The result of the first few power outages was a rush on generator providers previously not experienced resulting in many suppliers running out of generators and companies suffering in some cases devastating losses.

As suppliers of generators, office equipment and PABX systems to large corporate companies as well as SME businesses we saw firsthand the effects of the power outages, not only in lost business due to telephones and printers not functioning, but the damage caused to the equipment and networks during these outages.

The most commonly damaged equipment caused by not having a backup generator  were PABX systems which had cards blown due to the electrical surges and the systems not being adequately protected against surges.

Network issues resulting in printers and copiers needing to be re-installed on the networks. Technicians were run off their feet dealing with these networking issues.

Servers damaged due to the energy spikes resulting in costly equipment repairs or replacement and the time to reinstate data.

Pay point and lighting systems not functioning in retail stores caused the stores to close and resulted in many man hours restoring equipment settings let alone the lost revenue.

Your business cannot afford to be without a backup power supply in an environment where we have been warned that there will be electricity shortages over the next 3 to 5 years.

Businesses are able to rent generators on a long term basis, much like your copiers or PABX systems. This allows your business to write of the capital amount and not be lumbered with unexpected capital expenditure which could be better used growing the business.

The fact is that an alternative power source like a diesel or petrol generator has become a necessary piece of equipment to ensure the smooth running of your business.

Clients who chose to prepare for the worst and installed backup electricity generators with AMF(automatic mains fail) systems saw no interruption in their business processes and in some cases recorded a uptick in business where competitor clients were unable to raise the company they were usually serviced by.

Prepare your business by installing a electrical generator which will not make use of your working capital and be prepared for the worst possible scenario.

When staging an event or function, a backup electricity supply is a vital component of your planning and will ensure that your function or event is not disrupted by electricity failure or circuit over loading. Portable generators are available for rental from very small generators to large industrial generators often used as backup power solutions in factories or on mines.

An alternative power solution should also form part of your disaster management plan when holding a public event as lighting in the event of an electricity failure can mean the difference between serious injury and an efficient evacuation if required.

Most portable generators over 39KVA will be equipped with an automatic mains fail which starts up and provides backup electricity generation as soon as the system detects a power failure. This is not to say that portable generators cannot be used a primary source of electricity, just that they are often used as a backup source of electricity.

When using a portable generator as a primary source of power it is essential to calculate the fuel requirement and have sufficient fuel available on site so as not to interrupt the portable generators functioning. Portable generators can be hired on a short or long term basis as a primary or backup power source.

The flexibility available by using a portable generator allows for last minute changes or changes in circumstance and can generally be brought to locations in a very short period of time. Portable generators are essential items during times of increased electricity demand, particularly in coastal regions during the festive season where electricity grids are under pressure from the influx of tourists. In these cases it may be a better idea to rely on your portable generator as a primary source of electricity as opposed to a backup source of electricity.

Microbial growth is responsible for filter plugging, injector blockage, poor running, increased emissions and black smoke and the necessity for shorter service intervals costing $millions in increased man hours and additional filters and injectors not to mention lost working hours and the risks associated with catastrophic failures of generators and fire pumps.

There is also the green issue, we are all concerned about our environment and the pollutants we pump into it and the cost to future generations, biocides widely used to combat microbial contamination in fuel can contain some extremely hazardous chemicals some of which do not burn but rather sit in the atmosphere, chemicals like formaldehyde which is known to cause cancer.

Our FuelMag units are completely free from chemicals, the bacteria is controlled naturally, there is no waste to dispose of no additional maintenance, no filter to change in the unit, you simply fit the FuelMag in the fuel line between the tank and the primary filter and that’s it.

Your maintenance schedules will once again be back to normal.

Please visit out web site www.purefueltechnologies.com to find out more.

We are currently looking for agents and distributors throughout Africa and can offer good margins along with excellent support and back up.

This is a problem that will not be going away, please take a look at the attached Tyco leaflet to their customers outlining their concerns with microbial contamination. They are acting now to control the problems before a potential catastrophic failure costing not only business but potentially costing lives as well.

www.purefueltechnologies.com

Installing a Solar water heating system can be a fairly costly exercise, but when you consider the electricity savings alone, your solar heating system should pay for itself within 5 years. each person in a household requires around 80 liters of water daily, this includes water used in cleaning, drinking and showers or baths. To calculate the size of geyser you require, use half the total as an indication of hot water storage you need. The average 4 person home will be adequately serviced by a 180 liter geyser, but 200 would be more than enough to ensure that you never run out.

When choosing a solar water heating supplier always ensure that the product has been SABS approved in order to take advantage of any incentives offered by ESKOM. Ensure that the storage cylinder has a ceramic lining to reduce the amount of heat loss during periods of low sunlight and overnight. An acceptable loss of temperature is 5%, if the specifications indicate that the heat loss is greater than this or the specification does not show the heat loss, it would be wise to seek alternative advice.

Your water heating system uses as much as 40% of your electricity and your savings are immediate once your solar water heating system is installed. In most cases, banks will lend against your bond for the installation of a solar water heating system.

Solar systems are becoming more efficient and technological advancement has seen innovative new products for the building industry like these screen printed solar cells.

The latest increase, effective 1 July is to see Eskom through the current financial year and in March next year, eskom will be making applications for additional increases. can south African business, and in particular the mining industry, as a huge consumer of electricty deal with this increase without shedding jobs?

This remains to be seen as mining houses are under pressure with metal prices at current levels.

Consumers and business were hoping for a rate cut late last month which did not materialise and then the announcement yesterday of the petrol price increase, has consumers wondering where this will all end.

Diesel generators or petrol generators are available from iGenerator and our experienced service consultants will ensure that the right generator is supplied for your immediate and future power requirements.

Long term rentals are financed through a number of different generator finance houses with our preferred finance house being ITEC finance who finance office equipment and generators geared more specifically to businesses in South Africa.

To get more information on generator rental and finance please use the  form below to submit your enquiry.

We deal with specialized gensets for mining applications and remote usage that have additional capacity fuel tanks as well as remote monitoring systems to monitor the fuel and oil levels. Alerst are sent remotely to maintenance or service teams designated by the customer to notify the necessary people of the situation.

In order to purchase a generator for export into Africa, the customer must have the necessary funds transferred to a South African bank for clearance before the gensets will be ordered. Delivery of the units takes place within 4 weeks stock permitting.

We supply superior quality diesel and petrol powered generators from 39KVA to 3000KVA generator sets as both stand alone units or mounted on trailers for easy transportability.

We provide Diesel Generator Sets, Diesel Generators, Diesel Generators, Single Phase and Three Phase, Petrol Generator Sets, Petrol Generators, Natural gas generators as well as parts and accessories.

To get a quote on a generator to be exported to an African country please complete the form below and we will contact you to cater for your specific power generation needs.

Mobile generator sets are ideal for farmers as well as business or large home applications with the advantage of being able to relocate the power wherever it is most required.

Mobile generators are priced from around R100 000 upwards, are on rugged trailers with 60- hours of full load running time at the lower end. Most mobile generator sets come standard with a 1 year/1 000 hour warranty.

For businesses in rented premises who are providing their own source of electrical backup system that cannot be achieved with a UPS backup power device, mobile generators are a viable option that can easily be relocated to new premises.

Ask the following questions and you will get the right UPS

Is it able to convert AC to DC AND DC to AC
Is it line interactive… If you are offered an inverter bear in mind that this will only operate when the mains fail
Can it operate in parallel for upgrading purposes
Does the UPShave a battery management control
Is there a surge or short circuit protector
Is there an automatic battery test

If you ask these questions and the sales person is unsure, move on to the next company and remember that if you are using it at home, whatever you do, don’t attach appliances to it that will quickly drain it of it’s power like fridges, washing machines, kettles etc.