Like a seriously unwelcomed, but all-too-familiar house guest, loadshedding has returned and this time with a gruelling stage four level that sees South Africans without power for many hours of the day. To help you get through the powerless days and dark nights, we’ve prepared a list of 10 must-have items that will keep your home (and office spaces) functional and lit during a power outage. Here are our picks for the essential products to beat loadshedding.
Battery-powered LED lighting
Battery-powered LED lighting is essential during power outages. There is a wide range of rechargeable LED light strips, lanterns, and torches available in South Africa that make keeping the lights on during loadshedding easy. Look for options that have Li-Ion batteries instead of Lead-acid for a longer life span.
We love the Magneto rechargeable LED emergency lantern, which is a bright 1000 lumens, or the Magneto 10W LED Rechargeable Compact Floodlight.
Smart LED lights
Another great item to have in the home are intelligent LED light bulbs. These bulbs come in either a screw or bayonet configuration and can be used like a standard light bulb in any light fixture, but they stay on during loadshedding as they hold charge for up to four hours. Lifesaver!
We love the Connex Connect 10W LED Smart Wi-Fi Globes or the Connex Connect 24W LED 3m Smart Wi-Fi Strip.
Solar lighting
In addition to rechargeable solutions, there is a wide range of solar-powered lighting on the market today. These range from spotlights/security lights to solar lanterns, garden lighting and even pool lights. Solar-powered lighting is a great solution in a sun-rich country such as ours. There is no cost to recharge them, and many are practically ‘set & forget’ and will come on automatically after sundown. Remember not to mount the solar panel on a south-facing wall that will be in the shade for most of the day, which will not make the battery charge effectively.
Gas stove/cooker
Boiling water and getting meals prepared during power outages is impossible without a gas stove or cooker. Thankfully, there are many options available to consumers today – whether it is a large gas hob and oven or just a simple, portable table-top one or two-plate gas cooker – and many more options in between.
Many people are choosing to change their ovens over from electrical to gas. Not only does this mean you can carry on your dinner preparations during a power outage, but your electricity bill will also be reduced through the introduction of gas appliances.
Gas geyser or water heater
Although loadshedding is generally not long enough to cool the contents of your geyser, we all need to start looking at long term solutions to reduce our reliance on the energy grid. A good option is to convert to a gas geyser, which is cheaper to run than an electric one and offers instant heat.
A generator
If your budget allows, then investing in a generator is a great way to make power outages less intrusive. There are many models and options to consider. Entry-level two-stroke generators, such as a 950-watt unit, are unreliable if the petrol/oil mixture is not consistent, so it is recommended to start with no lower than a four-stroke generator.
With a two-stroke model, you have to premix the oil and fuel first in the correct ratios, whereas with a four-stroke unit the fuel is housed in a separate tank and the oil in the engine like in a motor car. Keep in mind that the higher the wattage of the generator, the more power it outputs and so the more electricity it generates.
Find the best prices on generators online with PriceCheck now:
Inverters
Of course, generators can be quite noisy. So, what about people who live in complexes and housing estates that are not allowed to run a generator because of the noise pollution? The best option here is to purchase a pure sine wave inverter with batteries. All these units are silent except for the cooling fan which blows on the side. They also switch on automatically during load shedding.
Find the best prices on inverters online with PriceCheck now:
Portable power bank
We all want to stay connected, especially in the dark. No electricity coupled with no means of communication is not a great combination. Portable power banks are a fantastic solution to ensure that your smartphone battery doesn’t drain during a power outage. These compact gadgets can also charge other devices such as tablets, portable modems and even Bluetooth speakers.
A surge protector
It is a good idea to purchase a surge protector for your home or office. This is an electrical device that is used to protect equipment against power surges and voltage spikes that can be caused by power cuts. Surge protection can range from plug and play devices to systems installed at the distribution board by a registered electrician.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS sine wave inverter)
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power. A UPS differs from a generator in that it will provide near-instantaneous protection from power interruptions by supplying energy stored in batteries. It is a type of continual power system.
A UPS is typically used to protect hardware such as computers, data centers, telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption or data loss.
Find the best prices on a UPS online with PriceCheck now:
