Like a very unpopular but too familiar customer, load shedding is back, leaving South Africans without electricity for several hours a day.

Also read: Eskom and CoE reach agreement on load reduction

To help you through the powerless day and night, Brights Hardware has prepared a list of 10 essential items that can keep your home (and office space) functional and illuminated during power outages.

• Battery-powered LED lighting "There are a variety of rechargeable LED strips, lanterns and flashlights to choose from, making it easy to keep the lights on during load shedding," said CEO Orlando Luis.

"Look for options to use lithium-ion batteries instead of lead-acid batteries to extend the lifespan."

• Smart LED lights. These bulbs come in a screw or bayonet configuration and can be used as standard bulbs in any luminaire, but they stay lit during load shedding because they can be charged for up to four hours.

• In addition to rechargeable solutions for solar lighting, there are many types of solar lighting on the market today.

These range from spotlights/safety lights to solar lanterns, garden lighting and even pool lights.

"In a sunny country like ours, solar lighting is a good solution," Luis said.

"Charging them is free, and many are actually'once and forever' and will automatically start after sunset. Remember not to install solar panels on a south-facing wall that is in the shade most of the day. This will not Allow the battery to be charged efficiently."

• Gas stove/cooking utensils Without a gas stove or cooking utensils, it is impossible to boil water and prepare meals during a power outage.

Fortunately, consumers nowadays have many different choices, whether it is a large gas stove and oven, or a simple portable single-plate or two-plate gas stove, and more choices in between.

"Many people choose to change their ovens from electric to gas. This not only means that you can continue to prepare dinner during a power outage, but by introducing gas appliances, your electricity bill will also be reduced," Luis said.

• Gas geysers or water heaters "Although the load shedding time is usually not enough to cool the geyser's contents, we all need to start looking for long-term solutions to reduce our dependence on the energy grid," Louis said.

"A good option is to switch to a gas geyser, which runs cheaper than an electric geyser and provides instant heating."

• Generators If the budget allows, investing in generators is a good way to reduce the interference of power outages.

"There are many different models and options to consider," Lewis said.

"Entry-level two-stroke generators, such as 950 watt generators, are unreliable if the gasoline/oil mixture is inconsistent, so Brights recommends starting with no less than four-stroke generators."

Luis explained that for the two-stroke model, you must first pre-mix the oil and fuel in the correct ratio, while for the four-stroke model, the fuel is contained in a separate tank and the oil is stored in the engine as in a car . Luis added that the higher the wattage of the generator, the more power it can output, so the more electricity it generates.

• Inverter—Since silence is golden, the problem comes. What about people living in communities and residential areas where generators are not allowed to run due to noise pollution?

Luis said the best option here is to buy a pure sine wave inverter with batteries. Except for the cooling fan that blows from the side, all these devices are silent. They also turn on automatically during load shedding.

• With portable power banks, we all want to keep in touch, especially in the dark. No electricity plus no means of communication is not a good combination.

"Portable power banks are an excellent solution to ensure that you don't run out of battery life in your phone," Lewis said.

"These small gadgets can also charge other devices such as tablets, portable modems and speakers."

• Surge protector It is a good idea to buy a surge protector for your home or office.

This is an electrical device used to protect the device from power surges and voltage spikes that may be caused by a power outage.

"Surge protection can range from plug-and-play devices to systems installed on switchboards by registered electricians."

• Uninterruptible power supply UPS is an electrical equipment that provides emergency power. The difference between a UPS and a generator is that it provides near-instantaneous power interruption protection by providing energy stored in the battery. It is a continuous power system.

"UPS is usually used to protect hardware, such as computers, data centers, telecommunications equipment, or other electrical equipment. In these hardware, unexpected power interruptions may cause casualties, severe business interruptions, or data loss.

"A 600 watt, 12 volt device is very suitable for your home electronics. The device requires a deep cycle battery. The next size is a 1000 watt 24 volt inverter, which requires two deep cycle batteries.

"Because of the two batteries, the device can provide you with a longer life during load shedding. The next size is the 2 400 watt 24 volt version, which is ideal for handling larger appliances and requires two deep cycle batteries. "

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