Tired of not having power, take it back now

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired of your dependence on Eskom to meet your needs?

Going off-the-grid has always been about becoming your own supplier in every aspect of life in which you rely on some other service to meet your needs, for a price. But it is time to take back the power and this is how you can get started.

“First, you need to change the way you use electricity,” said Ample Power chief executive officer, James Siedle.

James said the easiest way to change the way you use electricity was to start making smarter choices.

“It is also simple, consider using energy efficient appliances and lighting, switching from an electric stove to a gas stove, using solar or gas water heaters and think about installing energy efficient insulated geysers,” he said.

Invest in a gas stove to boil some water for that early cup of coffee before work and, store some of the left over steaming hot water in a thermo flask for later. And you’d need somewhere to store the leftovers from last night’s meal, so the same goes for a gas freezer.

According to James, these simple steps could see you save as much as 70 percent on your electricity bill.

It could also make installing solar power systems in your home that much cheaper considering where you have already cut down on power consumption.

“Next, you may want to review the quality of the solar power system you are considering to install either with storage, or without,” said James.

Keep a track record of consumption and build on that list until you have a rough estimate of your usage – this will determine roughly how much electricity you need and the power capacity of the unit you would install.

James said that solid advice in this regard is essential and he recommended finding a professional with a minimum of five years’ experience in the industry to advise you.

It also depends on what type of system you would like to install. Would you prefer to keep it simple and only save on your monthly bill?

Good, then choose a simple modular system – which can be upgraded – in the form of a grid-tie.

These assist with powering your home during daytime and would default back to Eskom as your main supplier come nighttime.

Do keep in mind, this option has no back-up power.

Next we have a hybrid option of the above system mixed in with some storage capabilities to keep you going even when loadshedding strikes.

Lastly, for the true off-the-grid guru, James suggests taking a look at island solar systems which will give you complete electrical independence.

If you are just looking to keep your kids from screaming in agony when the power – and the Wi-Fi – goes off, consider getting an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) unit or an inverter, both of which can save you in a pickle.

An inverter and a UPS both take the same amount of time to switch from the main supply to a back-up battery however, keep in mind that a UPS only supplies power for a short time depending on the quality of the product you have (the entry level UPS will give you 15 to 30 minutes).

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