should correct the matter. If not, contact the PV Association (see contacts)

On occasion a frustrated car owner will pull the red cord handle and change the operation fo the garage door from automatic to manual. To correct this the automatic door latch must be moved to the right (as you face the door) See instructions on the right.

If all of this fails then contact the Puerto Vallarta Association (see contacts)

You know those tiles above your door that may be falling off? After some digging I have been informed that they come from Zapata Azul in El Algar. So, next time you wish to replace those that have fallen off take a ride to El Algar and pick up the missing tiles. Directions: as you approach from the motorway pass the petrol station on your right and take the left fork on the second roundabout. Zapata will be on your left.

After all these years we have found a no nonsense resource for keys. The Place is Brico&Ferreteria Las Dunas, Centro Commercial Las Dunas, 30370 Cabo de Palos, just down from the Cabo Market. Tel: 968337222. They do many keys but MOST IMPORTANTLY they do the plastic garage keys. Simply bring yours in and they will program a key for you for the sum of €3.50.

GALI - Bernardo Garcia Liarte, C/Mayor 39-43, Los Belones, 30385 Tel.: +34 968 569 241

Jose Vivancos Pinero - Mobile: +34 669 023 080. Approximate cost 450€. Note only speaks Spanish

Estaban Y Conesa SL - C/Budapest, Parcela 44, Poligono Industrial Cabezo Beaza, 30395 Cartagena, Tel.: +34 968 508 364

Brico Asuar on Helsinki in Torreciega industrial Park. Direct replacement drawers. Note they are 45CM width. 140208 - checked stock and they are out of the 45CM width and don't know when they will be getting more. Will look for alternate source.

LeRoy Mervyn in Plaza Mediterranean stocks a paint by the name of Amarillo Futon. The brand name is Bruguer. The colour is a little darker. There is always a problem matching paints.

FAGOR – Telephone number is: +34 902 105010 – Technical Services and the Model of the original washing machines installed are Elegance F-518.

FAGOR – Telephone number is: +34 902 105010 – Technical Services and the Model of the original washing machines installed are Elegance Plus VF-14P.

Los Belones, either Gali (Bernardo speaks a little English) – Tel: +34 (968) 569241/ +34 (669) 487652 or there is one on the other side of the Road – Fegapa (Gines is boss) – Tel: +34 (649) 26 82 78, but they only speak Spanish.

Supplier: Guerrero Electrodomesticos C/San Agustin 13, La Union 30360, email guerreroeuronics@yahoo.es

Specifications: Ariston VID80R3ES, 80 litre, 1200 Watt, MPA 0.9, FeZn, Approximately 70 cm high and 40 cm wide, price approximately €150 net, English version of manual and illustrations 1 & 2, (More definition to come...)

Owner Responsibilities: I am told there are ways of prolonging the life of your water boiler:

Supplier: Relecar P.V., Avda Reina Victoria 32F, Cartagena, Tel.: 968 526 3113. Code: 314 164 334 Parrilla Ho. Balay 435X340. They may also be found at the Ferretaria Calaflores on the road to Cabo de Palos past Upper.

101208 - Upon further investigation it seems that the cheap metal and rusting vent caps supplied by Grupo Union were replaced by plastic caps that necessitated a minimum vent gap to keep the bugs out. Vents with gravity flaps could have been installed but there seemed to be some problem with size compatibility. Essentially the current situation causes a barrier to fume ventilation resulting in the smoke/vapours to ascend to your kitchen ceiling, eventually necessitating a new paint job which I am reasonably informed could be had from a local resource. I question why this happened with the professional capabilities available?

201108 - The 2008 paint project included the replacement of the rusted external vent caps with new plastic ones. It should be noted that the vent caps do not utilise the standard gravity flap which closes when the fan is not in use preventing vermin and bugs from getting in so there could well be a problem created by the less than common sense approach. The ones supplied have a fixed opening which I am told was adjusted for use with the fans supplied by the builder. If you change your kitchen fan then this opening may have to be adjusted as one owner found out when he fitted a more powerful fan. Otherwise you may eventually have a kitchen with some degree of smoke when the fan is on. Sounds like a great way by certain people to foster painting contracts.

041208 - The following has been provided as a description of the TV systems available in Puerto Vallarta courtesy of Grupo Escosa. As indicated the information has not been validated by technical sources. Note that until now the true cost of these systems has not been forthcoming:

"There are three communal satellite dishes available at Puerto Vallarta. Sky, Astra and Eurobird9. And also one communal antenna to get terrestrial signal.

As far as I know, in order to get Sky channels in Puerto Vallarta you should be subscribed to Sky Digital, and pay monthly fees. Not sure if free channels are available. If your apartment has never been connected to the community Sky installation, please know that you will need a technician to install a wire from your stairway entrance TV box to your apartment. Then, inside your apartment, the technician will have to install a decoder (digibox) provided by a Sky supplier. Nothing to do with the “radio” plug I talked about in my previous email, as that is an independent wire.

To get Astra codified/encoded channels in your apartment, you need to be subscribed to "Canal +" (Spanish digital TV provider, similar to Sky Digital). Many packs available: films, sports, etc. As in most of the digital broadcastings, you will be able to change the language and listen to the original soundtrack/version (in English in case of English or American films or series). Also Pay Per View channels with the latest films offer and obviously national and international football matches, golf courses, tennis, etc. (in case of sports channels, only Spanish speech –as far as I know-). International channels like CNN, CNBS, BBC World, Fox News, etc. More information at www.plus.es. I suppose that you will not be interested in this option if you are not a permanent resident, and in that case you’d prefer Sky rather than Canal+.

To get Astra free channels in your apartment, you need a common satellite signal decoder, available in most of TV shops and a cost around 70 – 120 euros. Most of the channels available are those for TV shopping, and most of them in Italian, German, or French, and some from North Africa. Only a handful in English, surely none of the important or your preferred ones (as they are included in the non-free Sky or Astra coded packs). By the way, you can also be able to listen to many international radios through your TV, although (again) the most important ones are codified and need the subscription explained before.

To get Eurobird9 free channels, you can use the same common satellite decoder said before. Most of them are North Europe channels, Swedish, Norwegian, etc. I’ve been told that coded channels are also available, although I do not know any provider in the area.

In case of you were interested in installing a common sat receiver decoder to get free channels (or a Canal+ one), you will need to connect it to the “radio” labelled plug. Your TV is supposed to be connected to the “TV” plug in order to get Spanish channels (isn’t it?), and the “radio” one is just besides it. The “radio” plug was not being used in the past. Satel Sound, the technician installing the new Sky wiring and Eurobird9 dish, said that all apartments should be able to get Astra & Eurobird9 channels through the wire getting the “radio” plug. That radio plug is not compatible with the satellite wire connector, so it is necessary to substitute it. It is very easy to do, any TV technician will need just a few minutes.

Satel Sound is going to provide some of these pieces/plugs to Ramón, so he could help you… Ramón (#42) could charge you around 20 euros. Satel Sound around 30 euros. Owners could also do it themselves, or contract any other technician.

Now, let’s go further (being ready to the future options):

The Community also agreed to update the terrestrial TV community system, from analogical to digital, because the analogical TV broadcastings will be stopped in some months. You are actually able to get free analogical Spanish channels simply connecting your TV to the TV plug… traditional broadcasting. You are actually able to receive TVE1, La2, Antena3, Cuatro, Tele 5,… Terrestrial Digital signal is not available in Portman yet… probably in some months.

And once available in Puerto Vallarta, you will be able to get digital terrestrial television channels for free in your apartment, what we call TDT here. There are no international channels at TDT, only Spanish (by now), and they are about 24 now including music, sports, children,… channels. What will you be able to do in order to watch these free channels? Two options:

1. buying a new TV including a digital tuner. Most of the actual LCD TVs are including it, and if bought in Spain you will see the label “TDT” or “TDT compatible” at shops. Technically, this turner is named DVB-T.

2. Using your old TV and adding a digital turner. They are offered in most of the shops as “TDT decoder”, or “decodificador de TDT” in Spanish. The cost is around 30 – 50 euros.

It is said that the analogical signal will be switched off by 2010 year at the latest, if not before (I say this because, the periods are being reduced: ie. in Murcia capital the switch off will happen in March 2009, and in Cartagena in September 2009). And this means that after that moment, you will not be able to see traditional Spanish channels at your apartment if you did not adapt your installation according to items 1 or 2 (above).

This is the reason why, in case you have got an old TV, you won’t buy a new LCD with TDT next year, and you are interested on getting free satellite channels,… in that case, I say, I would recommend you buying a COMBO decoder. These Combo Decoders are able to decode terrestrial and satellite digital television at the same time to get those free channels (obviously, using two wires from the same device, one connected to the TV plug and other one to the Radio plug). They are also available in most of the TV shops. You can ask for them this way “decodificador Combo de TDT y satelite” in Spanish. The cost is around 100 – 200 euros. These devices let you to switch from TDT to Sat and vice versa with a remote control, and this way you avoid installing 2 devices, plus 2 remote controls… I have one of these devices at my apartment."