Load-shedding essentials on a budget: inverters, UPS, and power stations

Since 2022, power backup has stopped being a luxury. But you don't need a R250,000 solar system to keep the lights on. Here's what each budget option actually delivers.

The ladder of load-shedding solutions

Level 1 — Rechargeable LED lights + power banks (R500–R3,000)

What you get: light and phone-charging through a blackout.

LED bulbs with built-in battery (e.g. Eurolux LoadShed Pro): work in any light socket. R200–R500 per bulb.
USB power banks (20,000–40,000 mAh): charge 3–6 phones. R400–R1,200.
Rechargeable fan for summer: R500–R1,500.

Good for: a short-term fix, backup to something bigger, bedrooms.

Level 2 — UPS for computer / router (R1,500–R4,000)

What you get: your router and laptop keep running through a 2.5-hour outage.

Mecer 1200VA or Mustek 1000VA inverter-style UPS: around R1,800–R2,800.
Typical runtime: 2–4 hours for a router + laptop + a small TV.

Good for: WFH users, gamers who want to save their game before shutdown, keeping the fibre router alive for the whole household. Not for running fridges.

Level 3 — Portable power station (R4,500–R25,000)

What you get: plug-and-play backup for fridge, TV, lights, laptop — no electrician needed.

EcoFlow River 2: R5,500, 256 Wh. Runs laptop + lights for 4 hours.
EcoFlow Delta 2: R14,000, 1024 Wh. Runs fridge for 10–14 hours.
Jackery Explorer 1000: R13,000, 1002 Wh.
Anker SOLIX F1500: R14,500.

Good for: renters, small homes, or anyone who wants zero installation hassle. Bonus: portable for camping and road trips.

Level 4 — Inverter + battery (R15,000–R60,000)

What you get: whole-house or essentials-circuit backup for 4–12 hours. Installed by an electrician.

Typical setup: 3kVA or 5kVA inverter + 2.4 kWh lithium battery.
Budget brands (IP-rated but less known): R18,000–R28,000 fitted.
Better brands (Sunsynk, Deye, Victron): R30,000–R55,000 fitted.

Good for: homeowners, larger households, medium-term commitment.

Level 5 — Hybrid solar + battery (R100,000–R350,000)

What you get: free electricity during the day, full backup at night, resilience during long outages.

Not a budget option — but pays back in 5–8 years in high-tariff metros. See the property guide for detail.

Matching backup to your actual needs

Renter, small flat, WFH

Recommended: 1200VA UPS for router + laptop (R2,500) + a few rechargeable lights (R1,000). Total R3,500.

Small family, renting or owning

Recommended: Portable power station 1000 Wh (R13,000) + rechargeable fan (R1,000). Runs fridge + lights + router + TV for 8–10 hours.

Homeowner, 3-bed house

Recommended: 5kVA inverter + 5kWh battery (R45,000 installed). Runs essentials circuit for 10 hours, no noise, no fuel.

Homeowner, bigger house, committed long-term

Recommended: Hybrid solar + battery. The payback time makes it worth financing.

What NOT to spend money on

Petrol generators under 2 kVA: too small to run a fridge reliably, noisy, smelly, awkward. Cheap in sticker price, annoying in real life.
"Solar power banks" with one small panel: the panels are usually too small to actually charge the power bank in real sunlight. Marketing gimmick.
No-brand 5kW inverters from Facebook: if the brand isn't on a proper importer's website with a service contract, your inverter dies and no one will fix it.
Lead-acid batteries: half the life of lithium for roughly the same price. Don't.

Installation reality check

For any inverter-plus-battery setup (Level 4 and 5), you need:

A certified electrician with solar PV qualifications for wiring.
A Certificate of Compliance (CoC).
Municipal approval in most metros if the system is solar-connected.
Proper safety — lithium batteries are generally safe but only when installed in a ventilated space, away from combustibles, with appropriate fuses and breakers.

An uncertified install is cheaper but will void your home insurance if there's a fire. Never skip the CoC.

The forgotten extras

Gas geyser (R4,000–R12,000 fitted): hot showers through load-shedding. Massive quality-of-life win.
Gas stove (R2,500–R8,000): cook regardless of power state.
Bulk candles, torches, head torches: R500 gets you set up for emergencies.

Spending R50 on headtorches and R200 on candles often matters more than the inverter if an outage runs longer than expected.