Fun with Eskom Load Shedding

[Teal Smith]

How is everyone dealing with load shedding? For an INDOOR grow, as far as I can see, there are these options:

1 - Buy a generator. Not possible due to the noise and complaining neighbours. Servicing and spares also a nightmare in our area.

2 - Buy a UPS/Battery backup with inverter. Possible, but we are looking at a hefty price tag to accommodate 4 lights and 4 fans, which we don't have the $$$ to spend on this right now.

3 - Buy emergency backup lighting. Eskom goes off, the lights come on automatically.        Now here's the thing.... I know the plants can be "tricked" into thinking it's "daytime" for a couple hours a day, even with little to zero PPFD... But with the new load shedding schedule, on some days, our area is set to have between 7.5 and 10 hours per day of load shedding. That's ALOT of hours to run lights with no PPFD. The load shedding timetable is constantly changing too, so we can't plan our light schedule around it either.

What do you guys do for load shedding? Are there any tips or tricks I'm not aware of?

TIA

PS - Outdoors is not an option - neighbours are an issue.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Teal Smith

[CoolJ]

I'm going to be running my lights after 10pm as I see for stage 2 loadshedding stops at 10pm. 

[Teal Smith]

Thanks CoolJ. You're lucky. Unfortunately that's not the case in our area. The times are constantly changing, and so are the stages. There is no one slot available at any given time that won't change in a few days, and continue to keep changing. The schedule is pushed back 2.5 hours every 3 days. Wish they would make it the same time every day! If it could be guaranteed that there will be no more load shedding every day after a certain time, then it would be easy to plan ahead.

[SkunkPharm]

What I have done was to divide my lights into 2 in coming lines of electricity. Each line in its own timer. One from the inverter and one from normal power. When the electricity shuts off during loadshedding the lights stay on. Not all the lights but some of them. I have 2 110amp 12v deep cycle batteries and a 1000w inverter battery charger. 

Batteries and inverter sounds like allot of money but if you work it out with the current petrol price you would have covered that cost within the first year. 

Oh I am on led and when the power is off I only run about 400w worth of lights and fans.

[420SA]

@Teal Smith what stage of growth are you in now? Veg or flower

[PsyCLown]

What I have done was to divide my lights into 2 in coming lines of electricity. Each line in its own timer. One from the inverter and one from normal power. When the electricity shuts off during loadshedding the lights stay on. Not all the lights but some of them. I have 2 110amp 12v deep cycle batteries and a 1000w inverter battery charger. 
Batteries and inverter sounds like allot of money but if you work it out with the current petrol price you would have covered that cost within the first year. 
Oh I am on led and when the power is off I only run about 400w worth of lights and fans.

I like this idea.

Get a 240w led driver and run that off the inverter and the rest of the lights in the tent off normal mains. Fans can be run off inverter too - so when there is loadshedding some light remains on at least. Everything stays on a timer too.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[420SA]

I would suggest setting your flower light schedule from 9PM to 9am. This is a good move for heat management anyway

Yes eskom does load shed during the midnight hours from time to time but not that often. They most commonly load shed from 9am to 10PM so at least you get 11 hours of light in when load shedding runs

[Teal Smith]

2 hours ago, SkunkPharm said:

What I have done was to divide my lights into 2 in coming lines of electricity. Each line in its own timer. One from the inverter and one from normal power. When the electricity shuts off during loadshedding the lights stay on. Not all the lights but some of them. I have 2 110amp 12v deep cycle batteries and a 1000w inverter battery charger. 

Batteries and inverter sounds like allot of money but if you work it out with the current petrol price you would have covered that cost within the first year. 

Oh I am on led and when the power is off I only run about 400w worth of lights and fans.

Yes, a good idea... That's exactly what my plan would be IF we could afford the UPS right now. But like I said, we can't. 2 of my 4 lights + all fans on UPS circuit, the other 2 lights on Eskom. It's more than a tiny setup and the UPS will be expensive.

I also agree with you fully and prefer UPS to generator for all the reasons I already said in my post, and don't mind spending the extra money on UPS. But that's not really the point. It's just that right now we don't have the money, like I was saying. 

I was looking for any other tips or tricks that don't involve buying a UPS....

Edited August 20, 2020 by Teal Smith

[Teal Smith]

2 hours ago, 420SA said:

@Teal Smith what stage of growth are you in now? Veg or flower

Haven't started yet. After over 11 weeks of waiting for our order to arrive, we are now ready to start,  but first we want all our ducks in a row beforehand. 

Edited August 20, 2020 by Teal Smith

[Teal Smith]

1 hour ago, PsyCLown said:

I like this idea.

Get a 240w led driver and run that off the inverter and the rest of the lights in the tent off normal mains. Fans can be run off inverter too - so when there is loadshedding some light remains on at least. Everything stays on a timer too.

Sent from my Redmi Note 7 Pro using Tapatalk
 

Yep, it's actually exactly what we were planning on doing when we could afford an inverter.

Right now I'm more looking for any tips and tricks or any other inventive ways around load shedding, without having to buy an inverter etc. wondering what everyone else does? Or do most inddor guys these days have either inverter or generator for indoor grows in SA?

[Teal Smith]

1 hour ago, 420SA said:

I would suggest setting your flower light schedule from 9PM to 9am. This is a good move for heat management anyway

Yes eskom does load shed during the midnight hours from time to time but not that often. They most commonly load shed from 9am to 10PM so at least you get 11 hours of light in when load shedding runs

Thanks! I wish that were the case for us in our area.... Just looking at our load shedding schedule, looks like the times are pushed back 2.5 hours every 3 days. Best to look at the picture attached so you can see what I mean (pay no attention to the yellow circles). The times marked with a blue block are the load shedding times. Looks like load shedding will happen at all different hours of the day, even from 9pm - 9am.

There is always the chance I'm misunderstanding the load shedding schedule  :D

[Teal Smith]

Aiyayaai! hahaha

Seems like there are no tips, tricks or shortcuts... Plants need light. Period. Thought I could get away with an emergency light-type of solution but not during stages 3 and 4, too much downtime.

I think we should wait until we have the funds to afford a UPS inverter.

IF Eskom does decide to loadshed during later hours, we'll be screwed. I'm not going to chance it - too much at stake.

Thanks for all your input, everyone, it is appreciated.

[SAgrower]

Aiyayaai! hahaha
Seems like there are no tips, tricks or shortcuts... Plants need light. Period. Thought I could get away with an emergency light-type of solution but not during stages 3 and 4, too much downtime.
I think we should wait until we have the funds to afford a UPS inverter.
IF Eskom does decide to loadshed during later hours, we'll be screwed. I'm not going to chance it - too much at stake.

Thanks for all your input, everyone, it is appreciated.

A bit off topic but what is the issue with the neighbours if you dont mind me asking?

[Teal Smith]

@SAgrower  no real problem, but they are very nearby and I don't want to raise any flags. I just want to remain incognito

[SAgrower]

@SAgrower  no real problem, but they are very nearby and I don't want to raise any flags. I just want to remain incognito

Understandable. I have neighbours who are both in SAPS and they obviously smell when we smoke so now they do not allow their kid to play at our house anymore which is actually very sad seeing as the child was allowed previously when we smoked incognito but anyway.

Goodluck with the Eskom issue as I dont see it going away any time soon. What about building some type of "greenhouse" outside where the neighbours will only see the structure. Then, grow some herbs, tomatoes etc and give them some, saying you built the structure because you are interested in growing so vegetables etc.

[SkunkPharm]

How many watts of electricity do you want to run?

 

[SkunkPharm]

https://www.acdc.co.za/products/600w-pure-sine-wave-inverter-12vdc-230vac-c-w-charger?variant=30469828492

And you can get batteries for R2350 for 12v 110amps

[Teal Smith]

23 minutes ago, SAgrower said:

Understandable. I have neighbours who are both in SAPS and they obviously smell when we smoke so now they do not allow their kid to play at our house anymore which is actually very sad seeing as the child was allowed previously when we smoked incognito but anyway.

Goodluck with the Eskom issue as I dont see it going away any time soon. What about building some type of "greenhouse" outside where the neighbours will only see the structure. Then, grow some herbs, tomatoes etc and give them some, saying you built the structure because you are interested in growing so vegetables etc.

Thanks for your input man. Ya, we did also consider the greenhouse thing but it's positioning in our garden wouldn't be ideal. Some day I'll do one with lights, that's my ultimate setup idea. Think we'll hang on a few weeks until we can afford the UPS. Cheers dude!

[Teal Smith]

27 minutes ago, SkunkPharm said:

https://www.acdc.co.za/products/600w-pure-sine-wave-inverter-12vdc-230vac-c-w-charger?variant=30469828492

And you can get batteries for R2350 for 12v 110amps

Thanks for the link. I've already been quoted on a good Mecer unit for my size requirements, and batteries for a little less. Key Electric, JHB.

Now just waiting for funds to accumulate so we can buy one.

Edited August 20, 2020 by Teal Smith

[SkunkPharm]

I would pay extra for the pure sine wave inverter.

[Prom]

Mhhh, short way around light issues... use autoflower... and no timer on the light if eskom goes nuts.

I used backup on my lights to bridge eskom... swapped that to keep the ventilation going now. Humidity goes up to much otherwise.

And i agree with @SkunkPharm get a pure sin, other could make your leds flicker

[afternoon blazer]

Depending how long your loadshedding is too bro. Make sure u have enough batteries.

 

U mind me asking what u were quoted on the system and what size it is?

[The_StonedTrooper]

Pure sine, no other way if you want your stuff to last, and I know some will not like that statement, but it is true...

My parents have these spots, charge day time and on at night, last the whole night, and sure you macgyver it to a timer or sorts or relay to work when power is out.

Edited August 20, 2020 by StickyD420

[afternoon blazer]

Also the auto idea. As @Prom suggested is excellent. Screw the lights.

 

But either way i suggest getting the inverter system. 1 of the best investments i made for loadshedding. 

Allows me to stay sane and keep myself well entertained. 

[afternoon blazer]

2 minutes ago, StickyD420 said:

Pure sine, no other way if you want your stuff to last, and I know some will not like that statement, but it is true...

My parents have these spots, charge day time and on at night, last the whole night, and sure you macgyver it to a timer or sorts or relay to work when power is out.

Not bad for a 100w and as u say last the entire night. Free freaking power.