{"id":456,"date":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dummy.xtemos.com\/woodmart2\/elementor\/?p=456"},"modified":"2026-10-18T16:18:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T16:18:52","slug":"load-shedding-and-what-backup-really-costs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/load-shedding-and-what-backup-really-costs\/","title":{"rendered":"Load shedding and what backup really costs"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"456\" class=\"elementor elementor-456\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-negative-gap elementor-element elementor-element-6be5a1b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"6be5a1b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cf3c4f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_text_block\" data-id=\"cf3c4f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"wd_text_block.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-text-block reset-last-child text-left\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<p>Load shedding sounds free once the lights go off, but backup power costs money every month. You pay for batteries, inverters, cabling and the inverter that keeps charging between outages. The real cost is not the panel, it is keeping enough stored charge for the hours you actually need.<\/p><p><em>Work out your load first. A fridge and lights need far less battery than a geyser or pool pump.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wd-negative-gap elementor-element elementor-element-23da163 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"23da163\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-087d0bb e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"087d0bb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-05504c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_text_block\" data-id=\"05504c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"wd_text_block.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-text-block reset-last-child text-left\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2>What It Really Costs<\/h2><p>Add up spoiled food, lost work hours and fuel costs over one month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d1b1d7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_infobox\" data-id=\"d1b1d7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wd_infobox.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-box-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-info-box text-left box-icon-align-top box-style-base color-scheme-\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-box-content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"info-box-title title box-title-style-default wd-fontsize-s\" data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEVENT INFO\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-box-inner reset-last-child\"data-elementor-setting-key=\"content\"><p>\u201cBackup Power Open Day\u201d @Sunveld Showroom<br \/>\nUnit 4, Tygervalley Business Park, Cape Town<br \/>\n14 to 16 May, 09:00 to 16:00<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"wd-info-box-link wd-fill\" aria-label=\"Infobox link\"><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-174d718 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_text_block\" data-id=\"174d718\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"wd_text_block.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-text-block reset-last-child text-left\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<p>Stage 4 for an hour is manageable. Stage 6 for a whole evening is a different story.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b4d3ace e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b4d3ace\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c08470c elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_image_or_svg\" data-id=\"c08470c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wd_image_or_svg.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wd-image text-left photoswipe-images\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-close-up-of-a-compact-unbranded-hybrid-solar-inver-9aba2.jpg\"data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\" aria-label=\"Image link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-close-up-of-a-compact-unbranded-hybrid-solar-inver-9aba2-700x600.jpg\" class=\"attachment-700x600 size-700x600\" alt=\"Close-up of a compact unbranded hybrid solar inverter and a battery module sitting on a clean workbench, evoking what ba\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wd-negative-gap elementor-element elementor-element-a0aab3a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a0aab3a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34dc573 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_text_block\" data-id=\"34dc573\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"wd_text_block.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-text-block reset-last-child text-left\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<p>Diesel generators are noisy, need fuel runs, and cannot sit inside. A battery and inverter system switches over in seconds, runs quietly, and tops up from the grid or your panels whenever power is back, so you are not standing in a queue for diesel every week.<\/p><h2>Generator Or Battery<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7402249 wd-width-100 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_images_gallery\" data-id=\"7402249\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"wd_images_gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-images-gallery photoswipe-images\" style=\"--wd-align-items:center; --wd-justify-content:center;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-grid-g\" style=\"--wd-col-lg:3;--wd-col-md:3;--wd-col-sm:2;--wd-gap-lg:10px;\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-bright-modern-south-african-living-room-with-a-wal-ac107.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"1\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-bright-modern-south-african-living-room-with-a-wal-ac107-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Bright modern South African living room with a wall-mounted hybrid inverter and neat lithium battery rack, a person in a\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-wall-of-framed-technical-diagrams-replaced-by-a-bo-705e8.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"2\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-wall-of-framed-technical-diagrams-replaced-by-a-bo-705e8-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Wall of framed technical diagrams replaced by a bold red feature wall with a compact inverter and battery pack beside tw\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-contemporary-room-with-a-blue-and-dark-green-wall-d3aa8.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"3\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-contemporary-room-with-a-blue-and-dark-green-wall-d3aa8-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Contemporary room with a blue and dark green wall, a circuit breaker distribution board and a small inverter mounted on\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-technician-seen-from-behind-kneeling-at-a-wall-mou-6f998.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"4\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-technician-seen-from-behind-kneeling-at-a-wall-mou-6f998-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Technician seen from behind kneeling at a wall-mounted battery storage unit and shelving of solar accessories, checking\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-clean-home-electrical-distribution-board-with-circ-8c5eb.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"5\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-clean-home-electrical-distribution-board-with-circ-8c5eb-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Clean home electrical distribution board with circuit breakers and a tripped breaker beside a hybrid inverter in a brigh\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-gallery-item wd-col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a  href=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-bright-south-african-living-room-with-a-wall-mount-54916.jpg\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"720\" data-index=\"6\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/sunveld-bright-south-african-living-room-with-a-wall-mount-54916-400x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-400x300 size-400x300\" alt=\"Bright South African living room with a wall-mounted unbranded home battery and inverter, a lit pendant lamp and sofa, s\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f853c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-wd_text_block\" data-id=\"0f853c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;highlighted_vertical_offset_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"wd_text_block.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wd-text-block reset-last-child text-left\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<p>A lot of people buy backup power during a bad week of load shedding and regret the size they chose once the stage drops and life goes back to normal. We would rather talk you through the real pattern in your area first.<\/p><blockquote><p>Buy for the worst week you have had this year, not the best one. You can always add a panel or a battery later, but it is hard to shrink a system once it is installed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Load shedding sounds free once the lights go off, but backup power costs money every month. You pay for batteries,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[74,75,85],"class_list":["post-456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiration","tag-guide","tag-inspiratio","tag-style"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35562,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions\/35562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/live.allanuxweb.com\/solar-energy\/solar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}