Estimating the costs of running a generator during load-shedding

Jan

Jan

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How much it costs to run a generator during load-shedding

It could cost typical South African households anywhere between R361 and R5,776 per month in fuel for petrol generators powering their home appliances under continuous load-shedding.

While an inverter and battery combo provide a great way to have backup power during load-shedding, it is still substantially more expensive than a fuel-based generator — at least in terms of initial cost per kW of output capacity.
 
My setup at home is a combo of a PPS and a generator with some emergency bulbs.

I use the generator for extended power outages, if we need power for laundry or appliances during loadshedding and so on.

I think I maybe use on average around 1lpm of petrol in the generator as the PPS does 95% of what we need during loadshedding (basically charge phones, wifi, tv and a light for the lounge).
 
I've got the 4kw of panels on the roof, the 5kw inverter and 10kw of storage, 6.5kw generator for backup. The best thing I've found is if there is no Eskom grid to fall back on, charge the batteries, warm the geyser, this can range from an hour to 4 hours (depending on how low the batteries were and availability of sun). If it was the last 3 days in JHB it would be running the generator in the morning to just get them to 75% and hope the rest of the day is fine.
So during my 17 day outage, I ran the generator for 20 hours, there was one Sunday where I needed to run it for 4 hours as we were using a pressure hose to clean a drain. The rest of the time an hour at night to warm geyser and top up batteries.
Total cost of that 20 hours was roughly 400 or so.
 
I converted my generator to run on LPG and it seems way more economical than petrol.
As an indication,
When running petrol I get on average 11-13 hours on a full tank (approximately R38.00 per hour)*
When running LPG I get on average 60 hours on a 48kg tank (approximately R25.00 per hour)*
* Based on current petrol and gas prices
 
One often forgotten cost that gets little mention is servicing a generator. It's a not overly a lot of money (except maybe the technician milking you for labour) but the small cheaper petrol generators tend to have very frequent service cycles, otherwise you eventually end up with a broken generator and maybe other damages if it explodes.
 
Generator Fuel is just another expense you MUST pay if you want to live here, considering taxpayer money is eaten freely and you receive zero benefits from it.
besides Armed response, Medical aid, private school and so on and so on.
 
A lot, it costs a lot because electricity and the fuel price are government mafia controlled. So fukk the degenerate cANCer
 
Our generator is invaluable when it comes to extended outages - like yesterday.
 
I have a 2,4 KVA generator which uses a limited number of lights,the microwave,the TV and the computer.
Nothing else. I use it only for a maximum of two hours, whenever necessary. This is a cheap backup and I am satisfied.
 
Reminds me to start the generator every now and again. Not used for a long time, because we have a backup system. But with extended outages, it will be needed.
 
Nephew_ said:
Reminds me to start the generator every now and again. Not used for a long time, because we have a backup system. But with extended outages, it will be needed.
Click to expand...
I run mine for an hour every 2 months or so, ran it 2 weeks back during an LS session
 
My solar+battery system at home already saves me about R500 per month. And it's not even a system intended to completely replace grid power. By a long shot. Just keep my lights and plugs on.

On the other hand if you consider that the direct alternative is a genny... I think it's fair to say then that it saves me more like R2500 a month.

No backup power is not an option. Suffering from LS - Not an option. Not even a bit.
 
We have many long term outages (other than loadshedding) where I live, on average 2 x 12 hr per week. My solar installation handles most of these. I have a 25kVa diesel gen, that we use when the outage is longer than 12 hrs or at night, about once every 2 weeks. Fuel costs on average R400 per month. Solar is saving me at least R1500 a month just on additional outages.
 
Seems more like a big money scam run by the SA Gov, if you look @ the additional petrol or diesel it needs to run generators.
 
i save around R3000 per month with solar ,no other backup needed or used except a small suzuki gene for the fishtank pumps and heaters if power goes off
 
Jan said:
How much it costs to run a generator during load-shedding

It could cost typical South African households anywhere between R361 and R5,776 per month in fuel for petrol generators powering their home appliances under continuous load-shedding.

While an inverter and battery combo provide a great way to have backup power during load-shedding, it is still substantially more expensive than a fuel-based generator — at least in terms of initial cost per kW of output capacity.
Click to expand...

this is so helpful, I am very glad to know it will cost me between R361 and R5,776 per month to run my generator :|
 
And of course servicing costs for any engine that runs. For extended outages you also want to be sure you can actually obtain fuel (Karoo outage recently for 10+ days needed diesel etc to be specially delivered).

Generators have also cost a few lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning (the most recent death in Cape Town was because a woman did not want her generator being stolen if it was left outside). And with this is also the additional air pollution if hundreds of generators are being run (don't think cheap generators are fitted with catalytic converters?).
 
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