How to keep business alive in this recession

[Heating]

I am at my wits end!! Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to remain calm in this crazy recession we going through? My business has gone quiet, the phones are not ringing and I am doing all I can via internet and social media to keep the business alive.

[Justloadit]

My business is also currently quite.

What products do you offer?

I am launching a new PV Solar Geyser, using PV as the source of energy.
We have two test sites, one with 3 of 300W PV Panels, and one site with 5 of 260W PV panels.
The site with teh 5 PV panels, By 12H00 the geyser is already at 65 Degrees in summer and around 13H30 in winter at the same temperature.
The thermostat then switches the element off, as opposed to the their direct water heaters which either continue heating the water up, until the sun drops off, or in some instances, the hot water is rejected, and cold water fed in to control the temperature at your cost.

Pop into www.usedasun.com or www.microsolve.co.za for other solar products.

I am busy with Lithium battery's, which are reasonably priced for solar driven security lights. Great for use on plots or farms, where mains/cable digging is not an option

[Heating]

I see at least your business is in the right field. We supply and install underfloor heating which is electrical and dependant on Eskom. I like your website. Have a look at mine,
https://www.underfloorheating.joburg

[AndyD]

Sorry to hear your business isn't going well Heating. How long have you been in business and what exactly does your business consist of? When did things start to go downhill? You mention 'the recession', is that the main thing you think has caused you problems?

....I am busy with Lithium battery's, which are reasonably priced for solar driven security lights. Great for use on plots or farms, where mains/cable digging is not an option

I remember from a couple of years ago you were manufacturing solar floodlights. I was interested to see how your products have evolved but I don't see them on your website.

[Justloadit]

I see at least your business is in the right field. We supply and install underfloor heating which is electrical and dependant on Eskom. I like your website. Have a look at mine,
https://www.underfloorheating.joburg

Nice.
The same controller could be used for underfloor heating.
The advantage here is that the heat would be retained in the cement, and the mains would then be just to maintain a certain level if required.

[Justloadit]

Sorry to hear your business isn't going well Heating. How long have you been in business and what exactly does your business consist of? When did things start to go downhill? You mention 'the recession', is that the main thing you think has caused you problems?

I remember from a couple of years ago you were manufacturing solar floodlights. I was interested to see how your products have evolved but I don't see them on your website.

Unfortunately the sales were not fantastic, and now have been reduced due to the cheap imports. Many of the low cost imported PSU's fail due to the manner in which they are designed.

There is a new range of PSU devices which are reasonably priced that are able to do the job, and improve the power factor to over 0.97, however if you place the typical noise suppression capacitor that most electrical equipment require to pass the SANAS EMI test, then it drops the power factor to 0.92. For home use this is not an issue as far as SANAS is concerned, but for industry they specify a higher power factor. An interesting issue.

[Dr Thomas]

I am at my wits end!! Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to remain calm in this crazy recession we going through? My business has gone quiet, the phones are not ringing and I am doing all I can via internet and social media to keep the business alive.

Here are some random suggestions to keep busy while business:
- Make YouTube videos about your product and industry
- Write articles regarding your product and industry
- If you have website-editing skills, work on your website to make it neater/more attractive
- Study something, like a UNISA diploma or online course (eg Google's marketing course: https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/.../certification)
- Learn an African language and start marketing to the townships.
- Search your business using Google and Bing and see if you can optimize your results, and check out what the competition is doing
- Find an alternative income source on the side
- If you're not financially in trouble, considering a holiday or doing some hobby you've always wanted to

[AndyD]

Unfortunately the sales were not fantastic, and now have been reduced due to the cheap imports. Many of the low cost imported PSU's fail due to the manner in which they are designed.

There is a new range of PSU devices which are reasonably priced that are able to do the job, and improve the power factor to over 0.97, however if you place the typical noise suppression capacitor that most electrical equipment require to pass the SANAS EMI test, then it drops the power factor to 0.92. For home use this is not an issue as far as SANAS is concerned, but for industry they specify a higher power factor. An interesting issue.

Sorry to hear you had to scale back on them, I thought you'd be on a winner when I first saw your range.

Power factor is a major issue with LED drivers and general switch mode supplies. I came across a large commercial lighting installation a few weeks ago that had a PF less than 0.55. I was appalled.

[Justloadit]

Sorry to hear you had to scale back on them, I thought you'd be on a winner when I first saw your range.

Power factor is a major issue with LED drivers and general switch mode supplies. I came across a large commercial lighting installation a few weeks ago that had a PF less than 0.55. I was appalled.

This is one of the problems with the cheap LED lighting, where the current draw to light up the actual LED elements, only occurs on the upper third of the sine wave, increasing the current spikes and reducing the power factor.

You save on the cost of the LED lamp, but you pay the extra 40% for it every hour in consumption of energy. One should effectively look at the LED light cost being more than what the price tag shows.

I have been noticing these cheap LED lamps available at the super markets fall into that cheap high power factor range, and generally fail with in a year if used for long periods of time. So effectively you replacing the LED lamps as in the old days with incandescent lamps every year or so. I suppose the time becomes a factor in the forgetfulness of when it was last replaced.

[AndyD]

Yeah, there should be a blanket ban on any LED related products with a PF>8 or 8.5. There's no good excuse for it, it's just a combination of corner cutting, price point and piss poor design...the latter being the worst culprit in my opinion.