With South Africans becoming used to living in a semi-permanent state of stage 2 load shedding, occasionally rising to stage 4 and the threat of stage 6 we have to find ways to ensure some sort of normality in our homes.
Tips to getting your home ready for load-shedding:
Cook with gas:
If you don't have a garden to braai in - don't stress - you can still whip up a meal by using a portable gas cooker. Gas hobs have been popular for a few years as they provide instant heat and are extremely cost effective.
Get a generator:
You can either run your entire house on a generator or just the critical devices and appliances - depending on how much you can afford to spend on a generator.
How to decide on which generator to buy:
To determine the size generator you will need, total the wattage of the maximum number of items you will be running simultaneously.
For items with start-up ratings higher than their run ratings, use the higher rating to determine your power requirements.
Appliances and tools such as refrigerators, washers and power tools require additional wattage for starting the equipment. The initial load only lasts a few seconds on start-up, but it is important when calculating your total wattage.
For example, running a 100 watt light bulb, 200 watt cooker, 1200 watt refrigerator with start-up of 2900 watts and a 750 watt TV would require 3950 watts.
Never exceed the rated capacity of a generator. Always start the largest electrical appliance first, then plug in other items, one at a time.
Remember to have good ventilation whenever you run a generator as carbon monoxide gas can be deadly.
Make use of the sun and go Solar:
With plenty hours of sunlight every day it’s a logical option to take advantage of solar power for lighting and entertaining options.
Battery power:
With candles being a high fire risk battery power is the smarter way to go - so stock up on battery-powered lighting - and they generate more light than a candle.
