Strategies to Minimise the Frustration of Load-Shedding
South Africans all over the country are faced with load-shedding on a regular basis. Unfortunately, it will continue to be part of our lives. In our tech-driven world, load-shedding is extremely disruptive. However, your house or business can prepare for such times.
So, what are some useful ways to beat load-shedding which is not too costly?
Low hanging fruit
Firstly, start with the low-hanging fruit. Ahead of your allocated slot, make sure your electronics, such as your cell phone and laptop, have a charge so that you can still be productive in the time. An alternative would be to have a solar power bank.
Similarly, if your scheduled time is during dinner, having a small gas cooker could be helpful. Rechargeable lights would also be a great purchase. To protect your appliances, such as your television, fridge, and computer, having a surge protector could assist in preventing damage.
Calculations
Consider and calculate how much electricity your household needs during load-shedding. Identify the wattage of your lights, and find the labels on each of your appliances to see what the power usage is per appliance. Again, a gas stove could help cut out stove and kettle usage. Once you have an idea of how much electricity you may need, you can begin to find different options that suit your needs.
A backup system
There are different options, at varying price points, that you could implement in your home or business. Depending on your requirements, budget, and location, a generator or a UPS could provide emergency power. The capacity of a generator or a UPS could closely match your desired/required power needs.
Another option would be solar power, which is on the rise. It has proven costly and is limited to property that could adequately house this technology.
These are some key strategies for minimising the blow of load-shedding. Additionally, practising restricted power usage could also contribute to combating the supply problem, and saving you money on your electricity bills. Furthermore, preparing your home and business for load-shedding will enable you to continue with your day or evening with less frustration.
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