How you can survive load-shedding

[Hanno Labuschagne]

How you can survive load-shedding

Arriving home to no power is unpleasant, but there are several ways you can lessen the negative impact that load-shedding has on your daily life.

While some of these solutions are expensive, they can be seen as a long-term investment in your household.

This is because Eskom is R450 billion in debt, making it extremely difficult for the power utility to fix its systems any time soon.

 

[Jopie Fourie]

If you have young children, especially a baby, or even perhaps work from home, a proper 7Kva+ generator is a great investment and can basically ensure a normal household day without having to worry about smaller options that provides less electricity. During the previous outages, my petrol expenses for a 4 1/2 hour a day outage was around R300 every fourth day.

 

[ForceFate]

I want to survive today's excitement first

 

[Jopie Fourie]

I want to survive today's excitement first

And we do have a lot to celebrate today... no loadshedding, no junk status country, RWC champs....

 

[RonSwanson]

ensure that you choose a sine wave inverter

 

[maumau]

Why you laff?

 

[RonSwanson]

Why you laff?

All inverters emulate a sine wave (it wouldn't be AC otherwise ), some just do a better job than others. The journalist ought to have stated that True/Pure Sine Wave (vs Modified Sine Wave) was the more desired output, particularly for loads that use electrical motors (such as fridges, fans, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners etc.).

 

[PUP Backup]

Dare I suggest that you might not need an inverter (modified or pure) at all??

 

[bwana]

 

[maumau]

All inverters emulate a sine wave (it wouldn't be AC otherwise ), some just do a better job than others. The journalist ought to have stated that True/Pure Sine Wave (vs Modified Sine Wave) was the more desired output, particularly for loads that use electrical motors (such as fridges, fans, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners etc.).

Thank you

 

[Lupus]

View attachment 734271

The power bank on that is really really slow charge.

 

[PUP Backup]

The power bank on that is really really slow charge.

No inverter here that I can see..

 

[dunkyd]

Read more before you waste money !

 

[Knyro]

Read more before you waste money !

Would make for interesting reading to make a series of long-form articles that go more in depth on each component. Like an Ars Technica feature. Complete with suggested places to buy them, the installation process, estimated costs etc.

 

[j4ck455]

Would make for interesting reading to make a series of long-form articles that go more in depth on each component. Like an Ars Technica feature. Complete with suggested places to buy them, the installation process, estimated costs etc.

Especially going solar.

I know there are a few solar / off the grid threads floating about on MyBB but they are scattered, it would be great if @rpm could create a specific section for going off the grid threads, and existing threads eventually get moved there.

 

[Jladan]

Especially going solar.

I know there are a few solar / off the grid threads floating about on MyBB but they are scattered, it would be great if @rpm could create a specific section for going off the grid threads, and existing threads eventually get moved there.

There is an entire forum for such stuff in SA already, if the mods don’t mind I can point you to it with the greatest of pleasure

 

[Thor]

Off grid is not really viable.

You can get all the solar you want that's the cheap part.

You don't use electricity all that much in the day, but during the night that's when everyone's plans fall of the bus unless you are on the top 1% that can afford lithium ion batteries (lots of them).


Don't tell me to cut my usage, that's a compromise - I don't have to compromise in the States or the UK.

 

[Steamy Tom]

There is an entire forum for such stuff in SA already, if the mods don’t mind I can point you to it with the greatest of pleasure

powerforum. you dont need the mods permission and the link is literally on the main forums landing page

 

[Mila]

We can all do this. We are african. we braai and make a plan.
But can we survive water shedding?

 

[Steamy Tom]

Off grid is not really viable.

You can get all the solar you want that's the cheap part.

You don't use electricity all that much in the day, but during the night that's when everyone's plans fall of the bus unless you are on the top 1% that can afford lithium ion batteries (lots of them).


Don't tell me to cut my usage, that's a compromise - I don't have to compromise in the States or the UK.

it really is viable