Load shedding solutions
With more people working from home in their home offices, load shedding has become a real problem. Especially extended periods where even the batteries of phones and laptops go flat.
To stay productive in your home office, even during load shedding, one needs backup power. Generators are a good solution for short periods of time that do not happen too often. But if load shedding becomes a daily occurrence and happens for extended periods, generators become problematic. They make a lot of noise, and air pollution, that not you nor your neighbours will be too happy about. They become expensive in maintenance and fuel cost, and it also becomes a hassle to change over to generator power and start the generator.
A better alternative is to use UPS / Backup power systems. A UPS, backup system makes use of inverter/chargers and batteries. This has several advantages over generators:
- It is completely silent
- It is completely automatic
- It is uninterrupted: Computers, TVs and internet do not go off at all
- It is completely maintenance-free
- It uses no fuel
- Causes no pollution
With the UPS based load shedding solution, the following list of appliances can be backed up.
- LED lights
- TV
- Fridges
- Wi-Fi
- Computers
- Chargers for laptops and cellphones
Additional benefits UPS-based load shedding solutions
Additional benefits of UPS, Inverter and battery-based backup solutions are the following.
Protect sensitive electric and electronic equipment
Power going on and of frequently can cause damage to sensitive electric and electronic equipment. Several fridges, freezers, laptops, TV and computers were damaged during the last load shedding period in South Africa.
Adding solar power
An inverter/charger and battery-based system is basically half of what one needs for a complete off-grid solar system. It is very easy to just add a few solar panels to the system. This will then charge the batteries with solar power instead of grid power.
This has two advantages, firstly it saves you money as electricity from the solar panels is free. Secondly, it will extend the period of backup power, as one is no longer limited to the amount of energy stored in the batteries, but can also add all the energy produced by the solar panels to extend the available time of backup power. If there is enough solar power for energy being used, the equipment can even be permanently off-grid.
Our partners, IBC Solar offers further information on available load shedding solutions. Click here to visit their website.
Need some help in finding your load shedding solution?
We have a database of competent installers and solar consulting companies in Southern Africa. A good installer/consultant will be able to help you determine your backup power requirements.
Simply fill on the following page to request a consultation/quote from competent, pre-approved companies in your area.
15.07.2020 / Schlagwörter: Load shedding solutions
