7 Simple Ways to Save Electricity in the Workplace

If we all do our bit to save electricity, we can make a positive impact on the environment, plus reduce bills! However, energy conservation at work can go a long way in reducing our collective carbon footprint, reducing toxic emissions in the atmosphere.

1. Turn off Appliances Not in Use

Never leave your computer on throughout the night, unless you have lengthy processing to do. When you step out for lunch or a break, leave the computer on standby to reduce power consumption. If the break is intended to be a longer one, turn the computer off. Before leaving for the day, check to see if most other appliances are turned off as well. But make sure you are not making trouble for someone who is staying late working.

2. Turn off Lights

When you leave for the day, make sure you turn off the lights in your cubicle or room. If there are other unoccupied spaces with lights on, turn them off as well. During the day, if there is enough light in your surroundings, turn off the lights. They may not even be making a difference in bright daylight.

3. Take the Stairs

Try to take the stairs every time you want to get to your office, especially if you have the time and if you are not on an upper floor. Avoid taking the elevator by yourself, to conserve energy wasted on multiple trips. Try to set your daily route in such a way that you get used to the manual doors, instead of the electronically operated ones.

4. Reduce Printing

Most offices have tons of wasted paper printouts. Avoid printing copies of every version of a report or project. Save copies on your computer, and only print them out when the need arises. When collecting copies from the printer, check to make sure you are not taking someone else’s printout by mistake. This will stop people from printing multiple copies unnecessarily. Use recycled paper for printing, and get into the habit of recycling everything that is no longer of use.

5. Minimize Air Conditioner Use

Avoid turning on the air conditioner or heater when the weather is relatively pleasant. Leaving the windows open will let you have some fresh air, and also have a major impact on the company’s power bills. Closed, stuffy surroundings also increase the chances of illness among people. Setting the thermostat at an optimum level during the winter will save energy and keep everyone comfortable.

6. Use Fluorescent Lights

Consider making a suggestion to your company to replace all lights with fluorescent lights. These lights provide good illumination and can help in huge savings in electricity.

7. Use the Kitchen Responsibly

Most offices are equipped with stoves, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers and refrigerators. Make sure you use these appliances efficiently. Avoid leaving the refrigerator open for longer than is necessary. Use the microwave oven instead of the gas or electric stove.

The more energy you save, the more profitable your business can be!

Off Grid provides backup power solutions that are both affordable, reliable and easy to run! When or if the power goes out, you can still continue with business and your daily activities.

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!

The 7 biggest electrical blackouts in history

Majority of the world’s worst blackouts occurred because of technical faults and human errors, but natural disasters have also taken their toll.  Don't let power failures affect your home or business! Off Grid has a wide variety of back up power solutions, from UPS devices to power banks. Here are the 7 biggest power failures that have happened around the world:

1. NORTHEAST UNITED STATES AND CANADA – AUGUST 14-15, 2003

It took months before the real cause of the Northeast Blackout of 2003 was finally determined. What actually happened was a high-voltage power line in Northern Ohio brushed against overgrown trees, causing it to shut down. When the alarm system failed, the incident was ignored. In the next 90 minutes, system operators tried to figure out what happened while three other lines switched off as a consequence of the first line's failure.

50 million people were inconvenienced for up to two days in what turned out to be the biggest blackout in North American history. 11 people died and there was a reported $6 billion in damages. The incident prompted the creation of a joint task force between the U.S. and Canada to minimise future blackouts.

2. ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28, 2003

Italy's 2003 blackout affected almost all of the country's 57 million people. Usually a middle-of-the-night power outage means that few people will notice it. However, this event occurred during the early morning hours after an all-night arts festival. Because of this, trains were still running at 3:01 a.m. when a fault on the Swiss power system caused the overloading of two internal lines near to the Italian border. About 110 trains carrying more than 30,000 passengers were stranded as a result.

3. JAVA AND BALI, INDONESIA – AUGUST 18, 2005

At 10:23 a.m. on a Thursday morning, a failure in a 500 kilovolt transmission line between Cilegon and Saguling in West Java cut electricity supplies, leading to a massive 5,000 megawatt shutdown. Jakarta, lost power, and half of the Indonesian population — 100 million people — were without electricity for almost 11 hours.

4. GERMANY, FRANCE, ITALY, AND SPAIN – NOVEMBER 4, 2006

When German power company switched off a high-voltage line across the River Ems in order to let a cruise ship pass, 10-15 million Europeans lost power. The company said that the problems began in north-western Germany when its network became overloaded, possibly due to that manual switch off (although transmission lines had been shut down in the past without incident). The blackouts stopped trains in Germany and trapped dozens of people in elevators in France and Italy. Austria, Belgium, and Spain were also affected by the outage.

5. CHENZHOU, CHINA – JANUARY 24 - FEBRUARY 2008

Winter storms resulted in a nearly two-week blackout for 4.6 million people around the central Chinese city of Chenzhou. Frustratingly, many citizens were without power during Chinese New Year celebrations. Some residents told reporters that they had to walk one kilometre to a well and back in freezing temperatures just to procure water. The official Xinhua News Agency said 11 electricians died while working to restore power, and the storm's death toll exceeded 60.

6. BRAZIL AND PARAGUAY – NOVEMBER 10-11, 2009

When a hydroelectric dam on the Paraguay-Brazil border suddenly stopped producing 17,000 megawatts of power, outages quickly spread through both countries. Suspiciously, the blackouts came two days after 60 Minutes reported that previous Brazilian power outages were caused by hackers. The CBS news magazine would later report that the 2009 incident was also the work of hackers.

7. INDIA – JULY 30-31, 2012

In the largest electrical outage in history (so far), the July 31st blackout of India affected an area encompassing about 670 million people, which is around 9% of the world’s population. On the 31st, three of the country’s interconnected northern power grids collapsed for several hours, affecting 22 states from the country's Eastern border with Myanmar to its western border with Pakistan.

Don’t let blackouts ever affect you – contact Off Grid today and purchase a backup power solution today!

Stuck in the dark: Health dangers when the power goes out

No matter what caused the power outage, whether it be bad weather or a random power cut, living without power creates real and dangerous health risks that you may not be prepared for.

Exposure: Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, can take a toll on anyone. Those that are most at risk are young children, seniors and anyone who is already sick. In severe cases, exposure to extreme heat or cold can lead to serious health problems that may require hospitalization.

Food poisoning: Lack of refrigeration can quickly lead to food spoiling. Eating foods that have not been stored at proper temperatures can also cause food poisoning from salmonella and other bacteria.

Water hazards: One of the biggest dangers during a long power outage is contaminated water. Water treatment plants need power to run, and while they usually have backup generators, these may go out as well. Because of this, you could be exposed to toxins and illnesses.

Injury: During a power cut, you may have to do things you wouldn’t normally do, like operate a generator. If you get injured during a power cut it is more dangerous than usual because the medical system is already stretched thin.

Supply interruptions: You normally rely on regular trips to the grocery store for the supplies you need to maintain your health and hygiene. Power outages can lead to serious supply disruptions that could compromise any one of these areas.

Storms are only one of the causes of a power cut, load shedding could hit again when we are least expecting it. 

Make sure you are always prepared for the worst – invest in one of Off Grid’s load shedding solutions. Whether it be a power bank to charge your cellphone or a UPS system for your computer, Off Grid has the backup power devices that you need.

How to keep your food safe in a power outage

Flicker, flicker – dark! The lights have gone off, and its time to search for the torch and the candles. Even though you can see by candlelight, there are other hidden dangers lurking in the dark that you cant see, like bacteria that will attack your food!

Anything could cause a power cut: a severe storm, load shedding or damage to the electric lines. And storing food safely can become quite a challenge. Here are the recommended steps to follow before and during a power outage.

Prepare Ahead of Time

- Appliance thermometers. Make sure you keep appliance thermometers in both the fridge and the freezer. This is the best way to make sure that your food is safe after the power goes out. Safe temperatures are 4°C or lower in the fridge and -17°C or lower in the freezer.

- Freeze water in plastic storage bags or small containers. These are small enough to fit in around food to keep food cold. Don’t fill them too full though, because the bags might split when the water freezes.

- Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk, fresh meat and poultry. This helps keep them at  a safe temperature for longer.

- Dry ice or block ice. Find out where you can get these ahead of time.

- Have coolers on hand to keep your food cold if the power will be out for more than four hours.

- Group food together in the freezer. This will help the food stay cold for longer. They will form a type of “igloo” to protect each other.

- Stock up on ready-to-eat foods. Be sure to have a few days of food that doesn’t require any cooking or cooling.

When the Power Goes Out

- Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. A fridge will keep your food cold for about 4 hours if the door is kept closed.

- A full freezer will hold its temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full)

When the Power Comes Back On

- Check the temperature inside your fridge and freezer. Discard any perishable foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers that have been above 4°C for two hours or more.

- Check each item separately. Throw out any food that has an unusual colour, odour or texture.

- Never taste food to decide if it is safe.

- When in doubt – throw it out!

Keep these tips handy, so you can be sure that your food is safe during a power outage.

Off Grid supplies back up power solutions for your home or business. Our solutions are both affordable and seamless to run, so you can carry on with your daily life without any interruptions!

100 days without a power cut - Will we see load shedding again?

Yesterday, Eskom celebrated its 100^th day without cutting the power supply. Steady progress has been made in the maintenance programme of its aging power plants, which means plant availability will be improved and a decrease in plant breakdowns.

However, news is that a substation has erupted into flames!

Video footage has come out of a massive fire engulfing Eskom’s Merensky substation in Steelpoort, Mpumalanga, following an explosion.

The employees at the scene were unable to specify the reason why the transmitter exploded on Sunday night.  Luckily the Tubatse Fire department and mine rescue team were on the scene quickly enough to control the raging fire, however the blaze was only extinguished the next morning.

Because of the blaze, entry to the substation was denied due to safety precautions. Fortunately no injuries were reported.

Take a look at the video here...

So, because of this incident, will we see load shedding in the future? We hope not!

For a wide range of load shedding and back up power solutions, contact Off Grid in Cape Town!

What could cause a power cut, besides load shedding?

An unexpected power failure can really ruin your day, cut an event short and put the dampers on an otherwise brilliant day. It can even be dangerous, which can be a huge problem!

There are lots of things you can do to prevent power cuts or minimize their impact, such as purchasing a backup power solution, like a UPS or power bank, from Off Grid. However, lets first look at what causes power cuts in the first place (besides load shedding):

     ·         Weather. The weather tends to cause the majority of power outages, with electrical storms being the number one factor that affects the power grid. A sudden rain storm can play havoc with your temporary power systems if the installation has not factored in waterproofing the equipment.

 

     ·         Poor Quality Equipment. Power generators, UPS devices and other equipment related to the provision of power need to be tested on a regular basis. If this isn’t done, faults can go undetected and these can sometimes cause problems in your power supply. Make sure you purchase high-quality backup power equipment that has been tried and tested – try Off Grid!

     ·         A power system can fail if it isn’t properly set up by a trained and experienced electrician or temporary power specialist. If you try to run an unbalanced load or too much equipment, lighting or appliances through a system that can’t handle it, you could end up with serious problems.

To prevent power outages that could cause inconvenience, make sure you use an expert in temporary power and choose equipment that is regularly tested and maintained.

Beat load shedding with a Power Bank

Load shedding has been under control for a while now, and we haven’t heard anyone utter the word lately. However we do live in South Africa and load shedding is an evil that can arise at any time and place, plus let’s not forget that power surges and spikes happen too.

Off Grid has the perfect load shedding solutions for your home or your business, they can help you get through the problems with affordable and simple backup power devices.

One great way to get through load shedding is to purchase a power bank and make sure that it is always juiced up and ready to go!

This may seem like an obvious option, but it is very important. There is only so long a smartphone or tablet can last on one charge, so having a spare power bank with extra charge is a must have in load shedding or power cut situations.

Off Grid’s favourite little power banks, that are available to purchase, are:

- The 2000MAH power bank

- The ultra slim 3500MAH power bank

- The 4400MAH power bank

- The 6000MAH power bank

Of course, there are definitely alternatives to using a power bank, but if you need to keep your battery life going strong then the power bank is a  small, easy and cost effective option.

10 things we miss the most when the electricity goes out

Going without electricity for a couple of hours is really bad, and it can be hell on earth for some people. Without electricity, even for a short time, these 10 things will be missed the most…

LIGHTS
The most basic luxury that electricity provides is our lights at night, and even during the day! Your candles and flashlights aren’t even close to the same thing.

CELLPHONES
Majority of our communications these days revolve around our phones. They are the centre of our world and the main way we communicate on social media and with our family and friends.

INTERNET AND COMPUTERS
This should go without saying, it is probably the thing we use the most in our modern lives. We can’t really get much done with our computer.

TELEVISION
The average person watches 4 hours of TV a day, while the average child actually watches 6 hours! It can be a shock to our emotional system when the power goes out and we can’t watch anymore.

iPODS, STEREO, MUSIC
So many people walk around with their earphones attached to their iPods and other devices, listening to music. It can be a little bit difficult to do this if there is no electricity to recharge these devices. Like TV, music is a major part of the background entertainment for people.

AIR CONDITIONING, FANS, HEAT
Now that the days are getting hotter, it is vital to have air conditioning and fans to keep cool. Even in the colder months, heaters are always on. We have lived so long with this convenience that being without it, even for a few hours is a shock.

REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER
Our fridges serve an important role in keeping your food fresh and cool. When the electricity goes out, it can be hard to find a cool glass of water and it can cause food to go off, especially if the power is cut for a long period of time.

KITCHEN APPLIANCES
How will you handle it if you can’t make a fresh cup of coffee, or a nice piece of toast? Think about it, all your kitchen appliances run on electricity, so when the power is cut, you can’t use much in the kitchen!

STOVE, OVEN AND MICROWAVE
Let this sink in, all of us cook our food in the oven, microwave or on the stove, we won’t be able to cook any dinner if there is no power. Cold salads and sarmies are always an option though.

WASHING MACHINE AND DRYER
Washing your clothes is something that you may take for granted, and when the power goes out and you really need clean clothes for work the next day, it can be a real hassle.

Even though most of the time the power only goes out for a couple of hours, it can be annoying and a real shock on our emotional state when we can’t use the things we usually do! It is surprising how many things in our lives need electricity to function!

Off Grid provides backup power solutions that are both affordable and seamless to run; when the power goes out you are not inconvenienced and you can continue to run your business, watch TV, surf the internet, cook meals and all without worrying about when it’s coming back on again.

Did you know that SA has been load shedding-free for a month?

Yes, it’s true, it has been over a month since Eskom cut the power and they plan to keep up this trend for as long as they can.

"Eskom has not had load shedding for the past 30 consecutive days and none is anticipated for the day," the utility said in a statement on Tuesday.

The electricity situation has been helped by the extremely warm temperatures in the past few weeks, and the brand new power station which has added 794 megawatts to the grid. We are all hoping and praying that we get a load shedding-free summer!

The power outages have affected Africa’s industrialised economy quite seriously, which shrank by 1.3% in the second quarter. This raised the risk of recession. Luckily, the chances of avoiding recession are better if there is no or not so much load shedding, so this is good news. Christie Viljoen of NKC African Economics went on to say that, “load shedding has been a shock to the economy.”

However, now that we have lost momentum because of load shedding, it might be a while before things get going again.

The good news it they even went on to say that there is a low risk of load shedding, as the power system is constrained, but stable. Well, don’t get your hopes up too much, load shedding is probably still going to happen in the near future. After all we’ve been through; it’s obvious that Eskom can’t be trusted.

Off Grid provide backup power solutions that are both affordable and seamless to run; when the power goes out you are not inconvenienced and can continue to run your business, watch TV, surf the internet and all without worrying about when it’s coming back on again.

Five Power-Saving Myths Busted

Load shedding is a reality, and we have been told that it’s here to stay for most of 2015. Eskom needs to balance the scales and supply enough electricity to meet our needs. But we can also have a part in this by trying to save power as much as we can.

Here are some common power-saving myths that have been busted…

1. Turning the geyser off and on uses more power that simply leaving it on

TRUTH: Switching your geyser off and on again won’t actually save power overall, however it will help Eskom reduce demand during crucial periods.

To reheat the water to its set temperature, a geyser uses no more power than if it had just stayed switched on.

2. I have a geyser blanket, so I don’t need to switch my geyser off

TRUTH: A geyser blanket does help reduce heat loss and therefore can lead to small power savings, but you still need to switch off your geyser during peak times in order to help reduce demand.

3. Switching lights and appliances off and on uses more power than just leaving them on

TRUTH: Turning a light or an appliance on can lead to a small surge in power usage, but this is smaller than the amount of electricity needed to keep it on when it is not being used.

4. It uses less energy to leave my heater on, than to heat my room again

TRUTH: The fact is it takes less energy to warm up your room than leaving your heater on for long periods of time. Rather wear warm clothes or use a hot water bottle than to keep a heater on.

5. Setting the air conditioner to its lowest temperate will cool a room quicker

TRUTH: This won’t make your room cooler any quicker; it will just use much more power because the air con will be on for longer. The same goes for using an air con to heat a room.

6. Putting my TV or electrical devices on standby mode is the same as switching it off

TRUTH: Even on standby mode, an electrical appliance still draws power. Rather just switch it off completely or unplug it from the way.

Load shedding is basically the result of bad planning and poor management, however we still need to do our part and try to save power. We don’t want load shedding to carry on for the rest of our lives!

Off Grid provides backup power solutions that are both affordable and seamless to run; when the power goes out you are not inconvenienced and can continue to run your business, watch TV, surf the internet and all without worrying about when it’s coming back on again.

Affordable Ways to Fight Eskom’s Load Shedding

Load shedding isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, it has even been said that it will continue for at least three more years.

Advice like keeping your smartphone, laptop and tablet charged and planning your day around load shedding does little to decrease the impact of not having electricity.

The good news is that there are many ways to lessen the pain that load shedding brings, without having the break the bank!

Emergency Lights – ±R200
Emergency lights have built-in batteries, and switch on automatically when the power goes off. If you are looking for a solution that uses solar energy, you can also purchase solar emergency lamps.

Power Banks – Contact for Price
Portable power banks allow you to charge your smartphone or tablet with a USB charger when the power gets cut. The prices will differ based on the capacity.

Gas Cooker – ±R500
Running an electric stove on backup power when load shedding hits is not sustainable. The best option is gas.

UPS – Contact for Price
An uninterruptable power supply makes it possible for you to run some of your electrical equipment like an ADSL router and your laptop.

Smart Energy Light – Contact for Price
A smart energy light will provide you with hours of light during load shedding; you can even adjust the brightness, making it last for up to seven hours.

Power Inverter System – Contact for Price
A power inverter system can offer enough power to run a few appliances when load shedding hits. Many of the systems are portable, which means it can be used when and where the power goes off.

Diesel or Petrol Generator – ±R4000
If you want to run many appliances for a few hours, then a generator is a great option, although you will have to put up with a lot of noise.

Eskom’s load shedding is here to stay, but there are many affordable ways to make life easier when the electricity goes off.

Off Grid Load Shedding Solutions provides backup power solutions that are both affordable and seamless to run!

What is a UPS?

Power cuts, because of the dreaded load shedding, can not only cause you to lose unsaved work and precious data. It can also damage your valuable hardware and network infrastructure. So how do you protect your computers from load shedding? Enter the UPS…

A UPS, or “Uninterruptible Power Supply,” is any device that keeps your computer powered up and operational in the event of a power interruption. Simply put, a UPS is a battery that provides power to your computer or other critical hardware when its primary power source is unavailable. When your computer’s power source is lost, the UPS provides power for a certain amount of time (usually 10 or 15 minutes) so you can save your work and properly shut down your systems.

If you operate your business on a network or have various peripherals connected to your computer, a UPS system can be used to protect multiple devices, including monitors, modems, and routers. Most Uninterruptible Power Supplies will also shield these network systems from damage that may occur from power cuts and surges.

A UPS comes in two basic types: standby or continuous. A standby UPS, as the name implies, doesn’t switch on until power is interrupted. When it detects a loss of power, it switches on immediately (within 5 milliseconds). Most commercial UPSes are of the standby variety.

A continuous UPS, on the other hand, is always on and acts as a battery that powers your computer. A continuous UPS charges itself on power from a wall plug, and in turn runs your computer or other hardware system. This acts as a buffer so that no matter what happens to your power — be it surge, or load shedding — your critical machinery receives a clean, reliable flow of juice.

Uninterruptible power supplies range in price. Some Uninterruptible Power Supplies even include software that automatically saves your open files and shuts down your computer if its power source is compromised.

So before you buy another piece of costly computer hardware, consider investing a little money in a UPS. It can save you the headache of losing valuable data, and, in the event of a power incident, it just might save you some serious money by protecting your infrastructure investment.

Off Grid provides back up power solutions that are both affordable and easy to run! Order yours today and beat the load shedding blues!