Essential items for your home that will help you survive loadshedding

There is no end in sight for South Africa’s rolling blackout problems, and they only seem to be getting worse. The implementation of stage 6 loadshedding has become a daily occurrence, with the likelihood of the country experiencing even higher stages in the coming weeks.

Also read: Extract from de Ruyter’s Truth to Power: My Three Years Inside Eskom

If there was ever a time to consider alternative power solutions, now would be that time. Some South Africans have already taken the initiative to seek out multiple means of acquiring backup energy at home in response to the current loadshedding crisis.

We cannot control the planned outages, but there are measures we can take to maintain some level of normality in our daily lives.

Here are 8 products to survive loadshedding this winter.

Gas cookers 

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Gas cookers have become the norm in South African homes and are a real game-changer during loadshedding. Investing in a gas cooker allows for cooking and boiling water during power outages.

Stove-top kettle and thermos flask

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Stove-top kettles have made a comeback and are not going anywhere soon; we all need our cup of something in the morning. It’s also handy when hot water is needed for other purposes.

When it comes to daily convenience, thermos flasks are incredibly useful in for keeping liquids hot for hours.

Power bank

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Power banks are portable batteries used to charge electronics. These little saving graces are perfect for when unexpected loadshedding strikes.

Inverter

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An inverter converts an alternating current (AC) power supply into direct current (DC) and vice versa. This means the device can convert conventional residential electricity into the power used by batteries to charge and back again when conventional electricity output is required from the batteries.

UPS and a backup battery 

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A UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) is a great way to ensure an uninterrupted internet connection and a backup battery system to power essential devices during loadshedding.

Both UPS and inverters serve a similar purpose; the switch-over time for a UPS is immediate, while an inverter can have a time delay. A UPS stores electricity, while an inverter converts AC power to DC power. UPS devices can provide reliable power backup for critical systems.

Rechargeable lights

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Power outages can be easily tackled with rechargeable lights and battery-operated torches, which have been a reliable solution to operating in the dark since the start of loadshedding.

Fire extinguisher

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There has been a notable increase in house fires during loadshedding. The use of fire extinguishers can be critical in protecting both life and property. They can also be helpful in extinguishing a small blaze or containing a fire until the fire department arrives.

So, while loadshedding persists and brings about inconveniences, having these products at hand can make the experience a bit more bearable.

Also read: 

Let’s talk inverters as stage 7 loadshedding looms on the horizon

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