Beat load shedding with solar ...
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2014 6:37 am
Alternative energy
Renewable energy
these are 1st world terms ....
right now we will settle for CONSTANT energy
dont you just love the nice hum of the neighbours genny breaking the silence and reminding you one hum at a time of the reason for the performance bonuses of Eskom's CEO
the UPS worked o-so nice for that FIRST load shed, well at least it kept you going for 10 to 15 minutes. Strange how that first 2 hour load shed did not feel as long as the 5th 2 hour load shed. .... and now even Checkers have run out of the very cheap and nasty gennies, and now BOTH neighbours hum away and you have stereo reminder of your frustrations.
So you put your ear plugs in and start scratching your head for possible "alternatives" ....
Okay there ARE guys out there selling "whole house" solutions .... but the kids are professional students and you dont have an idle 400k to spend on panels on the roof ....
thank goodness the one genny has gone quiet
let's try to recap:
- Eskom - cr@p
- genny - hate it, but damn it would be nice if the neighbour can hear what I have to listen to ...
- UPS - somehow thought this was a silver bullet .... NOT so.
- Wind turbine - now if only my little townhouse plot was slightly bigger than the base of the mast ... not to mention the costs
- Solar - now THIS should be the silver bullet .... but those blasted tuition fees ....
SO WHAT TO DO ???
Maybe time to think seriously and to ask WHAT do YOU WANT energy for ?
Then ask yourself what do you NEED energy for ...
FACT - "wants" are going to be VERY expensive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so for now let's stick with "needs" :
Stove - go gas (get a spare cylinder - DO expect gas shortages as the industry lags the growth of the consumer base!!)
hot water - solar hot water installation
LIGHTS - couple of options:
- 220V (well sometimes this is an option)
- now bearing mind this is a 4x4 forum - camping lights (these CAN actually be used at home - just dont forget it at home when going on your next trip .... weet ek gaan!)
- 12V lighting solutions - friend is using 3 x 10W 12V flood lights. Others have gone for LED light strips.
ELECTRONICS - these blasted things have taken over our lives, you know the tv, computer, laptop, i-this and i-that ....
Ironically the i's and the laptop are okay -as their batteries easily cope with a typical loadshed period.
The problems start with the tv and decoders, and then those that want to run an old pc during a load shed.
The attached spreadsheet attempts to portray the basic maths in a way that will make sense to the non-technically minded - summary:
12V lights - easy enough to get a backup system in place. Personally we just use our camping lights.
electronics - WOW !!! these things are power hungry !! the price of a solar\regulator\battery\inverter system is WAY MORE than a cheap genny !!
NOTE - now still dont have power to the freezer for those long Joburg outages !!
My 2c opinion -
1) get a 6kVA genny, and run a lead into the house for the electronics and freezer. Go for the KNOWN brands !
2) get a sparky to wire in that 6kVA into your DB the CORRECT way, and get rid of that extension lead.
Renewable energy
these are 1st world terms ....
right now we will settle for CONSTANT energy
dont you just love the nice hum of the neighbours genny breaking the silence and reminding you one hum at a time of the reason for the performance bonuses of Eskom's CEO
the UPS worked o-so nice for that FIRST load shed, well at least it kept you going for 10 to 15 minutes. Strange how that first 2 hour load shed did not feel as long as the 5th 2 hour load shed. .... and now even Checkers have run out of the very cheap and nasty gennies, and now BOTH neighbours hum away and you have stereo reminder of your frustrations.
So you put your ear plugs in and start scratching your head for possible "alternatives" ....
Okay there ARE guys out there selling "whole house" solutions .... but the kids are professional students and you dont have an idle 400k to spend on panels on the roof ....
thank goodness the one genny has gone quiet
let's try to recap:
- Eskom - cr@p
- genny - hate it, but damn it would be nice if the neighbour can hear what I have to listen to ...
- UPS - somehow thought this was a silver bullet .... NOT so.
- Wind turbine - now if only my little townhouse plot was slightly bigger than the base of the mast ... not to mention the costs
- Solar - now THIS should be the silver bullet .... but those blasted tuition fees ....
SO WHAT TO DO ???
Maybe time to think seriously and to ask WHAT do YOU WANT energy for ?
Then ask yourself what do you NEED energy for ...
FACT - "wants" are going to be VERY expensive !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so for now let's stick with "needs" :
Stove - go gas (get a spare cylinder - DO expect gas shortages as the industry lags the growth of the consumer base!!)
hot water - solar hot water installation
LIGHTS - couple of options:
- 220V (well sometimes this is an option)
- now bearing mind this is a 4x4 forum - camping lights (these CAN actually be used at home - just dont forget it at home when going on your next trip .... weet ek gaan!)
- 12V lighting solutions - friend is using 3 x 10W 12V flood lights. Others have gone for LED light strips.
ELECTRONICS - these blasted things have taken over our lives, you know the tv, computer, laptop, i-this and i-that ....
Ironically the i's and the laptop are okay -as their batteries easily cope with a typical loadshed period.
The problems start with the tv and decoders, and then those that want to run an old pc during a load shed.
The attached spreadsheet attempts to portray the basic maths in a way that will make sense to the non-technically minded - summary:
12V lights - easy enough to get a backup system in place. Personally we just use our camping lights.
electronics - WOW !!! these things are power hungry !! the price of a solar\regulator\battery\inverter system is WAY MORE than a cheap genny !!
NOTE - now still dont have power to the freezer for those long Joburg outages !!
My 2c opinion -
1) get a 6kVA genny, and run a lead into the house for the electronics and freezer. Go for the KNOWN brands !
2) get a sparky to wire in that 6kVA into your DB the CORRECT way, and get rid of that extension lead.