A dark Africa lays ahead.....load shedding

[Vetplant]

last week 300 k was spent on a generator and installation...this week the other properties which are inked to the generator for load shedding...no longer need the generator...now nobody wants to contribute to the installation and maintenance...so a word of warning...be careful if you go into a joint venture.

 

as i mentioned in previous posts...understand what is it is you require and install accordingly.

 

a couple of months ago (just prior to load shedding) we purchase 8 x 105 amp/hr batteries for R1200...on special...that same company is selling batteries for R2300...give it a couple weeks and all those batteries they ordered will be a lot cheaper in a week or 2 ...especially when companies order huge quantities due to the demand as expected last week...the other problem is you will notice they only date the battery the day you collect...some of those batteries could be old already from the last big rush...you never know.

 

I believe solar panels are the way to go with a grid tied inverter (pure sine wave)...no need for huge battery banks to store energy.

 

install enough panels to charge the batteries required and to run appliance which are used during the day (peak period) between around 9 am and 2 pm...and also plan accordingly...run your pool pump between 10 and 2 as one cycle...run your aircons to cool the house and make sure your house is suitably insulated...when you get home the house is cool...if it is a cloudy day it wont be so hot and the solar will not be running efficiently... turn you geyser up to 65 + degrees between that period ...there will be hot water when you get home...etc etc etc ...you get the idea. 

 

install enough batteries to maintain power for the essentials...for example cctv...alarms...led lights...adsl/fibre...what i do for customers is install dedicated blue plugs so that the assistant cant plug in the vacuum or iron etc...and position them in key location...you dont need batteries to run the geyser or fridge etc.

 

 

the fridge freezer will not defrost in a couple hours...so i have a small backup generator (2.2 kva) which i bought after load shedding...for R1000...people were trying to unload them a couple months after the previous load shedding fiasco...if the power goes off for more than 6 hours i use the small genie to keep the fridge going and because i only have a 1 kw element in my geyser it can heat the water at the same time. 

 

get your sparkless sparkie to assist you will power requirements and let him help you choose a system which will best suit your needs.

 

a few pointers...

 

make sure that if you buy an inverter it has a built in charger capable of charging the battert bank you choose to install.

 

make sure the inverter is the type you require... non grid or grid tied.

 

make sure the inverter is solar compatible.

 

note that a 12 V system will require 1 battery ...24 volt system will require 2 x 12 VDC batteries and a 48 Volt system will require 4 batteries...etc etc....better to have a higher voltage system but it requires more batteries...which means more to replace.

 

then there is the type of batteries...each with their own pro and cons...lead acid...gel/AGM and lithium...lithium might be the best ...but could be out of the budget...not all of us have R100 k sitting waiting to be spent (i would have already spent it on my dream trek bicycle  ) there is no ROI on batteries ...like generators they just cost money.

 

then you need to understand what it cost to produce xyz kw/hr ...way up the odds and generally it doesnt pay to go off the grid with the current price of electricity...however you might want to use the system to run essential parts of your electrical installation or have a tax problem and want to unload a few thousand to reduce your tax burden...or just dont want the hassle of blackouts.

So.Much.Info....Brain.Gonna.Explode.....

 

Seriously though, thanks for the proper tips

 

We should make this specific post a Sticky somehow(ADMIN...?). Plenty people can gain allot from the info you are divulging.

 

One added tip...Shop around and compare products and prices, don't just go for the first guy that gives you a quote.

[eccc whippet]

An important point i missed...start by analyzing your existing load profile and take steps to become energy efficient...before you start blowing tons of cash on a system.

 

a stove for example is the first step...a gas stove is the way to go...i have a full gas stove top and oven...works for us and saves a lot of money...my wife and daughter both  bake...people said gas ovens dont work...trust me i eat the stuff that comes out the oven...it works. 

 

tinting  windows makes a huge difference...especially the ones which get sun in the morning and afternoon.

 

i havent got around to doing it yet...but i want to insulate my roof space...not pink aerolite above the ceiling...i want to insulate below the roof tile...i want to slide piece of insulation between the rafters and secure it below the roof tiles. 

 

I have just started installing occupation sensors in the most used rooms in my house...passages entrance etc...kitchen for example the light is always left on...wife complained about it in the beginning ...it takes a few setting adjustments to get the time and sensitivity right...kitchen for example is set for 10 minutes and high sensitivity ...the passage for example is set for 30 seconds...it takes a few adjustments to get it best suited for the family.

 

outside my house is in darkness...i dont want an intruder to see where he is walking...and the cctv picks up a lit screen of a cellphone like a sore thumb...motion sensors connected to lights  identify the location of the intruder...what might be a silly thing but...dried leaves make a racket when you walk on them...so do loose stones

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pinarello1]

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/300580-eskom-prime-complete-protection-against-load-shedding.html/amp?__twitter_impression=true

 

Sure this is a April fools joke

[IceCreamMan]

Yip

[scotty]

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says that it is giving President Cyril Ramaphosa until Friday to release the Special Investigating Unit report that found South Africa forked out R14.5 billion during the first round of rolling blackouts in 2008.

The opposition party has written to the president demanding that he releases this report.

It also reportedly found that when load shedding was first introduced 11 years ago, it may have been carefully orchestrated by a cohort of employees at Eskom so that they could sign emergency contracts that would benefit pop-up coal suppliers

https://ewn.co.za/2019/04/01/da-gives-ramaphosa-ultimatum-to-release-siu-report-on-load-shedding

[Capricorn]

 

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) says that it is giving President Cyril Ramaphosa until Friday to release the Special Investigating Unit report that found South Africa forked out R14.5 billion during the first round of rolling blackouts in 2008.

The opposition party has written to the president demanding that he releases this report.

It also reportedly found that when load shedding was first introduced 11 years ago, it may have been carefully orchestrated by a cohort of employees at Eskom so that they could sign emergency contracts that would benefit pop-up coal suppliers

https://ewn.co.za/2019/04/01/da-gives-ramaphosa-ultimatum-to-release-siu-report-on-load-shedding

 

 

RET is clearly expensive.

[nickelass]

About 4 years ago,when we were subjected to the first round of load shedding, I realised that it was only the communication ,entertainment items that I really wanted.

I bought a 1500w modified sign wave inverter ,1 95 amp/hour  good battery, and some other items such as fuses,, voltmeter ,main isolator switch ,  constructed this all on a anodised metal baseplate with wheels, an added an extra 12v computer fan for extra cooling.

I installed two socket outlets on it for 220v ac, and one for12vdc (maybe a lighting circuit in future.)

I ran an extra subcircuit in the house, which the tv and two computers, and the router is plugged into. this subcircuit is connected onto a plug top and onto the mains supply.

I have a cheap 12v car battery charger the the inverter.

When load shedding occurs, all I do is remove the subcircuit plugtop, and plug it into the inverter socket outlet, I manually switch the inverter on, its really a simple system, but certainly has worked faultlessly when needed.

Total cost was about R8000. 

At the moment would like to maybe add a second battery, which would push up my run time to over 4 hours.

Have a gas stove , already, 

Had ideas to expand my system , but just have not got around to it.

[samson99]

About 4 years ago,when we were subjected to the first round of load shedding, I realised that it was only the communication ,entertainment items that I really wanted.

I bought a 1500w modified sign wave inverter ,1 95 amp/hour  good battery, and some other items such as fuses,, voltmeter ,main isolator switch ,  constructed this all on a anodised metal baseplate with wheels, an added an extra 12v computer fan for extra cooling.

I installed two socket outlets on it for 220v ac, and one for12vdc (maybe a lighting circuit in future.)

I ran an extra subcircuit in the house, which the tv and two computers, and the router is plugged into. this subcircuit is connected onto a plug top and onto the mains supply.

I have a cheap 12v car battery charger the the inverter.

When load shedding occurs, all I do is remove the subcircuit plugtop, and plug it into the inverter socket outlet, I manually switch the inverter on, its really a simple system, but certainly has worked faultlessly when needed.

Total cost was about R8000. 

At the moment would like to maybe add a second battery, which would push up my run time to over 4 hours.

Have a gas stove , already, 

Had ideas to expand my system , but just have not got around to it.

 

This sounds intriguing. Can you post some pictures and more information please.

[nickelass]

This sounds intriguing. Can you post some pictures and more information please.

Have sent you a pm.

[Allrounder]

Game has a 5 kw genni for R7000, and or 8000 if you want the electric start. 

[Eddy Gordo]

About 4 years ago,when we were subjected to the first round of load shedding, I realised that it was only the communication ,entertainment items that I really wanted.

I bought a 1500w modified sign wave inverter ,1 95 amp/hour  good battery, and some other items such as fuses,, voltmeter ,main isolator switch ,  constructed this all on a anodised metal baseplate with wheels, an added an extra 12v computer fan for extra cooling.

I installed two socket outlets on it for 220v ac, and one for12vdc (maybe a lighting circuit in future.)

I ran an extra subcircuit in the house, which the tv and two computers, and the router is plugged into. this subcircuit is connected onto a plug top and onto the mains supply.

I have a cheap 12v car battery charger the the inverter.

When load shedding occurs, all I do is remove the subcircuit plugtop, and plug it into the inverter socket outlet, I manually switch the inverter on, its really a simple system, but certainly has worked faultlessly when needed.

Total cost was about R8000. 

At the moment would like to maybe add a second battery, which would push up my run time to over 4 hours.

Have a gas stove , already, 

Had ideas to expand my system , but just have not got around to it.

This is what i want do. Keep the circuit seprate. Right i am only running lights from my battery. Need a pure sine, solar panels and one or 2 more batteries

[Spokey]

An important point i missed...start by analyzing your existing load profile and take steps to become energy efficient...before you start blowing tons of cash on a system.

 

a stove for example is the first step...a gas stove is the way to go...i have a full gas stove top and oven...works for us and saves a lot of money...my wife and daughter both  bake...people said gas ovens dont work...trust me i eat the stuff that comes out the oven...it works. 

 

tinting  windows makes a huge difference...especially the ones which get sun in the morning and afternoon

 

 

i havent got around to doing it yet...but i want to insulate my roof space...not pink aerolite above the ceiling...i want to insulate below the roof tile...i want to slide piece of insulation between the rafters and secure it below the roof tiles. 

 

I have just started installing occupation sensors in the most used rooms in my house...passages entrance etc...kitchen for example the light is always left on...wife complained about it in the beginning ...it takes a few setting adjustments to get the time and sensitivity right...kitchen for example is set for 10 minutes and high sensitivity ...the passage for example is set for 30 seconds...it takes a few adjustments to get it best suited for the family.

 

outside my house is in darkness...i dont want an intruder to see where he is walking...and the cctv picks up a lit screen of a cellphone like a sore thumb...motion sensors connected to lights  identify the location of the intruder...what might be a silly thing but...dried leaves make a racket when you walk on them...so do loose stones

 

Very interesting that you prefer the darkness. My house is surrounded my a lovely “quiet” lawn. I have outside lights on, in fact I am the only one in my area who keeps the outside lights on. Large stands, agricultural plots. My huge Mutts need to see if there are intruders!

When my restaurant(on the property) finally opens, I will have lights and cameras. Personally I would do shotgun traps and all, but apparently it is A, Not legal and B, The Missus says no!

[DJR]

............... Personally I would do shotgun traps and all, but apparently it is A, Not legal and B, The Missus says no!

OK, I see why you can't

[Wannabe]

Your Missus is a spoilsport...

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Have sent you a pm.

 

Please post for others to see if you don't mind.......

[eccc whippet]

Very interesting that you prefer the darkness. My house is surrounded my a lovely “quiet” lawn. I have outside lights on, in fact I am the only one in my area who keeps the outside lights on. Large stands, agricultural plots. My huge Mutts need to see if there are intruders!

When my restaurant(on the property) finally opens, I will have lights and cameras. Personally I would do shotgun traps and all, but apparently it is A, Not legal and B, The Missus says no!

Another reason i leave the lights off...the only problem i have at the moment is the new mutt is scared of the dark...so he sleeps inside...and he has been going to training and is there to protect the wife and daughter if someone enters the house.

 

 

"Dogs see a lot better than humans do at night. Dogs have many adaptations for low-light vision. A larger pupil lets in more light. The center of the retina has more of the light-sensitive cells (rods), which work better in dim light than the color-detecting cones."