Africa – A Continent in Shadows

In terms of population and land mass, Africa is the second largest continent in the world. But you wouldn’t believe that a majority of the billion people living on the continent survive everyday with little to no access to electricity. In the midst of economic, social, and geopolitical turmoil, many of the poorest nations in Africa are unable to scrounge up the money, resources, and general know-how to bring electricity to their people.

Here are some statistics and information you may not know about the quest for power in Africa:

- 79% of people living in third world African nations have no access to electricity.

- 1.5 billion (25% of the global population) people in the world have no access to electricity – they are mostly concentrated in Africa and southern Asia.

- In 11 countries in Africa, more than 90% of people go completely without electricity.

- In Burundi, Chad, Central African Republic, Liberia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, 3 – 5 % of people have easy access to electric power.

- Africa has the lowest per capita energy use of any continent.

-  Each day, New York City consumes the same amount of electricity as all sub-Saharan African nations combined, excluding South Africa.

- African soil contains an estimated 18% of recoverable uranium.

- The two reactors in South Africa account for 5% of its energy generation.

When the power goes out, it can feel like you will have access to electricity again. Don't be left in the dark - contact Off Grid now, choose from a wide range of back up power solutions and place your order!

5 simple ways to cut your electricity bill in half

The first thing to do is evaluate how much you’re actually spending monthly on your electric bill and from there you can determine whether you feel it is necessary to cut down on your electricity use or not.

Looking for affordable, reliable backup power solutions for those unfortunate power cuts? Take a look through Off Grid's website where they have a wide range of equipment, from UPS devices to KVA systems.

• Program the Thermostat

Give the air conditioning a break during the workday. Shifting the settings to allow higher daytime temperatures could cut the average households electricity bill in half.

• Unplug

Gadgets like a cellphone charger or microwave suck energy – and generate heat – as long as they are attached to a power source. Standby power for appliances not in use typically accounts for 5% - 10% of residential electricity use.

• Wash Laundry with Cold Water

The best way to wash your clothing is to use cold water instead of hot water. Not only does it wash your clothes effectively, but you’ll save hundreds of Rands a year.

• Consider the Light Bulbs you are using

You can…
> Turn off lights you aren’t using to save.
> Turn off a single 100Watt light bulb from running constantly to save.
> Replace light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs.

• Think of Appliances you use but don’t really need

Instead of wasting gallons of water by putting a few plates in the dishwasher, hand wash them instead. Work a different look and let your hair air-dry whenever possible. Sweep your floors instead of using the vacuum. The list goes on and on. Once you start thinking of the electric gadgets you use each day, you might discover there was actually once life before them. Give it a try!

Always remember that conserving energy isn’t just saving you money, its saving the environment as well!

The Effects a Power Outage can have on your Computer

Do you unplug your computer during severe storms? If not, you may want to start.

It’s long been known that frequent electrical storms and power outages can damage electronic devices or full-out destroy them, and that includes computers. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying or misguided. The worst part is that power outages aren’t the only concern.

What are the risks of electrical failure? How do they impact your computer? And what can you do to protect your computer from being fried?

The electricity flowing through your home is not constant. Ideally it would be, but the reality is that electrical currents can sometimes drop in voltage and other times surge with extra power. All of these can have undesirable effects.

When power completely shuts off, it’s known as a blackout. These tend to occur due to issues beyond your control (e.g., power station disruptions, damaged electrical lines, etc.) but sometimes they can be self-inflicted (e.g., by shorting or overloading circuits).

And then there’s a similar issue called brownout, which is when your electrical voltage experiences a temporary drop without fully blacking out. If you’ve ever seen your lights dim for unknown reasons, it was probably due to a brownout. Brownouts can be intentional as a way to reduce electrical loads and prevent blackouts, though they can be unintentional as well.

On the other side of the spectrum, we’ve got the power surge, which is when an appliance receives more electricity than intended for at least three nanoseconds. Surges can be caused by a number of factors, including short circuits and electrical line malfunctions. If the increased voltage only lasts one or two nanoseconds, it’s a power spike, which is most commonly caused by lighting.

The only fool proof way to protect your computer against electrical anomalies is to unplug it completely until the danger has passed. Seriously, it has to be physically disconnected. Flipping your power switch to “off” isn’t going to cut it. This is the only method of protection with a 100 percent success rate against power outages and power surges.

That being said, some of us are probably going to ignore the storm and stay plugged in regardless. It wouldn’t be the smartest move, but definitely understandable. In that case, there are two semi-effective alternative methods.

Against power outages, you’ll want an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). This apparatus contains a backup battery that will continue to provide power to your computer even when your power goes out. Most UPS devices only last a few minutes, but that should be enough time for you to issue a proper shutdown.

UPS devices can also come equipped with surge-protected outlets. If you live in a building or location that frequently experiences outages a UPS will be a strong investment. If you need help picking one, Off Grid has a wide range to choose from.

Sudden changes in electrical voltage can cause real damage to your system and/or your hardware. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking it would never happen to you. Protect yourself early, protect yourself adequately, and don’t forget to back up your data!

Should you get a UPS device for your computer?

If you think it's time to purchase a UPS system, There are a few key questions you should ask yourself:

> If the power goes out, will that also turn off my computer (which will in turn discard my unsaved changes)?

> If that happens and I didn't have a chance to save my work, am I concerned about losing whatever I was working on?

If you have no concerns about losing data in the event of a power failure, then there is no point in going to the time and effort (both short-term and long-term) of buying a UPS and maintaining it. However, if this does concern you, here are some things to consider:

> If you have a desktop computer (Windows, Macbook) which does not have an internal battery, then a power failure will immediately turn off your computer.

> If you have a laptop with a working internal battery (i.e., one that still holds a charge), a power failure will simply make your laptop switch over to run on its own battery. This almost entirely eliminates the risk of losing data (with the exception of data you may be editing online), assuming that your battery is charged, and you are present to notice that the power went out and click Save.

> Also, if you have set up your laptop to use important peripherals that need their own power (like using an external monitor with the laptop lid closed), while you won't immediately lose your work, you may not be able to fully operate the laptop during a power failure (and Save your work) until you disconnect those peripherals and open the laptop's lid.

> And if your laptop's internal battery is more than 3-4 years old, it's more likely that it no longer holds a charge, so a power failure will either immediately turn it off, or you may only have a very short time on the battery to react before it powers off.

If these issues concern you, you should probably buy a UPS device from Off Grid!

Here’s the most important things you need to know about Uninterruptible Power Supplies

An Uninterruptible Power Supply or UPS is the best thing to have for hooking up your computer system to the wall socket. Basically, a UPS is a power strip combined with a battery to keep your computer running when the power goes out.

The notion behind a UPS is not to keep computing while the power is out. Instead, the UPS is designed to keep your basic computer components (console and monitor) up and running just long enough for you to save your work and properly shut down the computer.

Keep the following points in mind:

- A UPS only gives you about five minutes of computer power. Be expedient and save your stuff to disk, and then shut down. You can print, scan or do other tasks when the power comes back on.

- Leave the UPS on all the time. You need to turn it off only when the power is out and the computer has been properly shut down.

- In addition to providing emergency power, a UPS provides higher levels of electrical protection for your equipment. Many models offer surge, spike and dip protection, which keeps your PC running smoothly despite any nasties the power company may throw your way.

Take a look at this video to understand how a UPS system works…

Take a moment to browse through Off Grid's website, there are a broad range of back up power solutions including UPS devices - all at an affordable price!

10 helpful tricks and tips to use when the power goes out

Power outages are more than just sitting in the dark. The fridge stops running, everything starts to defrost, plus the AC and fans stop working. Out come the torches and you have to wait patiently for the power to return. When the power goes out at your home, make sure to remember these helpful tips and tricks…

  v  When the power does fail somehow and the lights go out, leaving you in pitch darkness, don’t jump up immediately to find your flashlight and candles. Take a minute or two to let your eyes adjust to the darkness. You will be surprised how much better you can see and you won’t be as likely to walk into a table, chair or door.

  v  Keep some board games like chess, dominos, puzzles or UNO handy to keep yourself busy. Think of ways in which people amused themselves before the invention of electricity.

 

  v  Make sure you have at least one charged cell phone in the house. Keep a car charger handy in case the battery runs low.

  v  If your computer is connected to a UPS device, save everything and shutdown your computer as soon as you can. Take a look at Off Grid’s website for a wide range of UPS devices and other products that supply back up power.

  v  Take out your book from the dusty corner or buy a few books beforehand. It will kill some time and keep you entertained without needing any electricity.

  v  Put lumo stickers on your flashlights and keep them in easy to see places, like the bookshelf, next to the TV, on the nightstand, etc. When the power goes out, your flashlight will be quick and easy to find!

 

  v  Candles, if used improperly, can cause fire. Make sure you light your candles away from anything flammable and in an area where they can’t be knocked over. If you can, just try use flashlights instead of candles.

  v  Never use a generator in your home, garage or other enclosed environment!

Write these helpful tricks and tips down and keep them close at hand, so next time the power goes out you are fully prepared.

For a wide range of backup power devices, ranging from power banks to UPS systems - Visit Off Grid's website today!

6 Advantages of using a UPS system

A UPS is an external power supply that helps in providing protection for electronic devices during load shedding or sudden disruption in the power supply.

There are many advantages of using a UPS, here are just a few:

× Protects against uncertain data loss During a power cut, a UPS will keep your system running so that you have time to save your precious data and shut down your computer or other electronic devices safely.

× Supplies power
A UPS is an alternative power source which is reliable during power surges, spikes and of course, the dreaded load shedding. In case of any of these electrical disruptions, you can resume your work for a few hours by using a UPS.

× Protects your devices from power fluctuation
Fluctuations in the power supply can lead to damage to your electronic devices. By having a UPS system, the power fluctuations will be controlled and provide a stable power output.

× Provides surge protection
Power surges, outages and spikes are all detected by a UPS system, and automatic switch-over to the battery power will take place during these conditions in order to prevent any damage.

× Maintains battery life
Once you connect a UPS to the battery, the charging of the system is maintained. This ensures that there is enough power for all your electronic devices during load shedding or a power outage.

× Gives power back to businesses
Majority of businesses connect their computers and other electronic devices to a UPS system. The main benefit is that even though there are huge power disruptions (especially with load shedding) it is not going to affect work output.

Having a UPS system is essential, not only at work, but in your home as well.  It manages to protect the most delicate parts of your machine, but still provide you with hours of power. If you are looking for a reliable, affordable UPS system, take a look at the selection from Off Grid Load Shedding Solutions!

How does a computer’s UPS work?

Your computer or laptop is able to withstand slight differences in power, but a significant change will cause the power supply to fail! A UPS is generally there to protect your PC against these different power problems…

Surges and spikes – Times when the voltage on the line is much more than it should be.

Sags – Times when the voltage on the line is less than it should be.

Total power failure – Times when a line goes down or a fuse blows somewhere on the grid or in the building or area.

Load shedding – Times when the power is cut purposely to avoid excess load on the power system.

Frequency differences – Times when the power is swaying at something other than the right frequency.

There are two common systems that we use today, standby UPS devices and continuous UPS devices. A standby UPS runs the computer off of the normal power until it detects a problem. At that point, it will very quickly turn on the power inverter and run the computer off of the UPS’s battery.

In a continuous UPS, the computer is always running off of the battery power and the battery is always being recharged. It is possible to build a simple UPS yourself, using a large battery charger, a battery and a power inverter. If the power fails, the battery will then give power to the inverter. There is no switch-over time in a continuous UPS device.

Standby UPS systems are far more common for home and small-business use because they tend to be a lot cheaper than a continuous UPS. Continuous systems provide clean, stable power, so they are usually used for servers.

Off Grid can provide you with backup power solutions for you or your business, including a variety of UPS devices. Our load shedding solutions are both easy to work and affordable, so when the power goes out, you will not be inconvenienced.