AWPower seeing fewer fury-fuelled solar "impulse buys" - more calculated decisions to deal with long-term load-shedding

[Jan]

Goodbye Eskom — The truth about going off-grid

The severe load-shedding that South Africa has endured in the past few months has many more households threatening to go entirely off-grid, but the reality is that kicking Eskom to the curb is no simple or cheap endeavour.

Christiaan Hattingh, managing director at solar systems provider AWPower, told MyBroadband the company had observed some interesting trends following the September re-emergence of stage 6 load-shedding.

 

[RedViking]

And for us poorfolks we rock the Mecer inverters to keep the most important things online:

Fibre Router and Computer

 

[Lupus]

And for us poorfolks we rock the Mecer inverters to keep the most important things online:

Fibre Router and Computer

And that's not even cheap

 

[RonSwanson]

And that's not even cheap

True, a genny is cheaper, candles and braai even more so.

 

[kolakidd]

It's kind of irritating that all of these articles seem to only be taking a singular view of Solar driven by the businesses they interview - That you have to invest upfront, and that off-grid is the ultimate goal.

Most people just want to not be completely impacted by load shedding, and you actually don't need to go off-grid for that, you just need to back up the practical and comfort essentials.

There are many other ways to get Solar,
how about an article on a smart approach to building it in a modular way and building up?
how about an article on going the leasing route for no upfront cost?

 

[Lupus]

True, a genny is cheaper, candles and braai even more so.

Well a genny uses fuel which makes it more expensive

 

[RedViking]

braai even more so.

rykgat

 

[RonSwanson]

rykgat

Not necessarily, It depends what you braai.

 

[RedViking]

Not necessarily, It depends what you braai.

 

[RonSwanson]

Well a genny uses fuel which makes it more expensive

That's if your load is too small.

 

[Harmonic]

And for us poorfolks we rock the Mecer inverters to keep the most important things online:

Fibre Router and Computer

Got mine delivered a few weeks ago and I'm loving not smelling like petrol every time load shedding kicks in

Just the other morning I ran the coffee machine off it instead of instant coffee on the gas stove. Game changer!

I have been googling the safe limits of extension cords though

 

[RonSwanson]

View attachment 1404603

Rykgat. Sweet potatoes are far cheaper per kg.

 

[RedViking]

safe limits of extension cords though

No need to share. Mine goes from one end of the house to the other. Two stories.

 

[Harmonic]

No need to share. Mine goes from one end of the house to the other. Two stories.

I feel safe now. I've got about a 20-25m run to the coffee machine and the TV

 

[RedViking]

I feel safe now. I've got about a 20-25m run to the coffee machine and the TV

Don't think I can use my Breville Barista Express as it probably uses too much wattage.

 

[Harmonic]

Don't think I can use my Breville Barista Express as it probably uses too much wattage.

That is pornography. I feel like a peasant with my 10 year old Sprada machine

 

[Athos]

I just put a full system in. Love it.

 

[RonSwanson]

Don't think I can use my Breville Barista Express as it probably uses too much wattage.

Rykgat.
/pours a cup of Frisco

 

[Lupus]

That's if your load is too small.

Even if your load is perfect, you're still burning diesel or petrol

 

[Lupus]

I feel safe now. I've got about a 20-25m run to the coffee machine and the TV

Depending on the extension lead you can go to 50m.