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Thread: The 7 best ways to stop load shedding

  1. #1
    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    The 7 best ways to stop load shedding

    I believe that if Eskom and the government work together, admit that they made a mess, and start being leaders, we can move through this energy crisis with only some minor bruises to our economy.

    So I've compiled a list of the 7 best ways to stop load shedding. I believe that with some small and painless changes we can at least provide ourselves with enough breathing room to get through this crisis.

    1. Turn off the air conditioners
    2. Turn off your geyser
    3. Turn off your pool pump
    4. Turn off anything that consumes standby energy (TV's, DVD players, cell phone chargers, etc.)
    5. Switch to CFL and LED lights (and use fewer lights)
    6. Run appliances as late at night, or early in the morning as possible
    7. Use your computers in energy saving modes


    Read the full blog post for all the details of how and why
    If you think this plan makes some sense, then please post about it on your blogs and websites! Let's try to spread a message that is understandable, and can get us out of our current predicament. Thanks

    Also, post your energy saving tips here on The Forum SA
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsd View Post
    Turn off the air conditioners
    You live in Cape Town, don't you

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    Well, as I've said before, would you prefer Eskom to turn them off for you?

    The full article details how to minimise aircon effect on peak demand, and stay

    It turns out that this is my most popular blog post so far (graded on traffic on the day of posting) - whoohoo! Also got a couple of interesting leads as a result of it. Must follow up now!
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsd View Post
    Well, as I've said before, would you prefer Eskom to turn them off for you?
    They already do

    To some extent I'm revving you - it's really about using the aircon in moderation and only as necessary. Believe me, there are times when it is necessary.

    I think we're going to have to talk about heaters come winter - when our real peak demand kicks in!

    An idle thought about the 15% of Eskom power that goes to airconditioning - have you any idea how much of that is being used by the mines (who can't switch off their airconditioning and still operate)?

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    To some extent I'm revving you
    Yeah, I know....and I'm just revving back a little bit

    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    An idle thought about the 15% of Eskom power that goes to airconditioning - have you any idea how much of that is being used by the mines (who can't switch off their airconditioning and still operate)?
    It is probably quite significant! I hadn't thought about mines, but I did consider cold chains (food, drugs, etc.) that could not be turned off. Eskom's "conservative" estimate for peak savings is 600MW (which I used, and is from the National Response to the electricity crisis.

    PS. posted a reply on my blog to your comment
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsd View Post
    PS. posted a reply on my blog to your comment
    You mean my comment got approved

    Don't mind me - I'm just a bit whacky today

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    Maybe you should turn your air conditioner back on.....
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    what about moving back into a cave or a mud hut next to a forrest and a river so you have plenty of fire wood and water.

    i believe we should conserve energy but just because of some fools bad planning we must all now suffer

  9. #9
    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    I just got this comment on my blog, and the guy then called me and told me he has emailed over 300 people about this (DA, ANC, VF, Solidarity, and more). His attitude is really positive which is great to hear.

    I have put my 2 geysers on swimming pool timers and my electricity bill was reduced with R460 the last 8 months average compared to the previous 8 months average.

    My geysers are only switched on 1,5 hours in the middle of the night and again 1,5 hours in the middle of the day. We are 5 people in the house and have warm water all the time.

    My usage also went down 44,4 % over that period (from average 2250 units/month to average 1250 units/month).

    I have ignoramuses that belittled that. They even said it is impossible, my accounting is wrong etc. Even the technical director said in the newspapers that it does not work.

    However, my accounts proves my point.

    I have done my MBL at the School of Business Leadership, UNISA.
    To me it seems quite clear how we landed in this situation (mismanagement and cost-cutting seem to be the culprits of our immediate demise), but how we respond to it will show our mettle as people of this country.

    We have a great country which is certainly worth fighting for. Let's take these challenges head on with the resilience of the tough people that we are.
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    I'm definitely hearing two sides to this geyser switch off story. If we look at the comment above, essentially the geyser is on for a total of 3 hours a day.

    I don't doubt his facts and maths for a moment - one of the questions though is how much time is a geyser actually heating normally anyway. Applying very rough maths - about 6 hours in this case?

    Those who are arguing that leaving the geyser on is more efficient than switching it off and reheating the water from cold are basing this on the fact that the cold heating element acts less efficiently than when it is up to normal operating temperature. This, too, is a fact.

    Both are relevant to finding the optimal solution to using the least electrical energy to provide our hot water needs.

    Frankly, two suggestions have made the most sense to me as bare minimums:
    • Insulate - get a geyser blanket no matter whether you're going with the timer story or not.
    • Go solar - even if it is a tiny panel on the north facing eave of the house that just tops up the heat during the day.

    Both are relatively low cost, high yield and short-term-to-break-even solutions that will work well together.

    Probably the thing that makes me the most nervous about the timer solution promotion is I just know that lots of folks are going to "do it yourself." If the sparks start to fly... It's not going to be pretty.

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