ESKOM screws us all

[desA]

Interesting.

I guess that the ultimate power grid will soon be the one from your solar panel to your home.

There would be no logical reason though, for larger cities to not go back to their own power-stations & use only make-up from the national grid. Roll back the clock 100 years.

[tec0]

Right if you live in a “Rent-a-home� because the bank thinks you are to doggy to own your own then solar-power becomes a pipe dream. It is just not feasible to install a R40000 system onto a house that I DO NOT OWN.

So it brings us back to that age old question... what can I do without?

Hot-water, stove, freezer, TV, Internet, Computer, Alarm system, lights, and let us not forget all the other goodies that runs on power. I have to revert back to the stone age. The question is can I cut back on my cut-backs???

In all honesty I am looking into a mobile Solar system will they do exist it! BUT the COST!!! You are talking about a R100000 I will only see a profit after 11 years! And that is excluding maintenance.

Face it “the alternatives� is basically the same as shooting hour self in the foot and then convince yourself that you did it for your own good

[Dave A]

I think that the Aluminium Smelter power issue is probably something they may have been locked into by previous administrations. There was a thrust to develop an Aluminium hub in KZN, from Richard's Bay to Pietermaritzburg (names may have changed?).

There was a smelter at Richards Bay, even when I was with Eskom in 1980/1, but pricing wasn't linked to commodity prices. They got much the same bulk rate as large municipalities. The special treatment they got was a guarantee of continuous power - or more accurately exceptionally limited downtime. Ultimately, if the pots solidified due to a power failure, Eskom was in for replacing them.

Needless to say, there were adequate measures in place to make sure this never happened.

If the price was linked to commodity prices back then, Eskom wouldn't need these rate increases as the smelters would be paying one the most expensive rates in SA by now.

Probably why Eskom took the gamble.

I think the "new deal" arose from negotiations on the proposed Coega smelter (which looks like it's not going to happen).

[Dave A]

There is a serious theft problem when it comes to electrical solar panels

[tec0]

Well I hate to say it but solar power is really useless. The power it produces is too little to keep a normal home going. Yes you can run your microwave and a few lights but anything beneath 40 degrees Celsius and you are in for a shock.

The truth is you need 230v for your stuff not 12v and keeping your stuff running on solar power alone is NOT going to happen.

[desA]

There is a serious theft problem when it comes to electrical solar panels

Incredible... Have to liven them up a little. Put the 220V to good use.

[desA]

Right if you live in a “Rent-a-home” because the bank thinks you are to doggy to own your own then solar-power becomes a pipe dream. It is just not feasible to install a R40000 system onto a house that I DO NOT OWN.

So it brings us back to that age old question... what can I do without?

Hot-water, stove, freezer, TV, Internet, Computer, Alarm system, lights, and let us not forget all the other goodies that runs on power. I have to revert back to the stone age. The question is can I cut back on my cut-backs???

In all honesty I am looking into a mobile Solar system will they do exist it! BUT the COST!!! You are talking about a R100000 I will only see a profit after 11 years! And that is excluding maintenance.

Face it “the alternatives” is basically the same as shooting hour self in the foot and then convince yourself that you did it for your own good

Very fair comments. I also think SA folks are being totally ripped off, by the look of prices I've seen ex China/Taiwan. Guess the solar boys will have set up cartels again - like most other cartels operating in SA.

It may be time to begin looking into powering fridges off a different cycle again - paraffin, etc. The main electrical costs are stove (radiant plate) & geyser, as I remember.

Solar-powered aircon is feasible, now that new technologies are emerging.

[tec0]

Well nothing is for free and trust me alternatives at this point in time is BS!!! They are simply over priced and the power delivery is LESS than satisfactory.

Using alternative fuel like paraffin is like using gold as a conductor at the moment “it will work but damn!!! The cost!!!” Right now alternatives are more expensive than your “local ESKOM POWER”

Now: I am working on a combination system. If something is on then something else must be off. Example: if the computer is on then the TV is off. When the microwave is on something else is off.

Will have a list ready by the end of this week

[desA]

Well nothing is for free and trust me alternatives at this point in time is BS!!! They are simply over priced and the power delivery is LESS than satisfactory.

Using alternative fuel like paraffin is like using gold as a conductor at the moment “it will work but damn!!! The cost!!!” Right now alternatives are more expensive than your “local ESKOM POWER”

What I'm referring to here is using a waste heat source to partially power a refrigerator, or a/c system. The parafin can be replaced with an alternative heat source.

This is doable at a very low electrical cost.

Have you worked out the kWh (energy) cost of all your electrical items? Try this, let's say over a month, then rank them. Begin tackling the top three asap. Slowly work your way down the list.

[tec0]

Honestly if I had to cut back on my cut backs I might as well just convert back to living in a cave? But that is the point I am making we are sacrificing our lifestyle to accommodate greed and I don’t feel it is right because, I pay for my water to be cleaned, I pay for my power and I pay for my home.

See Eskom is making it impossible for me to live, why because they cannot work with money???

Here is the real question, once all the new PowerStation’s are up and pumping power will we start to pay less for our power? NO they will keep it as high as possible...

See sun power cannot provide relieve it is really a fantasy that will end up costing you more then what you are paying now. Just look at the installation cost, maintenance cost and actual power delivery and you will find that yes you can drive a notebook but not much else.

See thanks to Eskom everything will get more expensive especially produce and meat... the truth is we are at their mercy and we need real power solutions. Sun power and wind power is totally useless when you look at the bigger picture.