ELECTRICAL
ECA(SA)
Some loadshedding
advice from the ECA(SA) It has been with us for a very long time, it seems, the scheduled power cuts that make business and also home management a nightmare. Most users are now at the totally ‘gatvol’ phase, but we should not blindly sit in the dark while there is something we can do for ourselves. The Electrical Contractors Association SA’s (ECA) Regional Director: Highveld, Anthony Schewitz, shares some well-considered advice with readers. ECA-SA
Electrical Contractors’ Association (SA)
Loadshedding is disruptive and comes with risks to electrical appliances and electronic equipment. What can we do to mitigate the risks, minimise disruptions and ensure that we stay connected? For those with alternative electricity supply such as generators, solar installations, UPSes and other expensive equipment, ensure that your alternative supply has been safely installed – use a registered electrician to install equipment to ensure compliance with South Africa’s laws and regulations. If you have a small gas stove, batterypowered or solar lights but what you
still need is a WiFi battery back-up to stay online during loadshedding, a cheap and easy solution is to invest in lithium battery packs for your router. A fibre optic modem can be bought for anything from R400 to well over R1 000. It’s easy to set up and the batteries last anywhere from two to six hours, which comfortably covers the average load shedding times. If you want more than WiFi back-up, needing a comprehensive solution, here are some guidelines for alternative and back-up power as well as advice from our technical experts on how you can protect your electrical appliances and sensitive electronic equipment from the effects of loadshedding.
Alternative and back-up power solutions Generators Generators can be tricky as the most frequently bought and used generators for households are the smaller sub 10 kVA type, which are not designed to handle the load of an average house, and are not usually installed according to the legislated wiring specifications. A generator comes with a precautionary list of do’s and don’ts, and while inexpensive, the cost of fuel quickly adds up. Do your homework before investing in a generator; speak to specialist generator companies or ask an electrical contractor to evaluate your energy requirements, recommend the appropriate type and size of generator, and install the generator according to legislative requirements and issue the Certificate of Compliance according to SANS 10142-1. 64
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