is it possible to go off grid?

missionimpossible

missionimpossible

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I'd also like to know if anyone managed to do it the "correct" way. I've heard of people disconnecting for purposes of moving the DB and then not reconnecting or just never connecting on a new build and there was a article on mybb where they asked the municipalities what the process was and got some convoluted reply.
I haven't heard of anyone who was successful in following a disconnection route. It would probably take some constitutional legal action again to force them to comply.
 
B-1 said:
I'd also like to know if anyone managed to do it the "correct" way. I've heard of people disconnecting for purposes of moving the DB and then not reconnecting or just never connecting on a new build and there was a article on mybb where they asked the municipalities what the process was and got some convoluted reply.
I haven't heard of anyone who was successful in following a disconnection route. It would probably take some constitutional legal action again to force them to comply.
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I dont pay any service/connection fees so when I first got solar I "switched" the main connection to the grid off for three months.
 
Snyper564 said:
I dont pay any service/connection fees so when I first got solar I "switched" the main connection to the grid off for three months.
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I'm on prepaid with 0 fees currently but Im pretty sure that will change. If I suddenly had to pay R1500 pm into some bottomless pit I'd rather spend that on more solar. As it stands I only need grid during multi day cloud/rain and I added a generator this year so I can already be fully off grid fuel is just a bit pricey.
 
I am on prepaid Eskom direct. My wife took over buying units, as I wanted her to change her habits and take advantage of sunlight when using certain appliances such as washing machines, which uses my wellpoint which activates my pumps. One pump fill my tanks and one pump on a pressure switch supplies the washing machines.

Then she switch on the geyser in the morning to have hot(ter) water.

Funnily when she took over, she gets 50 free units. I am not sure if its because she is a Capitec customer. I never got any free units.

As stated before, prepaid unit is not registered in our names as I gave up that battle years ago, as Eskom does not come back to you.

Should things change, I will go the extra steps to go offgrid. Its cheaper than ever. I just have to get another 10 kw units generation in winter.

So another 2 batterries and another 10 panels, I have 10, but due to house orientation, only 5 generates at at time (oversimplifaction) but net effect is similar.
 
Know of someone that lives rural eskom direct (western cape, vleie close to wilderness)

That got disconnected and is totally off-grid now

I believe their connection fee only before any units was R6k

It was just after they bought the property , so not sure if they had to request disconnection or was disconnected after not registering/enabling connection when they took ocupancy
 
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Totally possible. Just not always simple, especially with Eskom involved.
 
Possible but realize you need money set aside for the long run for when things start to fail. You will also need generator backup. Hopefully for the most part the generator seldom runs. Its for when your solar is down completely, or for when there are long periods of cloud. The Geni then runs the house and even charges up the batteries on cloudy days so you don't have to run it long before you flip back to batteries. This is how I see a lot of smaller shopping centers and businesses go these days. You have to have your own backup, and you have to have money on hand to replace batteries, a faulty inverter, or a broken generator. You should also then do the trouble of testing the generator now and then, and servicing it regularly as you don't want to need it badly and find it is out of order having not run for a long period of time.

It will be very expensive up front and on an ongoing basis you should be setting aside money monthly for eventual replacement costs. Panels, inverters, and especially batteries all have a lifespan.
 
Cius said:
Possible but realize you need money set aside for the long run for when things start to fail. You will also need generator backup. Hopefully for the most part the generator seldom runs. Its for when your solar is down completely, or for when there are long periods of cloud. The Geni then runs the house and even charges up the batteries on cloudy days so you don't have to run it long before you flip back to batteries. This is how I see a lot of smaller shopping centers and businesses go these days. You have to have your own backup, and you have to have money on hand to replace batteries, a faulty inverter, or a broken generator. You should also then do the trouble of testing the generator now and then, and servicing it regularly as you don't want to need it badly and find it is out of order having not run for a long period of time.

It will be very expensive up front and on an ongoing basis you should be setting aside money monthly for eventual replacement costs. Panels, inverters, and especially batteries all have a lifespan.
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Think OP meant in terms of is it possible to get eskom to come and cut their cord.
 
logic would say yes, you would need to ask Eskom to terminate your services and remove the entire outside DB box (the street box) that must be voetsekked.

I would say to do that would be in the region of R10,000 - R15,000. The would need to shut down the street power possibly to work on removing your box and connecting it underground etc, maybe. Unless they shut down 'just your house' from the street DB and then come and chop it out.

But that box must be gone...
 
Wrath of Khan MD said:
logic would say yes, you would need to ask Eskom to terminate your services and remove the entire outside DB box (the street box) that must be voetsekked.

I would say to do that would be in the region of R10,000 - R15,000. The would need to shut down the street power possibly to work on removing your box and connecting it underground etc, maybe. Unless they shut down 'just your house' from the street DB and then come and chop it out.

But that box must be gone...
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It's their choice to go complete overkill and cut their nose off to spite their face and remove their own infrastructure, or they can just come and turn you off, same thing they do when you don't pay your bill.
 
Normally they just switch of a breaker in the box on the pavement

Or disconnect it insulate the tip and leave it in the box

If you live in municipal areas
They tend to charge you one of two things electrical connection or availability

So much so that the bill on an open stand is ust about the sane as a home

The only portion you don't pay on oprn stand is the taxes on improvements. The rest is just named different

IE. Electrical connection = availability of electrical services
Water same

My open stand bill was slmost the same as the home i was living in at the time
 
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