Loadshedding needs no introduction and when the words loadshedding get mentioned on the news South Africans across the country let out an audible sigh as they think about the various inconveniences that await them. We may not be able to end loadshedding but we can most definitely suggest products that will make the effects of loadshedding less painful.
1. 20 000 Mah power bank
Staying connected to the world outside the walls of your house is imperative and when your phone goes flat and you are unable to communicate with anyone for at least two hours it is as stressful as it is frustrating. A 20 000 Mah power bank such as the Adata 20 000 mah Power Bank pictured above is able to charge two devices at a time via its USB ports and even the most power intensive smartphones are able to be charged more than once. You can expect to pay around R450 for a power bank of this spec.
You can browse through the power bank options here: https://www.oneshop.co.za/r~power-bank.html
2. Uninterupted Power Supply
An Uninterrupted Power Supply or UPS for short is a device used for temporarily powering one or more electric devices or appliances in the event of a power failure. The purpose of a UPS is not to provide extensive usage time but rather to prevent data loss or give an extra amount of time to complete a task at hand. A UPS provides a smooth transition in the event of a power failure meaning your device will not turn off. Although UPS pricing varies depending on their capacity a good starting budget is R1500. In our recent product review we spoke about the RCT 2000VA Line Interactive UPS here:
You can browse the UPS range here: https://www.oneshop.co.za/r~uninterrupted-power-supply.html
3. Battery Powered Lighting
Walking around in the dark at night is less than ideal but its one of the many downsides to loadshedding. A device such as the Bennet Read - Magneto LED Lantern pictured above will have a large cluster of LED units that are incredibly bright and able to provide up to 1000 lumens of light and higher. Most lantern style lights will have a usage time of more than 48 hours on a single charge and are light enough to be carried around or left in a strategic spot. Another handy feature of battery powered lights is their ability to detect a power outage when plugged in and immediately turn on.
You can browse the battery powered lamps here: https://www.oneshop.co.za/r~battery-lantern.html
4. Portable Gas Stove
When dinner time comes around and the family is hungry, the lack of a microwave or a electric stove is a significant problem. Often the queues at the local fast food joints also eliminate this as an option and its times like these that a portable gas stove is handy. Alva gas stoves like the one pictured above are just one of the many gas stove manufacturers. Gas stoves come in various plate sizes and use different gas ranging from butane canisters to gas bottles. The most affordable gas stove starts at just R399 for a single plate solution and butane canisters can be replaced at just R40 per canister.
You can browse the gas stove selection here: https://www.oneshop.co.za/r~portable-gas-stove.html
5. Inverter
By far the most expensive solution in our top 5, an inverter is the best long term solution to load shedding. An inverter connects to a battery or a bank of batteries and will convert the 12 volt power to usable household electricity. This means you can build up an impressive array of batteries connected to a solar panel for example and you can start taking your house off the grid. An inverter should come with an overload and short circuit protector to prevent a simple miscalculation of voltage resulting in a catastrophic failure of your unit. Inverters are available in different capacities and pricing starts just below R3000 and will go upwards depending on the inverter you will require for your household.
You can browse the inverter selection here: https://www.oneshop.co.za/r~inverter.html