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

[geomark]

Looking to soundboard the following:

 

Monthly utility bill for a typical summer month:

Water, R 2,500.00 approx R 11.00 for 1kl (including VAT and Demand side levy) Sewerage cost is not included in the above. I do have a garden that requires some water, and a 40,000l swimming pool

Electricity, R 1,850. R2.77kWh (including VAT, Network surcharge, service charge and Network charge) Winter this figure is higher off coarse. I have a normal 200l geyser

 

I'm Joburg based.

 

Taking all future risk scenarios into consideration:

City Power, load shedding, old infrastructure and failing substations, tariff increases

Joburg Water, repairing old infrastructure, availability to healthy water, tariff increases.

 

I have small 5.5kW generator and a 1.2kVA UPS (For CCTV, Router and internet) for load shedding days. All alarms and and electric fence are installed with double battery back-up

Safety is probably high on the list priority for us.

 

Budget estimate for a 5kW Solar package, including some batteries (AGM) = R 90,000.00 Grid tie solution. Then change over to pre-paid system

To sink a 100m bore hole will cost around R 70,000.00

 

To reduce the monthly running cost of the house is paramount.

Both services are essential to us.

Investing into either one is something for consideration.

 

Payback is my issue, this is a long term decision.

Not having water, or electricity is also a problem.

 

In which resource would you invest into?

I am in a similar position to you and have been looking (just at a high level) at the costs. There does not currently seem to be a less than 10 year payback option on solar at this stage, if you could get paid to put power into the grid this would change for the better in future. When/if that will happen with these clowns, who knows. EDIT forgot to mention good chance local/national gvt will slap some tax on it as well to make up for lost power sale revenues which could skew things the other way.

 

That said if you work from home and rely on the power the equation changes, if you are a company you get a 2 year right off and VAT relief etc so personal circumstances affect your specific economics.  But generally it is about convenience/lifestyle/safety for now.

 

On water I think 70K would be optimistic by the time its equipped. Also run a very real risk of 70K for a dry hole, no guarantees. Payback vs municipal would be extremely long I imagine but haven't done the maths.

 

We've gone the route of lots of rainwater harvesting and a pressure pump, doesn't make us self sufficient but takes the pool all year out of the equation plus garden water for 5 months during rains. This can then be used as a buffer topping up with municipal water  if you see water supply issues eg repetitive high intensity load shedding disrupting reticulation etc and is enviro friendly and cheap to do anyway. 

Edited January 14, 2020 by geomark

[geomark]

So far my load shedding strategy is working well I feel...

[Tothehills]

That is for sure n huge risk with a bore hole. You are not guaranteed any water.

With solar you have at least not that risk.

 

Does one insure your Solar system, and if so what is the monthly premium on a R90k system

 

I am in a similar position to you and have been looking (just at a high) level at the costs. There does not currently seem to be a less than 10 year payback option on solar at this stage, if you could get paid to put power into the grid this would change for the better in future. When/if that will happen with these clowns, who knows.

 

That said if you work from home and rely on the power the equation changes, if you are a company you get a 2 year right off and VAT relief etc so personal circumstances affect your specific economics.  But generally it is about convenience/lifestyle/safety for now.

 

On water I think 70K would be optimistic by the time its equipped. Also run a very real risk of 70K for a dry hole, no guarantees. Payback vs municipal would be extremely long I imagine but haven't done the maths.

 

We've gone the route of lots of rainwater harvesting and a pressure pump, doesn't make us self sufficient but takes the pool all year out of the equation plus garden water for 5 months during rains. This can then be used as a buffer topping up with municipal water  if you see water supply issues eg repetitive high intensity load shedding disrupting reticulation etc and is enviro friendly and cheap to do anyway. 

[Stretch]

Looking to soundboard the following:

 

Monthly utility bill for a typical summer month:

Water, R 2,500.00 approx R 11.00 for 1kl (including VAT and Demand side levy) Sewerage cost is not included in the above. I do have a garden that requires some water, and a 40,000l swimming pool

Electricity, R 1,850. R2.77kWh (including VAT, Network surcharge, service charge and Network charge) Winter this figure is higher off coarse. I have a normal 200l geyser

 

I'm Joburg based.

 

Taking all future risk scenarios into consideration:

City Power, load shedding, old infrastructure and failing substations, tariff increases

Joburg Water, repairing old infrastructure, availability to healthy water, tariff increases.

 

I have small 5.5kW generator and a 1.2kVA UPS (For CCTV, Router and internet) for load shedding days. All alarms and and electric fence are installed with double battery back-up

Safety is probably high on the list priority for us.

 

Budget estimate for a 5kW Solar package, including some batteries (AGM) = R 90,000.00 Grid tie solution. Then change over to pre-paid system

To sink a 100m bore hole will cost around R 70,000.00

 

To reduce the monthly running cost of the house is paramount.

Both services are essential to us.

Investing into either one is something for consideration.

 

Payback is my issue, this is a long term decision.

Not having water, or electricity is also a problem.

 

In which resource would you invest into?

For 70k you would probably get more bang for your buck with tanks and pumps with sufficient organics management and filtration to be used for the bathroom and further filtration for the kitchen... Along with a municipal failsafe switchover.

 

That of course depends on space available and your local MAP

[Vetplant]

I am in a similar position to you and have been looking (just at a high level) at the costs. There does not currently seem to be a less than 10 year payback option on solar at this stage, if you could get paid to put power into the grid this would change for the better in future. When/if that will happen with these clowns, who knows. EDIT forgot to mention good chance local/national gvt will slap some tax on it as well to make up for lost power sale revenues which could skew things the other way.

 

That said if you work from home and rely on the power the equation changes, if you are a company you get a 2 year right off and VAT relief etc so personal circumstances affect your specific economics.  But generally it is about convenience/lifestyle/safety for now.

 

On water I think 70K would be optimistic by the time its equipped. Also run a very real risk of 70K for a dry hole, no guarantees. Payback vs municipal would be extremely long I imagine but haven't done the maths.

 

We've gone the route of lots of rainwater harvesting and a pressure pump, doesn't make us self sufficient but takes the pool all year out of the equation plus garden water for 5 months during rains. This can then be used as a buffer topping up with municipal water  if you see water supply issues eg repetitive high intensity load shedding disrupting reticulation etc and is enviro friendly and cheap to do anyway. 

We got two 5000L ECO tanks(R4500 each IIRC), plus pressure pump(about R2500) to irrigate from rainwater. I harvest off 150sqm of my roof, this means the tanks can go from empty to full with 40mm of rainfall. I have connected this system up to my house when our municipal supply was off.

 

I am currently trying to dig my own well using the following technique:

https://www.drillyourownwell.com/Basic_Well_Drilling_Steps.htm

 

Take note, this is not a borehole but a well. This water will only be used for irrigation. I only consider this option because it will cost me less than R400 to sink a test hole down to 9m. A colleague stays two blocks from me and his water level sits at 5m deep, so I figured it was worth a shot. I am already at 1m depth after 20mins of drilling, currently working my way through what I believe to be an old treestump when looking at the cuttings. I will be screwed if I hit a proper rock though.

[samson99]

I am in a similar position to you and have been looking (just at a high level) at the costs. There does not currently seem to be a less than 10 year payback option on solar at this stage, if you could get paid to put power into the grid this would change for the better in future. When/if that will happen with these clowns, who knows. EDIT forgot to mention good chance local/national gvt will slap some tax on it as well to make up for lost power sale revenues which could skew things the other way.

 

That said if you work from home and rely on the power the equation changes, if you are a company you get a 2 year right off and VAT relief etc so personal circumstances affect your specific economics.  But generally it is about convenience/lifestyle/safety for now.

 

On water I think 70K would be optimistic by the time its equipped. Also run a very real risk of 70K for a dry hole, no guarantees. Payback vs municipal would be extremely long I imagine but haven't done the maths.

 

We've gone the route of lots of rainwater harvesting and a pressure pump, doesn't make us self sufficient but takes the pool all year out of the equation plus garden water for 5 months during rains. This can then be used as a buffer topping up with municipal water  if you see water supply issues eg repetitive high intensity load shedding disrupting reticulation etc and is enviro friendly and cheap to do anyway. 

 

Is the bold only applicable to Joburg or Cape Town as well? If so, where can i read up about this please. My wife has a baking company out the house and solar would save a bunch of electricity. 

[Karman de Lange]

Is the bold only applicable to Joburg or Cape Town as well? If so, where can i read up about this please. My wife has a baking company out the house and solar would save a bunch of electricity. 

tax law, any expense todo business is tax deductible (with some exceptions). If above R 5000 (when i last checked) its fixed asset and you have to write off over time period.

 

So if you can proof you need it to run business, you should be able to deduct it. (But im not tax expert, just been running own business for 12 years from home)

 

 

edit:  solar repayment is now about 5 years, so capital outlay might not warrant savings if you need to make loan.  Just do calcs first

Edited January 14, 2020 by Karman de Lange

[geomark]

Is the bold only applicable to Joburg or Cape Town as well? If so, where can i read up about this please. My wife has a baking company out the house and solar would save a bunch of electricity. 

National, check for updates but this actually says 1 year with provisos;

 

From 1 January 2016, a little-known amendment to Section 12B of the Income Tax Act (Act 58 of 1996) allows for depreciation in the year of commissioning of the full (100%) cost of a grid-tied solar PV system of less than 1 MW used for electricity generation by a business in the course of its operations.

 

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/316745-tax-breaks-for-south-africans-who-install-solar-power-systems.html

[geomark]

... I only consider this option because it will cost me less than R400 to sink a test hole down to 9m. A colleague stays two blocks from me and his water level sits at 5m deep, so I figured it was worth a shot.. .

If your ground water is that shallow and you live on sand and are a patient man then go for it.  Easy to traditional hand dig a well to that depth too, just get your support right.

[Wannabe]

So far my load shedding strategy is working well I feel...

9b69129a-3384-4c59-bf53-5ed7f7c64240.JPG

 

Everytime Eksdom strikes, and the neighbors starts their generators, I start my lawnmover and idle it up, I don't want to sound like I can't afford a generator.  

[geomark]

Everytime Eksdom strikes, and the neighbors starts their generators, I start my lawnmover and idle it up, I don't want to sound like I can't afford a generator.  

I hope you stick it right on the boundary wall next to them too 

[The Ouzo]

We got two 5000L ECO tanks(R4500 each IIRC), plus pressure pump(about R2500) to irrigate from rainwater. I harvest off 150sqm of my roof, this means the tanks can go from empty to full with 40mm of rainfall. I have connected this system up to my house when our municipal supply was off.

 

I am currently trying to dig my own well using the following technique:

https://www.drillyourownwell.com/Basic_Well_Drilling_Steps.htm

 

Take note, this is not a borehole but a well. This water will only be used for irrigation. I only consider this option because it will cost me less than R400 to sink a test hole down to 9m. A colleague stays two blocks from me and his water level sits at 5m deep, so I figured it was worth a shot. I am already at 1m depth after 20mins of drilling, currently working my way through what I believe to be an old treestump when looking at the cuttings. I will be screwed if I hit a proper rock though.

I've seen this drilling method used to drill horizontally under a sidewalk. Seems to work well.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Looking to soundboard the following:

 

Monthly utility bill for a typical summer month:

Water, R 2,500.00 approx R 11.00 for 1kl (including VAT and Demand side levy) Sewerage cost is not included in the above. I do have a garden that requires some water, and a 40,000l swimming pool

Electricity, R 1,850. R2.77kWh (including VAT, Network surcharge, service charge and Network charge) Winter this figure is higher off coarse. I have a normal 200l geyser

 

I'm Joburg based.

 

Taking all future risk scenarios into consideration:

City Power, load shedding, old infrastructure and failing substations, tariff increases

Joburg Water, repairing old infrastructure, availability to healthy water, tariff increases.

 

I have small 5.5kW generator and a 1.2kVA UPS (For CCTV, Router and internet) for load shedding days. All alarms and and electric fence are installed with double battery back-up

Safety is probably high on the list priority for us.

 

Budget estimate for a 5kW Solar package, including some batteries (AGM) = R 90,000.00 Grid tie solution. Then change over to pre-paid system

To sink a 100m bore hole will cost around R 70,000.00

 

To reduce the monthly running cost of the house is paramount.

Both services are essential to us.

Investing into either one is something for consideration.

 

Payback is my issue, this is a long term decision.

Not having water, or electricity is also a problem.

 

In which resource would you invest into?

There is no price you can put on having the lights on when you want and need them.  

 

It's different for me because I have built my house around the solar sytem and I have a lot of space for tanks.  ( I have 30 000l for our house and 15 000 for the garden plus 2500l grey water system

 

But if I was looking to retro fit some energy saving devices and thank goodness I'm not as I don't have the budget..

 

small gas geyser on the spare shower 4k all in

 

rainwater tanks (preferably in the sun to kill germs) in series on one pump followed by a filter system.  get another underr sink filter system for one kitchen tap for drinking water 

grey water tank catching shower/bath/basin/washing machine water ( beware these can get smelly but it's very temporary)  Use this for garden and plants (they adapt and you get organic additives to make the water cleaner) pump for this one too

 

a 4kva inverter that can be paired to a second inverter down the line) get victron - they can literally plug into each other

9 330 watt panels

3 x 3,5kw  lithium batteries

 

This would be around 100k but everything described above is future proofed - so as you get more funds you can add on components

[Tothehills]

That's interesting. Send some pics if you succeed

 

We got two 5000L ECO tanks(R4500 each IIRC), plus pressure pump(about R2500) to irrigate from rainwater. I harvest off 150sqm of my roof, this means the tanks can go from empty to full with 40mm of rainfall. I have connected this system up to my house when our municipal supply was off.

 

I am currently trying to dig my own well using the following technique:

https://www.drillyourownwell.com/Basic_Well_Drilling_Steps.htm

 

Take note, this is not a borehole but a well. This water will only be used for irrigation. I only consider this option because it will cost me less than R400 to sink a test hole down to 9m. A colleague stays two blocks from me and his water level sits at 5m deep, so I figured it was worth a shot. I am already at 1m depth after 20mins of drilling, currently working my way through what I believe to be an old treestump when looking at the cuttings. I will be screwed if I hit a proper rock though.

[Tothehills]

Post of the week !!!

You can go home now

Everytime Eksdom strikes, and the neighbors starts their generators, I start my lawnmover and idle it up, I don't want to sound like I can't afford a generator.  

[Stretch]

How do you know you've got water with that drilling method? If you're running water through it while drilling you are going to have water coming out regardless. A 9m dig is going to be really difficult using that method