10 apps, gadgets and tips to help you survive load shedding

Load shedding is a frustrating reality for South Africans –  bringing darkness and routine disruptions to all households. When the lights flicker out and your electrical appliances come to a shuddering halt, you know it’s your turn to endure the dreaded L-word.

Surely there must be a way to make load shedding easier in your household? If you have the money to shell out for solar panels and inverter generators, go right ahead. (In fact, you’ll find solar specialists and electricians on our app!) But if you’re like the rest of us – just trying to make it through dark times on a budget – here are some great apps, appliances, gadgets and tips that will help you survive a power-less few hours without breaking the bank

1. Let your little light shine during load shedding.

There are so many options when it comes to lighting – whether it’s battery-powered LED lanterns, rechargeable LED light strips, or old-school torches – that there’s no need for you to sit in the dark

2. Have you heard of…Rechargeable light bulbs?

They install just like a normal globe (the original plug and play) and the battery charges when the light is switched on. When the power goes out, these little lights stay on, providing up to 5 hours of battery life. The first two hours are at full brightness, and then slowly dimming automatically for the remaining battery time

3.Rechargeable LED emergency lanterns with hidden talents.

Providing ample bright lighting, these gadgets are solar charged with little panels on the back. A handy USB port positioned on the rear means that these little lights can also double as a phone charging device in a pinch.

4. Candles are a fire hazard. Unless they’re battery powered.

Battery-powered LED tealight candles and strings of fairy lights are a much safer option than an open flame. A string of fairy lights is particularly useful for small children who need to sleep with a night light on to keep the boogeyman at bay.

5. Enjoy your favourite hot beverages without hassle.

A little gas camping stove and a whistling kettle means that load shedding never has to stand between you and a hot cuppa ever again. This little camping stove can also be used to cook meals or warm up food prepared earlier during the day before the power went out.

6.  Have you met the Wonderbag?

​The Wonderbag  is a non-electric slow cooker that uses heat retention. To cook, simply bring food to the boil on a stove, let simmer, and then put the closed pot inside the Wonderbag and pull the  drawstring. This little homegrown innovation is capable of cooking up to 8 hours on retained heat.

7. You’re hot, so hot. Now what?

Cool down with a little USB-powered/rechargeable fan – perfect for hot days and humid nights.

These handy little gadgets often have a small light on top, just in case!

8. Take your viewing offline

Did you know? Streaming services like Netflix and Showmax have a handy little feature that lets you download movies or episodes of the series you’re currently binging for offline viewing. Once you’ve viewed them, these downloads are automatically removed from your list to free up space.

Prefer to watch online? Take a look at these smart solutions for keeping your Wi-Fi running during load shedding.  

9. Don’t let load shedding catch you unawares.

“Check your schedule and plan your evening” – is a phrase that South Africans are familiar with, particularly users of the EskomSePush app. Get notified of load shedding stage changes, check schedules and get a countdown reminder – all of which gives you enough time to make sure your devices are charged and your meals are taken care of.

Check it out on the Google Play and App Store.

It’s smart to have a back-up app, just to ensure that load shedding never catches you unprepared. The Load Shedding Notifier app monitors the power grid status and current Eskom load shedding status in real-time. Low on data usage, this app can be configured to send you alerts for multiple areas – so you’re covered at home and at work.

Check it out on the Google Play and App Store.

10. Do your bit for consumption reduction, smartly.

To reduce the strain on the national grid, it’s a good idea to turn off all power-guzzling appliances such as pool pumps and geysers during peak periods (06:00 – 09:00 and 17:00 – 20:00). This is easy to achieve by putting a timer on your pool pump, and making your geyser a Smart Geyser. .

 

Have you considered a Smart Geyser?

Adding a smart energy device to your geyser that uses artificial intelligence and an internet connection lets you control your water heater from anywhere via an app. It intelligently turns your water heater on and off, so you can schedule when you need hot water and save money and energy when you don’t.

Is a Hotbot right for you?  If you spend more than R1,000 per month on electricity you will benefit the most from HotBot savings. Can we link to our page where they can sign up for HotBot installation?

Learn more

Got any other apps, gadgets or tips to share? We’d love to hear them in the comments below, or on our social media channels.