The Top 5 Survival Items for Load Shedding

As we prepare for the looming reality that load shedding may be around for the next two years, keeping the lights on during power outages has become a top priority. The rolling blackouts become more frequent as the schedule stages progress due to breakdowns. A candle may suffice if you believe that load shedding is the perfect reason to spend some time reading a book, but if you feel completely disconnected from the world during power outages, we have a list of Load Shedding survival must-haves to keep you connected in the dark.

Inverter or UPS

If you want to keep your electric household items running during load shedding but don't want a noisy generator, a UPS or an inverter is probably the best option.

UPS stands for Uninterruptible Power Supply. The UPS has a battery that provides electricity during blackouts. It gives power for a brief period of time so that data can be saved before the system is shut down completely.

The inverter is a device that converts direct current to alternating current. The battery is charged with electricity from an alternating current source. During a power outage, the inverter draws power from the battery and supplies it to the electrical devices.

Both the UPS and the inverter provide backup power to the electrical system. One of the most significant differences between an inverter and a UPS is the speed with which the UPS switches from the main power source to the battery, whereas the inverter takes some time.

These devices can be purchased online from Takealot, Leroy Merlin or Builders.

Portable Power bank

No matter how prepared or organised you are, unplanned power outages can happen at the most inconvenient times, especially when our device batteries are running low.

A power bank is an external battery that you can use as a backup item for your portable electronic device. It is also referred to as a battery pack, portable battery, or portable charger. After the bundled battery runs out, it enables you to charge your device. They are frequently used as an addition to smartphone and tablet batteries to enable long-term operation without access to a power source.

Power banks can be purchased online from Takealot, Makro and Incredible Connection.
 

Rechargeable LED Light

Scheduled evening power outages may leave you stammering around your house in the dark, looking for a potential light source while your eyes adjust to the sudden darkness. Having a Rechargeable LED Light in an easily accessible area of your home can be extremely beneficial.

Some LED lights are portable and can be moved around your home, while others are bulbs that can be used in place of standard house lights and will turn on automatically when the power goes out.

Several of these LEDs even include a charging port for other devices to charge from the battery, and some can even be charged using solar energy.

These items can be purchased online from Takealot, Leroy Merlin or Builders.

Gas Stove

Ordering takeout on a regular basis can be expensive and unhealthy, so a gas stove is a useful tool to have during load shedding. Even if "the lights go out," you can still cook hot meals because it consumes less energy, burns cleaner than coal, and is frequently more efficient. 

Many newly constructed apartments include a gas stove, but you can also purchase and install one in your kitchen.

Gas stoves can be purchased from Leroy Merlin or Builders.

Signal Booster

Even though the network providers have made an effort to keep the towers operational during power outages with backup batteries, the frequent and ongoing blackouts prevent them from fully recharging. The batteries have occasionally been taken, rendering the tower completely inert during load shedding.

A Signal Booster System could be exactly what you need to overcome these challenges and increase your cell phone signal. Bolton Technical has created specialised solutions to these issues in close collaboration with their clients. The business provides a comprehensive solution, including professional guidance, system design, and installation, ensuring the best possible performance.

Two external directional antennas are required for our load shedding solution. The first antenna needs to be pointed at a tower close by or in your grid, and the second antenna needs to be pointed at a tower in a separate grid. Connect a cable that will flow through to the amplifier to the two external antennas using a splitter. The incoming signal will be amplified by the Booster. To send the boosted signal to the appropriate location, connect an indoor antenna to the amplifier.

You can receive signal even if the tower in your grid goes down by utilising two directional antennas aiming at other grids.

Our Recommended Products for Load Shedding:

Generally, drawing in signal from a different grid indicates that the cell phone tower is farther away, and the signal might not be as strong as the signal from a tower closer to you. WilsonPro A1000 Signal Booster is the solution we suggest for weaker signals. This robust repeater will boost your cellular signal up to 32X for better voice, text, and data with 74 dB gain. The WilsonPro A1000 signal booster solution is sold as an easy to install kit and can be purchased fromBolton Technical’s online store.

The Arrow

This antenna can pick up signal from local towers as well as towers up to 8 kilometers away. It has a gain of up to +12 dB, which is more than three times that of a standard Yagi antenna and several dB more than that of other log periodic (LPDA) antennas now available. It has a beamwidth of 50–60 degrees and offers consistent gain across all cellular frequencies.

How May We Help You?

Bolton Technical is a leading provider of cell phone signal boosters, devices that amplify 4G & 3G LTE for any phone with any carrier for home, office, or car. We’ve boosted over 1,000,000 m² of signal for homes, buildings, and vehicles across America and Canada and now that same power is boosting signal across South Africa.

• Free consultation (ask us anything) with our South African-based customer support. Email us or Call us today.
• Free shipping over R500 to Major South African cities. Usually ships same day.
• 30-day money back guarantee. You want to make sure you're satisfied.

Our goal is simple: keep people connected. Ask us anything and we'll be glad to help.