Appliances to help you save power

By MAZOLA MOLEFE (The Times)

SOUTH AFRICANS are bracing themselves for a cold and long winter

Eskom said it will continue with the power cuts if people use more electricity than required.

The Times has looked at some electricity-saving appliances that could help you enjoy your winter — with or without electricity.

These appliances range from the solar water heater, home system inventor (which works like a back-up plan during power-cuts), mini-geyser, fuel gel stove, wind-up radio and torch, gas cooker, as well as a fan heater that consumes less electricity than a bar heater.

Liz McDaid, an environmentalist at Greenconnection, said these appliances would help in making sure that people keep warm this winter. “They are useful because they would cost less, especially with the proposed Eskom price hikes being an issue.”

She said that the government needed to put in place solar water heaters. “The only problem is that they would not function properly during cold weather.”

She also said even though some people might not afford these appliances, “those who can should buy them to promote free electricity”.

A gas cooker also saves electricity but has not been declared all that safe. This is due to the gas-related deaths in squatter camps.

3Talk show host Noleen Maholwana Sanqu said she uses the fuel gel stove during power cuts. “You can use it during power cuts or even to save electricity during winter. Instead of paraffin, you put the gel in and it heats up and this is much safer.”

One other power-saving gadget that South Africans don’t know about is the mini-geyser, which is the size of a shoe box.

Faraz Maepa and Pam du Toit, agents of the mini-geyser, both agreed it was a great way to reduce power costs. “It definitely saves electricity, especially for people who have running water and electricity but no regular geyser.”

They said heating water in a kettle is expensive. But the mini-geyser heats up 20 litres in 15 minutes at a very reduced cost.

Maepa said: “We are targeting almost everyone, but mostly bigger households in RDP houses and informal settlements.”

Liz McDaid rated the following:

1. Mini-geyser

• Safety: plug it in like a kettle and you are ready to heat up your water without any danger.
• Cost: R250
• Power saving: Household geyser cost R1000 or more and takes up more electricity if left on. Mini-geyser saves in that area.

2. Home invention systems (mini generator)

• Safety: charge batteries while electricity is on. Environmental experts say it’s safer if it runs without any heavy-metal batteries.
• Cost: about R5000 (depending on what you want to power up during outages).
• Power saving: using it to charge up lights, TV and basic appliances will cost much less in terms of power and money.

3. Fuel gel stove

• Safety: It’s wireless and does not need electricity. No burning smell while cooking. It has minimal risks compared to a normal stove.

Cost: R200 for a two-plate stove and the gel costs R20.

• Power saving: Best bet, as it requires no electricity.

Stan Bridgens, an electrical engineer from The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers, gave The Times a rating on different heaters.

1. Gas heater

• Safety: anything to do with gas is dangerous if not handled with care. But this saves electricity.
• Cost: a minimum of R400 (depending on the brand). However, buying gas is expensive.
• Power saving: useful power saving, but not money saving.

2. Panel heater

• Safety: safer than the bar heater because you can touch it without being burnt. ý Cost: R300
• Power saving: you save 50percent on your heating costs.

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