200 GLS GreenGeyser Solar Conversion

Typically a home solar installation takes a full day, but supply of solar panels, batteries and inverters is the primary cause of delays. 

The recent spate of load shedding has drastically increased demand resulting in supply shortages of up to 4 weeks. 

The process of installing solar or installing an inverter in your home starts with your application [here].

One of technical sales staff will contact you to ascertain your exact requirements and give you an estimated  cost of installation, followed by a site visit and exact quotation of the system that will best suit you .

Unfortunately load shedding it is effecting every student, every home and small business equally. The lights go off and everything stops, internet, computer, lights, microwave, stove, kettle, electric gate.

Since Covid, schooling and university/colleges have evolved their methods to rely heavily on the internet for, homework, projects and assessments.

I watch my 15 year old son get back from sport at around 6pm with the pressure of another 2 hours of homework to look forward to, only to have to deal with loadshedding from 6pm to 10pm. And every day the loadshedding schedule changes which adds to the stress.

So what is the solution? A generator, inverter, UPS, solar – or completely off the grid?

Heaven help you if you ask a shop assistants advice- I have found that 99% of the population know very little about Volts, Amps, AC current, DC Current, Watts, VA, Ah, Wh, battery capacityetc.

They know even less about batteries and how to select the best battery for your application.

How do you choose ?

Petrol or diesel generator, inverter, UPS or solar

Lets look at the options in more detail and hopefully bring some clarity into this backup power problem that all South Africans have been thrust into.

The pros and cons of each backup power option for a household:

Petrol Generator

Pros:

• Provides high power output for long periods of time, making it suitable for large power needs or prolonged power outages
• Can power larger household appliances and electronics
• Widely available and can be purchased at hardware stores or online
• Can be used for outdoor activities like camping

Cons:

• Requires regular maintenance and fuel refills, which can be costly and time-consuming
• Produces noise and emits toxic exhaust fumes, which can be unpleasant and harmful to the environment
• Can be expensive to purchase initially, as well as operate and maintain over time
• May not be allowed in certain residential areas due to noise
• Unless you have a covered outside area, rain can stop you in your tracks.

Inverter

Pros:

• Runs quietly and produces no emissions, making it an environmentally-friendly option
• Requires little maintenance and is easy to operate
• Can be powered by renewable energy sources like solar panels
• Portable and lightweight, making it easy to move and transport
• Typically less expensive than petrol generators

Cons:

• Provides limited power output for shorter periods of time, making it less suitable for large power needs or prolonged outages
• Can only power smaller household appliances and electronics
• Requires initial investment in batteries or solar panels, which can be costly
• Unplugging from power source and recharging between usage cycles
• May not be suitable for areas with long power outages

UPS

Pros:

• Provides an instant backup power source during short power outages
• Requires minimal maintenance and is easy to use
• Produces no noise or emissions, making it an environmentally-friendly option
• Can be used to protect sensitive electronics from power surges and outages

Cons:

• Provides limited power output for short periods of time, making it less suitable for large power needs or prolonged outages
• Can only power small household appliances and electronics
• May not be suitable for areas with long power outages

In Summary

For a small office or home usage where the load required to run your essential electronics is relatively low, the convenience of a UPS wins every time.

Basic Inverters are bit more inconvenient than a UPS since they generally require you to alternately plug and unplug your equipment into the mains or the inverter.

For farms, or areas where noise is not  a problem and frequent extended power cuts are common, I would recommend a generator.

And since we live in sunny South Africa, I believe the target for every household should be to move to solar (normally in stages) in a totally off the grid solution.

Load shedding is having a significant and adverse impact on South Africans in many ways.

1. Load shedding disrupts daily life, causing inconvenience and frustration. Scheduled power outages mean that work is disrupted, you are unable to cook meals, use appliances, do your homework, access the internet.
2. Small businesses: Load shedding has a significant impact on businesses, with power outages causing disruption to everyday work activities. When the power dips, so does your productivity and you lose income.
3. Security:  Load shedding can result in increased crime as security systems, alarms and streetlights are disrupted.
4. Health concerns: Load shedding can affect life-saving medical equipment like respirators for the sick frail and aged.
5. Loss of perishable goods: How much food have you lost due to loadshedding ?
6. Emotional stress: Load shedding causes emotional stress, with people feeling anxious and uncertain about when power will be restored, how to meet deadline, how to finish your homework causing a sense of powerlessness and helplessness.
7. It is essential to address the Loadshedding problem as it is here for the foreseeable future, I am afraid.

The Solution

So what are the options for a household or a small business ?  What if you work from home, since so many South Africans are working from home or running a small business from home.

The obvious solution is to install a substantial solar power system and get off the grid completely, get control back and stop being subject to the dreadful inefficiencies and inconvenience of Loadshedding. But unfortunately for most South Africans, this costs a small fortune upwards of R400 000.

A phased approach 

Step 1

Load-shed proof your home office, your students, your entertainment like TV and internet.

Get a Power In A Box – Home and Student  UPS. Its a great cost effective solution, which stays plugged into the grid while supplying you power that is uninterrupted when loadshedding kicks in.

This short video demonstrates the capabilities of Power In A Box, and as providence would have it, I was loadshed while filming which provided a great live demonstration of the system.  

Sunsync  Inverters: 10 year warranty 

Sunsynk Wall mount Lithium Batteries : 10 year warranty

Canadian Solar Panels 20 year warranty