Load Shedding - Don't be left in the dark

Load Shedding - Don't be left in the dark again.

Is Load Shedding back? Are we forever waiting for another run of stage 1, 2 and 3bs? Whenever there is a power cut, many of us wait with bated breath for the dreaded announcement. For some South Africans, load shedding has never stopped. After another scare a few weeks ago, we at Sustainable.co.za have decided to write a guide on how to prepare yourself for power cuts. From small cost effective solutions, to larger, long term applications, we have ensured that we have it all.

Keep the lights on

Lighting is very important, especially in the evenings when you spend your time relaxing or going through homework with your children. Stop hoarding candles by investing in one or more Solar Lanterns. Portable and long-lasting, many of them can even be powered by mains. This reduces the risk of leaving them outside. If you are looking for a more long term solution, we also offer small lighting kits that include one or more bulbs that can be hung in each room. If you are not a big fan of solar, we have a back-up LED light that has a small built-in battery that keeps the bulb burning even when the power cuts out.

Peace of mind with great security measures

For those who are more security conscious, we offer a wide range of Solar Security Lights, including Stairwell and Wall Lights. Many of these are activated by motion-sensors and automatically come on at night via a day/ night sensor. Having peace of mind is also important to us so we have built small solar power kits that can be used to power your alarm system or gate motor. Simply replace the back-up battery with the battery in the kit and sleep soundly knowing that you have more than enough backup power to last through the night.

Don't waste half cooked food

We've all been there, you have just started cooking and the power goes off unexpectedly. Not only is it frustrating but it can also be a great waste of food. If this is a big worry of yours, we suggest that you look into a gas stove and/ or oven. Alternatively, if the food has already reached boiling point but needs to cook for longer, then make sure you have a hot bag or hot box stored in your cupboard. These are wonderfully insulated and will retain the heat of the pot so that your food can cook for longer.

Hot water available on tap

One of the worst things at the end of a long day is to come home to no hot water. Ensure that this is not you by investing in a Solar Water Heating System. We have many solutions available. You can convert your current geyser to a Solar Water Heating System or get a brand new system for your household. If you are not sure what size system you should get, work on 50L per person in your household. Many people are concerned about cold weather affecting these systems, but never fear, all of these systems have a temperature sensor and backup electrical element that will heat the water should the temperature go below a certain level. Go completely off-grid by investing in a backup gas geyser. We have a great product that will connect your Solar Water Heating System to a gas geyser that works much like a backup element. As soon as it detects that the water has gone below a certain temperature it diverts the incoming water to the gas geyser where it heats it up.

Solar electricity for water heating

With the abundant sunshine in South Africa it was only a matter of time until new innovative ways of heating water became available. We have a range of photovoltaic water heating systems that are simply more efficient and totally maintenance free. We also have fantastic control systems in these kits to control heating, holiday mode for the getaway cottage and total system protection. Check them out here. These controllers also now have online monitoring available, set the times, put your home into holiday mode, turn on the heating before you get home all conveniently through an app on your phone.

Solar power back-up and light up

Since the last load shedding period, the technology and solutions has evolved considerably and many cost effective systems are now available. One of the biggest improvements has been in storage where Lithium batteries are now becoming the norm and the cost has been done to bring them in line with conventional battery systems. These can be found in small back-up lighting systems right up to complete home solutions giving you independence from Eskom and load shedding risks. There is even technology now that uses a small amount of fuel to generate electricity for lighting and battery charging, amazing, the iHarvey! Prevention is better than Cure as they say and we at Sustainable.co.za are happy to provide a wide range of solutions for all. You can start small and be prepared for any eventuality. You will at the very least have the added bonus of saving electricity, money and reducing your carbon footprint. What have you got to lose?