Fun activities to ensure your kids will never be bored during a power outage again!

No power? That’s no problem for you, but that means no Xbox, TV, tablet or WII for your two bored kids – time to run for it!

You may think that you need electronics to keep your kids busy, however power outages are the perfect opportunity to have fun the good old fashioned way. Along with flashlights, batteries and candles, be prepared with fun activities and games to keep the family having fun when the lights go out.

If you're determined not to be left in the dark, especially when you're at work or busy with your important daily activities - contact Off Grid, where you'll be able to find back up power solutions ranging from power banks to UPS devices.

>> Build the day away

Everyone loves LEGO (except when you step on them with bare feet). They’re the perfect toy to keep kids busy the whole day without needing any electricity. Take a look at the LEGO Ideas Book and keep it on hand so your kids can get inspiration and be encouraged to use their imagination.

>> Be inspired by books

Instead of just giving your children crayons and colouring books, make artwork more interesting. Read your kid’s favourite book with them and then suggest creating art based on it. Be as creative as you can possibly be!

>> Break out the board games

Monopoly, Jenga, Scrabble UNO, Snakes and Ladders and Ludo are just some of the games that are fun for the whole family. Don’t forget about twister that’ll help tire out your active kids. If you ever get bored of the traditional games, just invent your own.

>> Play spotlight charades

Play a twist on the classic charades game. One team must act out their favourite show, book or movie and the others must try and guess what it is. Because of the power outage, you should try incorporate flashlights into the game. Maybe pretend it is a sword or use it to make shadow hand puppets.

>> Cook a tasty treat

Brainstorm tasty kid-friendly treats you can make without an oven, microwave or fridge. Try making Rice Krispie treats using Rice Krispies and a jar of marshmallow cream or how about delicious Nutella s'mores!

>> Make a camp site

The kids will love building indoor forts and pitching tents to wait out the power outage. At night, turn on a lantern or torch to tell spooky stores as the whole family has a slumber party. You can even create your own DIY puppet show with flashlights and paper cut outs.

Don’t let a power outage limit you. Turn an unfortunate power outage into a moment to connect with your family and have some fun. This is the perfect chance for the kids to use nothing but their imaginations in order to pass the time.

Vital tips to ensure worker’s safety in a power outage

During power outages, many people use portable electrical generators. If the portable generator is improperly sized, installed, or operated, it can send power back to the electrical lines. This problem is called backfeed or feedback in the electrical energy in power lines. 

Backfeed can seriously injure or kill repair workers or people in neighbouring buildings. This fact sheet provides workers with information on how to restore power safely to local communities when a portable generator is being used in a home or homes in the area.

Effects of Backfeed

The problem of backfeed in electrical energy is a constant risk for electrical energy workers. Electrocutions are the fifth leading cause of all reported occupational deaths.

Understanding the Process

When power lines are down, residents can restore energy to their homes by another power source such as a portable generator. If the generator is plugged into a household circuit, the electrical current could reverse, go back through the circuit to the power grid, and then increase in voltage. If a worker attempts to repair power lines when this happens, the worker could be electrocuted. Following certain safety guidelines can reduce this risk.

Safeguards against Backfeed

Workers should treat all power lines as "hot" unless the lines have been de-energized and grounded. Because of the possibility of a feedback circuit, the worker should ground all lines on both sides of the work area unless he/she is wearing the proper personal protective equipment.

Workers should also use low voltage testing equipment such as glowing neon light or light-emitting diode type equipment to determine whether there is low voltage present. High voltage tests may not identify lower voltage levels. Lower voltages are also deadly.

How the Public Can Help

> Have a trained, qualified electrician install a portable generator.
> Rather install a UPS device or KVA system - Contact Off Grid for back up power solutions.
> Be sure that the main circuit breaker is OFF and locked out prior to starting the generator. This will help protect utility workers from possible electrocution.

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!

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 how to always be prepared for when the power goes out

It may be difficult to imagine, but people actually got along without electric power for thousands of years. Some people still get along without it today! But in this day and age, not being able to switch on the lights or turn on your electrical devices is something we just aren’t prepared for…

Even so, things happen, like power outages and sometimes they can last a while. So, being prepared is a wise investment.

The definition of “prepared” will vary depending on where you live and the events surrounding the outage. But no matter the time or place, the general areas of preparation remain the same.

Here’s how to always be fully prepared for when the power goes out:

Light

There’s no substitute for investing in a few quality flashlights (Klarus Light) and fresh batteries. A battery operated lantern that offers general rather than focused illumination is also well worth it. Experts recommend not using candles because of the fire hazard.

Communications

Cordless telephones don't work when the power fails, and cell phones will run out of juice within a few hours. So, be sure you have at least one corded phone in your house. For your cell phones – buy a power bank from Off Grid or a charging adapter that plugs into the lighter in your car.

Heat

If you live in a cold climate, you'll need to figure out a method for keeping at least one room warm. If you already have gas logs, a wood-burning stove, or a fireplace, you should be in good shape.

Water

A secondary source of water is especially important if you have a well with an electric pump. Once the pump stops, the water stops, too. But even if you have city- or county-supplied water, your water could be affected if the power is out long enough.

Food/Cooking

Depending on your situation, you may be able to drive to the nearest eatery that still has power. But that isn't always possible. So keep food on hand that doesn't require cooking or refrigeration, such as crackers, peanut butter, snack bars, bread, and canned fruit.

This is one time that buying in bulk may not be a cost-saver — giant cans of food may go bad without refrigeration if you can't finish them in one sitting. If you can plan ahead and stock mostly items you'll eat eventually anyway, your emergency food pantry doesn't need to cost much extra. Just be sure to rotate the food periodically to keep it fresh.

Preparing for a power outage is an investment, but the peace of mind you and your family will receive from knowing you're prepared is an ongoing dividend. And if the power does eventually go out, the payoff will rapidly appreciate.

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!

3 Cape Town activities to beat the boredom when the lights go out

Power cuts are something we have to live with, but luckily we live in the world’s most beautiful and awesome city! When the lights go out you don’t have to stop enjoying yourself, because there is always plenty to do in the Mother City.

Have a picnic:

Day or night, the city has a ton of spots to kick back, relax and enjoy a chilled picnic. Kirstenbosch Gardens, Gordon’s Bay Beach, Clifton Beach, a number of wine estates and so much more. These are just some of the top spots to enjoy the tranquility that comes without electricity.

Get back to nature:

Cape Town is beautiful, so enjoy it! Instead of moping around because you don’t have TV or the internet, get out and explore. Go for a run or a cycle on the Sea Point promenade, take a hike up Table Mountain or hit the waves at Muizenberg. The city is an adventure waiting to happen, so make it!

Take a stroll:

If you are looking to slow things down instead of speeding them up, take a leisurely stroll. The Company Gardens is perfect to soak in the city vibe and Kirstenbosch is a great place for the soul. There’s no harm in using the power outage to take a moment to just breathe again.

So there you have it, three cool and simple things to do in the city without lights. At the end of the day, you’ll be happy the lights went out!

If you really cannot live without power for a while, then Off Grid's back up solutions are perfect for you! From UPS devices to power banks, we have it all!