Another South African innovation has hit the market, this time, a solution to a quintessential South African problem: load shedding. Called Loadshedder, the company currently offers two products with accompanying solar panels that provide cash-strapped South Africans a more affordable solution to install a home-wide battery and inverter solution. A third product is also in the works and should hit the South African market later this year.
Loadshedder, headed up by Managing Director Gary Gillingham, says that the company was founded to give South Africans a cheaper alternative for home-installed battery and inverter solutions, “We wanted to service the people who don’t have hundreds of thousands of rands to spend on backup energy solutions.”
Loadshedder was the brainchild of Scott Andrew, the founder and Managing Director of Get Off Grid, one of South Africa’s largest Solar wholesalers, and the founder of SunSynk, the most-sold inverter brand in South Africa last year.
“We partnered with SunSynk and developed the idea of this hybrid battery and inverter product for the South African market. It’s an all-in-one battery and inverter solution that works on its own, or it can be expanded by way of adding extra batteries and even solar panels,” says Andrew.
These two products are not only cost-effective but also cater to the needs of smaller households who want to keep the lights and entertainment on while the power is out. Furthermore, the installation of all-in-one units is quicker and cheaper to install than those with multiple parts.
Introducing Loadshedder
The Loadshedder comes complete with everything you need to install this cutting-edge storage solution. Built-in connection points on the bottom of the Loadshedder give access to the Load, Grid, CT, and Wi-Fi Data logger ports, making it a true “plug and play” system. Even the simple wall mount bracket makes for easy installation. The Loadshedder has been designed with convenience and hassle-free installation in mind.
The Loadshedder 2
The Loadshedder 2 is the company’s entry-level product. This 2.5kW SunSynk inverter comes with a 2Kwh LiFePO4 SunSynk Battery and is aimed at small households who want to power a TV, lights, Wi-Fi routers, and alarm systems. The Loadshedder 2 comfortably provides power to your most essential appliances. The maximum output power of the Loadshedder 2 is 2500W, meaning this is the maximum load you can put on this inverter. At a power draw of around 400W, the Loadshedder 2 will provide around 4 hours of battery life. The Loadshedder 2 kit retails for R41 750.00 and includes the Loadshedder 2 inverter, distribution board, delivery, and installation. The Loadshedder 2 battery Warranty is 5 years/3000 cycles. The Loadshedder 2 can also be financed through Access Bank for as little as R1 054.51 per month.
The Loadshedder 4
The Loadshedder 4 features a 3.6kW SunSynk inverter and comes with a 3.84kWh LiFePO4 SunSynk Battery. It is aimed at small households who want to power a gaming PC along with other essentials such as TVs, lights, Wi-Fi routers, and alarm systems. The Loadshedder 4 comfortably power your most essential appliances. The maximum output power of the Loadshedder 4 is 3600W, meaning this is the maximum load you can put on this inverter. At a power draw of around 600W, the Loadshedder 4 will provide around 6 hours of battery life. The Loadshedder 4 kit retails for R53 950.00 and includes the Loadshedder 4 inverter, distribution board, delivery, and installation. The Loadshedder 4 battery Warranty is 5 year/3000 cycles. The Loadshedder 4 can also be financed through Access Bank for as little as R1 362.65 per month.
Both products can be integrated with solar panels, and additional battery capacity can be added to increase the system run-time further when load shedding hits. The Loadshedder can also be paralleled with up to three units, increasing the overall output power to your house.
Panel Expansion Kit
The Load Shedder solar panel system expansion includes four to eight 425W solar panels. The solar panels will not only charge the Loadshedder battery but will provide direct power to your house via the inverter. This means that you may not even use your battery on sunny days, depending on what the power draw is, of course. There are three Loadshedder solar panel expansion kits available. The first includes four panels and retails for R29,995. The second option is a six-panel kit that retails for R40,095, and the third option is an eight-panel kit that retails for R47,405. All three options include the panels, delivery, installation, and mounting.
These solar panels will reduce your electricity consumption while keeping your batteries charged and ultimately reduce your electricity bill.
Financing available
Loadshedder has also partnered with two financial institutions to offer customers reliable financing solutions for homeowners. Andrews says there are two financing options that customers can choose from. The first will finance your Loadshedder installation (upon approval and based on credit rating) for any of the Loadshedder products, including the solar panel kit and additional batteries. FNB bondholders may apply with FNB for Solar Finance. Loadshedder is listed with the bank’s accredited programme. More information on financing can be found on the Loadshedder website.
Andrew says that one of the features that sets Loadshedder apart from its competitors is that it offers a one-stop solution that gives customers one port of call for installation and support. Backed by a well-renowned brand, SunSynk, these Loadshedder kits are exclusively available through Loadshedder (www.loadshedder.co.za).
Loadshedder products even come with a swap-out warranty if there is a manufacturer’s fault.
To purchase either of the Loadshedder kits, simply visit the Loadshedder website and purchase or finance the product of your choice to get the ball rolling. The Loadshedder team will arrange for the delivery of the hardware and assign a highly qualified technician to meet you for the installation. The whole process only takes about a week, says Andrew.
To learn more or buy the Loadshedder, visit www.loadshedder.co.za
About Loadshdder
At Loadshedder, we aim to provide cost-effective backup systems to the general public to alleviate the problem of load shedding in South Africa. The ethos of Loadshedder is to assist the general population with the opportunity to have backup systems installed in their homes. If you cannot afford the immediate costs, it is alright, as we have partnered with reputable institutions to ensure you get the right financing to keep your lights on.
