Newbie needing loadshedding help? lol

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macbeth

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Hey, been trying to find a simple solution to loadshedding.
Run some lights, tv (40" LED) and DSTV during loadshedding.
Plug and play system, or something basic?
Any ideas. Seen the Ellis model (7.5k) - is there anything better?
thanks
 
I recommend a Pure Sine Wave UPS - around 500W to 1500W. It will need one or two batteries - standard size is 100Ah, 12V.

If you want to run the existing lights in your house, you'll need to wire into the DB, which means you'll need to get an electrician. This will be a permanent installation.

You could get a trolley with the two batteries and the UPS, and just put it next to your TV, but then the lights will have to be loose standing.

The Ellies units (light the Power Inverter 200VA) are modified sine wave, so they could cause issues with some TVs.
 
macbeth said:
Hey, been trying to find a simple solution to loadshedding.
Run some lights, tv (40" LED) and DSTV during loadshedding.
Plug and play system, or something basic?
Any ideas. Seen the Ellis model (7.5k) - is there anything better?
thanks
Click to expand...

Where you based?

My supplier has some 1kw and 2kw coming in , will cost you less for a far superior system.
 
greg_SA said:
I recommend a Pure Sine Wave UPS - around 500W to 1500W. It will need one or two batteries - standard size is 100Ah, 12V.

If you want to run the existing lights in your house, you'll need to wire into the DB, which means you'll need to get an electrician. This will be a permanent installation.

You could get a trolley with the two batteries and the UPS, and just put it next to your TV, but then the lights will have to be loose standing.

The Ellies units (light the Power Inverter 200VA) are modified sine wave, so they could cause issues with some TVs.
Click to expand...

If I wired it, would it not have to be bigger, or is it simply a case of switching off other switches on the DV board?
sorry if this sounds strange, trying to understand the way it works :)
 
macbeth said:
If I wired it, would it not have to be bigger, or is it simply a case of switching off other switches on the DV board?
sorry if this sounds strange, trying to understand the way it works :)
Click to expand...

If it is wired to the DB, you just need to separate the loads in your DB that you want to run from the UPS - you don't have to run everything fin the DB rom the UPS.

For eg. I run my lights + the plugs in the lounge + study. These breakers are grouped together, powered by the UPS. The rest are powered as per normal.

So I don't have to switch anything off in the DB when laod shedding occurs, it is seamless. But I only have the lights and those specific plugs working. And I can't just go crazy plugging things into the lounge plugs, as it will cause the UPS to shut down. Basically all the plugs on the UPS become "low power outlets".
 
Some electricians are coining it big time, got a few quotes including installation to DB, some of them are just horribly over priced.

It can range anything from R20000 - R40000 depending on the electrician for the same kind of installation ie:.. 2000w (2.5kVA) Pure sine wave inverter-ups with built in AC charger. This is connected to 4 deep cycle batteries offering 3500w of storage power.

Am hopeful I'll eventually find an "honest" electrician that charge a reasonable rate :p
 
Purply said:
Some electricians are coining it big time, got a few quotes including installation to DB, some of them are just horribly over priced.

It can range anything from R20000 - R40000 depending on the electrician for the same kind of installation ie:.. 2000w (2.5kVA) Pure sine wave inverter-ups with built in AC charger. This is connected to 4 deep cycle batteries offering 3500w of storage power.

Am hopeful I'll eventually find an "honest" electrician that charge a reasonable rate :p
Click to expand...

Mother-ass, I need to get into this ASAP, money to be made.
 
Purply said:
Some electricians are coining it big time, got a few quotes including installation to DB, some of them are just horribly over priced.

It can range anything from R20000 - R40000 depending on the electrician for the same kind of installation ie:.. 2000w (2.5kVA) Pure sine wave inverter-ups with built in AC charger. This is connected to 4 deep cycle batteries offering 3500w of storage power.

Am hopeful I'll eventually find an "honest" electrician that charge a reasonable rate :p
Click to expand...

Well suppose it will depend on what type of batteries...

2KVA Inverter: R5K
8 x 6V/225Ah Batteries: R2K ea (R16K), just an example - it may be a bit over spec'ed for a 2KVA system.

That's already R21K (cost - so I don't make a DIME on selling you your equipment yet)... Now that you've got the basics, and it's a matter of connecting up. That's a grey area, as it depends on what precisely needs to be done.

HOWEVER...
- 100A Battery Cable - R50 per meter
- 120A DC Disconnect R800 odd..
- Surge Protection - R2K odd...
- New DB (let's say a 2x18 or a 3x18 to leave space so that you COULD go PV too) - R5K easily once you start including the PROPER safety and protection that is required (I am including surge protection here too).
- Trunking, cabling, breakers, fuses, moving / tracing circuits, time, labour, etc...

R20K to R40K is not unreasonable for a fully installed 2KVA system (I would 'guestimate' my 2KVA at about the R25K to R35K mark, fully installed, ball park figures). The question is precisely what batteries (which is the biggest expense), and the amount of work that is required electronically to make it work...

Would be more than happy to come and look, measure, and quote of course. Perhaps I am honest enough, but somehow I doubt it would be given your post.

I'm at the point where I almost want to refuse to install 'privately' purchased gear for this very reason.

PS: Even if the client buys all the equipment, I frequently charge in excess of R5K just for installation because DBs are full and new ones are required. If *nothing* except labour is required, sure - a few hundred bob no problem. The problem is that no one ever buys everything that is required in terms of safety, standards, and compliance. Sometimes, the items bought are not even compatible with each other (I've seen that too) - then we are the bad guys in the story.

PPS: I quoted this morning on a 2KVA/225Ah system at R26K (inclusive), and a 3KVA/450Ah system at R40K (inclusive). In both cases, I put less than R3k in my pocket.
 
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Purply said:
Some electricians are coining it big time, got a few quotes including installation to DB, some of them are just horribly over priced.

It can range anything from R20000 - R40000 depending on the electrician for the same kind of installation ie:.. 2000w (2.5kVA) Pure sine wave inverter-ups with built in AC charger. This is connected to 4 deep cycle batteries offering 3500w of storage power.

Am hopeful I'll eventually find an "honest" electrician that charge a reasonable rate :p
Click to expand...

that's bloody hilarious !

My electrician charged me like R1.5k for the entire install.

Maybe they quoted you with 10mm2 cables in 100m length + 35mm DC cable in 100m length
 
The_Traveller said:
that's bloody hilarious !

My electrician charged me like R1.5k for the entire install.

Maybe they quoted you with 10mm2 cables in 100m length + 35mm DC cable in 100m length
Click to expand...

What precisely, did he do? Did he supply the equipment, or did you? Did he spec the system, or did you? How many Ah? How much load?

This is pointless, and it's coming to the question of how long is a piece of string again. You're not comparing apples with apples.

R1.5K for an INSTALL only, is reasonable (again, provided new DBs and what not is not required). The R20K to R40K figure, was for an -entire system-, capable of surviving without power for 2 or 3 hours, under MAXIMUM load - ie. 2KW of power, constant, for 2 hours.
 
savage said:
What precisely, did he do? Did he supply the equipment, or did you? Did he spec the system, or did you? How many Ah? How much load?

This is pointless, and it's coming to the question of how long is a piece of string again. You're not comparing apples with apples.

R1.5K for an INSTALL only, is reasonable (again, provided new DBs and what not is not required). The R20K to R40K figure, was for an -entire system-, capable of surviving without power for 2 or 3 hours, under MAXIMUM load - ie. 2KW of power, constant, for 2 hours.
Click to expand...

This same electrician did the electrical for my house renovations ( +/- 200m2 ) for just under R20k .. go figure.
This guy is one a billion !

But anyway, every job is different so ...
 
I rewired my entire house and installed a new R20K odd custom made DB... It didn't even cost me R30K... What's your point?

If you have a friend that's doing you a favour - then say so. If the sparky just connected the equipment you supplied, then say so. We are talking about a 2KVA system - not a 500VA system running from a wall socket ;)
 
savage said:
I rewired my entire house and installed a new R20K odd custom made DB... It didn't even cost me R30K... What's your point?

If you have a friend that's doing you a favour - then say so. If the sparky just connected the equipment you supplied, then say so. We are talking about a 2KVA system - not a 500VA system running from a wall socket ;)
Click to expand...

my point is I have a top electrician who charges next to nothing. Its his prerogative to make no money and he gets joy out of it.

Peace, out !
 
koeksGHT said:
http://www.cps-africa.com/long-life.htm

~R8k

6-8hr with 2x 23" LED, 50"tv and computer
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Not a pure sine wave (to start off with), and also not the same thing that we are talking about (you can't for example, connect your house's existing lights to it)... I'm also fairly sure that it comes excluding batteries - which actually makes it expensive considering it's a modified sine wave.


The_Traveller said:
my point is I have a top electrician who charges next to nothing. Its his prerogative to make no money and he gets joy out of it.
Click to expand...

Yeah - I get joy out of it too, and I too have friends that I even help out free of charge. My point is that as a 'industry' - 2KVA, permanently connected, pure sine wave inverter + batteries, are not unreasonable at +-R20K to 40K...

At that price, for that type of installation, it is most certainly not a ripoff... G*d, the equipment alone is over R20K...
 
savage said:
Yeah - I get joy out of it too, and I too have friends that I even help out free of charge. My point is that as a 'industry' - 2KVA, permanently connected, pure sine wave inverter + batteries, are not unreasonable at +-R20K to 40K...

At that price, for that type of installation, it is most certainly not a ripoff... G*d, the equipment alone is over R20K...
Click to expand...

Apologies for the argument, not my intention and as I wonder what the heck you on about, I went back to read the posts more carefully and yip, I'm in the wrong here. R20k-R40k for an install with product is ok ( depending on quality of product of course ).
:)
 
savage said:
and also not the same thing that we are talking about
Click to expand...

was not talking about your option.

savage said:
I'm also fairly sure that it comes excluding batteries - which actually makes it expensive considering it's a modified sine wave.
Click to expand...


It's a built unit which has an inverter and 2x deep cycle batteries(I think 2 because smaller one has only 1).

It is "simulated" sine but the damage will not be any worse than Eskom directly.

asfsegvwegwegv.jpg
 
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