Backup Power Supply for your home is essential now that Eskom has given us a 100% Black  Friday Special

The standard installation for a small home is a 5kw Inverter or an 8kw Inverter with 8 to 12 Solar Panels and a 5kwh Lithium Battery. 

Many hundreds of homeowners have installed this combo which  costs between R 140 000 and R200 000 depending on who your installer is.

I really feel for the townhouse dweller or flat dweller who needs a backup power supply and they are not able to install solar panels. For them the weeks ahead are dark .

We also wanted to come up with a much more affordable solution for the people who want to get on with their lives but simply do not have R 200 000 lying around

We have come up with an inverter  solution under R30 000 for people who cannot install solar power for whatever reason, but still want to get on with life as normal. We call it the Power Wall.

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Stuck with high electricity bills and don't know what to do about it?

The biggest consumers of electricity in a typical apartment are your geyser and electric/underfloor heating.

Solutions:

Electric heaters/underfloor heating

• Replace with a portable gas heater instead. Expect to pay approximately R 1000 for a mobile gas heater and R300 for a 9kg gas refill.

Geyser:

• Turn down the thermostat on the geyser to approx. 60 degrees. If geyser is set too hot, it uses a tremendous amount of electricity trying to keep the geyser at that temperature.
• Install a geyser timer switch on the DB board. Then set the timer to switch the geyser on for 2 hours per day before you typically bath/shower.  An electrician should charge approx. R1200 to supply and fit the timer. By personal experience, a timer cut my electricity bill in half!

These two tips should shave up to 50% off your electricity bill. 

Energy efficient appliances

Make a point of replacing all your incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs which save about 90% of your lighting costs. 

Cooking on gas is where possible will also help considerably, and have the added benefit of being able to cook while being load shed!

Solar

If you are able to install solar panels, then the next step in energy saving would be to invest in a solar system. Solar systems are designed to scale up as your requirements change, by adding extra solar panels and battery storage capacity.

 An energy audit would be required to ascertain your starting point and give you an idea of the financial cost of the system; There is no "one size fits all" solution. 

Power in a Box have a series of small solutions from a portable inverter, to installed inverter/battery systems, and installed solar/inverter/battery systems. [Click here]

The post Electricity Bill too High? – SAVE ELECTRICITY [INSTANT] appeared first on Power in a Box.

In a world where electricity powers virtually everything we use, devices like inverters play a crucial role in ensuring a consistent and efficient power supply. You might have heard the term "inverter" before, but what exactly is it? In this article, we'll dive into the world of inverters, exploring their purpose, how they work at home, their different types, and some commonly asked questions.

Understanding the Purpose of an Inverter

An inverter, simply put, is an electronic device that converts direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). This transformation is vital because many of our home appliances and electronics run on AC power, while sources like batteries provide DC power. In essence, an inverter acts as a bridge, allowing us to use DC power from sources like batteries to run AC-powered devices, such as laptops, refrigerators, and televisions.

How Does an Inverter Work at Home?

For the technical enthusiasts, here's a closer look at how inverters work. Inverters use a combination of electronic components to convert DC to AC. They utilize switches, such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) or insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), to rapidly switch the DC input on and off. This switching creates a waveform that resembles AC power. However, the quality of this waveform varies depending on the type of inverter.

The Merits of Pure Sine Wave Inverters

For the technical aficionados, let's delve into the benefits of pure sine wave inverters. These inverters produce a clean and smooth sine wave output that replicates the quality of utility grid power. This matters because many sensitive electronics, like laptops and medical equipment, require a stable and clean power supply to function optimally. Pure sine wave inverters eliminate the risk of damaging equipment due to irregular power output, making them an excellent choice for both residential and commercial use.

In contrast, modified sine wave inverters produce a stepped waveform that might not be compatible with certain electronics. This type of inverter is suitable for basic appliances, but it can cause issues with more delicate devices. Therefore, if you're looking for a versatile and reliable power source, investing in a pure sine wave inverter is a wise choice.

What is an Inverter in Simple Words?

In simpler terms, an inverter is like a translator for electricity. Imagine you have a friend who only speaks one language, while you understand another. An inverter steps in and translates your language into your friend's language so you can communicate effectively. Similarly, it takes the energy from sources like batteries (which speak the language of direct current, DC) and translates it into a form that household appliances can understand (alternating current, AC).

Does an Inverter Need a Battery?

This brings us to a common question: does an inverter need a battery to function? The answer depends on the type of inverter and its purpose. Standalone inverters, which are commonly used for backup power during outages, require a battery to store the converted energy. When the grid power goes out, the inverter draws energy from the battery and converts it to AC power for your devices.

On the other hand, grid-tied inverters used in solar power systems don't necessarily need batteries. These inverters convert the DC power generated by solar panels into AC power that can be used in your home or fed back into the grid. Batteries can be added to these systems for energy storage, but they aren't a requirement for basic grid-tied functionality.

Conclusion

Inverters are the unsung heroes of our modern power-hungry Load shedding world. They enable us to use various devices and appliances seamlessly by converting DC power into the AC power that our homes and businesses rely on. Whether it's the convenience of running electronics during a blackout or the efficiency of solar power systems, inverters play a vital role in keeping our lives powered.

For those interested in exploring further, products like the Home Inverter and seeking guidance from South Africa's inverter and solar energy experts can offer valuable insights. Additionally, understanding South Africa's solar tax breaks and the impact of increasing load shedding is essential in navigating the energy landscape.

The post What is an Inverter? A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Power in a Box.

The Enertec Deep Cycle Heavy duty sealed lead acid batteries that we use are designed to last 1000 cycles if you look after them properly. 

BUT only if handled properly.

If you overload your batteries by “red-lining” them ie  discharging it too deeply, or drawing a very heavy load continuously,  they will only last a few months, no matter what brand of deep cycle batteries one uses.

Make sure that the inverter or UPS you use has automatic  low voltage cutoff set properly to switch off automatically before your batteries discharge too deeply. Too deep a discharge of you battery will ruin any lead acid battery very quickly. In my experience battery brand is not the main cause of failure, normally unwitting battery abuse is the culprit!!!

Another tip that nobody speaks about is the continuous  amperage that your inverter will pull from the battery.

A very experienced battery supply that I have come to rely heavily on recommends that your continuous design load does not draw more than 15 Amps from a 12 V deep cycle battery. This 15 Amp target  is guesswork, but experience counts in this industry!

Divide your normal inverter load ( in Watts) by the voltage of your battery ( probably 12 or 24 Volts) to obtain the current draw on your batteries.

EG

A 240 Watt load on a 12 V system would draw 240W/12V = 20 Amps – which is a bit too high !!!

But on a 24 V system, the same load would only be drawing 240W/24 V = 10 Amps which is very low and consequently you can expect excellent endurance from your battery - as long as you do not discharge it to deeply!

The post How Long can I expect my Inverter Batteries to Last? appeared first on Power in a Box.

Power Requirements and Inverter Solution

Running a small office without interruption of your telephones and internet connectivity during loadshedding events using the Hybrid Power in a Box Uninterruptable Power supply Inverter.

Office Reception Requirements

To establish your requirements we start with a load audit.

How much power do you need and for how long?

1 PC  - 50Watts

1  WIFI router – 7 Watts

1  Fibre internet box – 10 Watts

1 Cellphone charger – 7 Watts

Inverter fan – 30 Watt

Total requirement is 104  W

Capacity : Power in a Box –Small office and student model  12V UPS, 1200VA 

The 12 V Battery has a capacity of 80Ah ( 80 Amp Hours) , but being a deep cycle lead acid battery, you don’t want to use more than 50% of the battery’s capacity to ensure a long battery life.

Therefore you only have 40 Ah available in your 12 V Battery  40 X 12 = 480 Wh ( Watt Hours)

For 2 hours of backup you can therefore run 480/2 = 240 Watts.

For 4 hours of Backup you can run 480/4 = 120 Watts.

Your office reception uses less than 120 Watts, so the Power in a Box can cope with 4 hour loadshedding events.

Solar addition

If you want to be able to remain running with blackouts lasting a day or more, we recommend adding a single 200W solar panel to your Hybrid UPS inverter. (Simply put the solar panel facing full sun, and plug it in to the power points provided on the Inverter)

A 200W panel will give you 200 W for about 5 or 6 hours on a sunny day. While the sun is shining, your panel will run your load (of approx. 100W ) while charging your battery. After sundown, you will have 4 more hours of backup on the battery.

The system is designed for extreme flexibility  to take up to 700W of solar power in multiple panels if required, and extra batteries can be added to increase your electrical load and storage capacity.

Phase 2  

Office/Training room / sales room requirements

10 laptops (40 - 50 W each) = 400 - 500 W

Inverter fan 30 W

Total requirement = 430 – 530 W

Capacity : Power in a Box –Small office model 24V UPS, 2400 VA model 

The 2 X 12 V  Batteries = a 24 V battery with a capacity of 80Ah.

Therefore you only have 40 Ah available in your 24 V Battery 40 X 24 = 960  Wh

For 2 hours of backup you can therefore run 960/2 = 480 Watts. Ie 10 Laptops for 2 hours

For 4 hours of Backup you can run 960/4 = 240 Watts.  Ie 5 laptops for 4 hours

Solar Addition

2 Solar panels of up to 350 W each ( 700 W total )  can be added to supply more than the 480 W required to run 10 laptops while recharging  your batteries.

Power in a Box Prices  - March 2023 

Power in a Box – Home office and student  12V UPS, 1200VA   R5 999

Power in a Box – Small office model 24V UPS, 2400 VA  R8 999

200W solar panel R3 000

This video provids an Introduction to small office Power in a Box an dincludes the elementary calculations required to size your unit.

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