WITH load shedding in South Africa, it is time for people prepare and budget for alternative power sources.
Generators and solar energy are the easiest way to go to offset effects of load shedding.
Generators are run on either petrol or diesel, depending on the model.
The TL-G-6500 is a 6.5 kVa model with an 18-litre tank which runs on petrol.
It costs R7 499 and can easily provide enough power to run a television, computers and fridges.
The MDGS 6000 is a 5 kVa silent diesel generator which is a common household version.
It has a 13.5-litre tank and will run all electrical appliances and costs R14 990.
The un-interruptible power source (UPS) is the most popular solar-based power system.
It can run computers, sales points and lights for up to six hours, making it great for business use during blackouts.
A 3 to 5kw solar power system can run computers, printers and LED lights for a whole day.
Solar energy systems cannot cope with air conditioners as they use up too much power.
The cost of solar energy products varies from R2 800 to R40 000, depending on watt size.
