From a toilet light to a UPS, here are five gadgets to get you through load shedding

The dreaded blackouts have returned this past week, and couldn’t have come at a worse time as the country is experiencing another cold front, bringing below than average temperatures this winter.

To help you keep warm and the lights on during load shedding and even during a power outage, these gadgets can keep you switched on during and long after the power returns.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some of us have been working at home and utilising Wi-Fi for our internet connection but when load shedding hits, keeping that on is difficult unless you have a backup generator or solar panels. If you don’t have access to these, your phone is your next bet.

Check out our list of gadgets:

5. Led toilet light: It’s not fun sitting on a cold toilet seat and on top of that stumbling through the dark into the bathroom. This LED toilet light from Takealot.com lets you select between eight different colours. It has smart motion detection that activates the light only in the dark and when movement is detected. The lights switch off automatically two minutes after the last movement has been detected. This will only cost you R145.

4. Power banks: Portable battery chargers are a must-have during blackouts and each cellphone brand provides them these days. Power Bank Charger provides a wide variety compatible with many smartphone brands, laptops, iPads, and digital cameras. Prices range from R299 to R699.

Powerbank. Photo: iStock

3. Solar-powered lights: These lights can last up to five hours and are great for indoors and outdoors. Can also be used for reading, cooking, and are perfect during load shedding. FutureLight has a range of LED solar lights. Prices start from R99.

2. Portable Mini UPS: This gadget is great to keep your electronic devices on and powered during the power outage. It works for routers, modems, decoders, alarms, and surveillance systems. This can cost you R579 at Snatcher and has a universal adapter and has overcharging protection.

Power your router with a portable UPS during load-shedding. Photo: iStock

1. Solar panels: This option is a long-term solution and does come at a big cost. The days on relying on one energy maker are dwindling and Eskom has shown that their power systems are unreliable. Solar panels make your home self-reliant, with no need for electricity connection.

Solar panels. Photo: iStock

South Africa has plenty of sunlight which powers the solar panels and converts sunlight into electricity. Consumers do have many options, sizes, and manufacturers available to them. Business Tech reports that solar panel installation can range between R63,000 to R200,000.

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