How to game when Eskom cuts your electricity

Features

November 6, 2014

Firstly, let me put your mind at ease – we are not going to suggest board games and candles [Though that’s still pretty fun, too – Ed].

Few things are more frustrating than a power cut, something which South Africans are all too familiar with thanks to Eskom’s affinity for load-shedding.

No power means your TV, PC, console, router, and lights all become dust-gathering mounds of uselessness, and forces you to do unpleasant things like talk to your family.

Fortunately, there is a solution at hand – generators, inverters, and uninterruptible power supplies.

If you are looking to Eskom-proof your house, here’s how much it will set you back.

Generator

Using petrol or diesel, and making enough noise to keep the neighborhood awake at night, generators are a trusty source of power in the time of a blackout. Depending on the tank size, generators can provide your power needs for the entire blackout/load-shedding period.

Rising petrol prices and the incredible amount of noise pollution produced mean generators are not an ideal solution, though.

Ryobi 2.3KVA RG-2700 Generator – R3,399

Petrol – 12l tank
2,500W run rating
Air cooled

Ryobi Generator

Stramm 3.75KVA Generator – R3,500

Petrol – 15l tank
3,000W run rating

Stram Generator

Ryobi 5.0KW Generator – R6,500

Petrol – 21l tank
5,500W run rating
Air cooled

Ryobi Generator

Ellies 5KVA Generator – R11,699

Diesel – 16l tank
5,000W run rating
Air cooled

Ellies Generator

Inverter

A power inverter takes DC power from a source, normally a battery, and converts it into AC electricity. The electricity can be set to the voltage required by your household, and, in turn, makes sure your PC, TV, and router all stay operational during a blackout. Depending on how many batteries you have, an inverter system will keep the lights on for the course of the blackout.

If you are serious about setting up an inverter in your house, a small cabinet to conceal the unsightly batteries would be advised.

Mecer 2400BK Inverter – R1,430

Capacity: 2400VA/1440W
Output voltage: 0 – 300V
Battery voltage: 12VDC/24VDC

Mecer Inverter

Hawkins DPI 12100 Inverter – R2,350

Capacity: 1000W
Output voltage: 230V
Battery voltage: 12VDC

Hawkins Inverter

RCT Axpert 1K Inverter – R3,299

Capacity: 1000VA/800W
Output voltage: Selectable
Battery Voltage: 24VDC

RCT Axpert Inverter

Mecer BBONE-01 Inverter – R4,165

Capacity: 1000VA/600W
Output voltage: 220V
Battery voltage: 12VDC
Includes battery

Mecer Inverter

UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)

A UPS is used to instantly provide emergency power to a device when your electricity is cut, using a battery or batteries. Run time of a UPS is normally quite short, giving you enough time to save your data or complete a transaction.

Industrial UPSs, which are obviously much larger in size and power generating capacity, are used to keep data centres online in the event of a blackout. These units may be overkill for your house, though.