Load Shedding Essentials: Lights, Power Banks, Safety

What this guide covers

1. Light first: lamps, bulbs, headlamps and torches
1. Rechargeable LED lamps
2. Bulbs, headlamps, torches and candles
2. Power banks and how to read a claimed mAh honestly
3. Solar lights, gas cooking and food safety
1. Solar garden and security lights
2. Cooking with gas, safely
3. Keeping food safe through an outage
4. Wifi, surge protection and small backup power
5. Electrical safety and approvals in South Africa
1. Approvals to look for
2. Practical safety rules
6. Typical prices and what to check before buying
7. What to buy first on a small budget
8. Frequently asked questions
9. Buy the cheap things, but buy them properly
10. Related guides

Load shedding is manageable with surprisingly little equipment. What matters is buying the right few things, in the right order, and buying electrical goods that carry the approvals they are supposed to carry. A house full of cheap unbranded chargers on one overloaded multiplug is a bigger risk than the outage itself.

This guide covers lighting, power banks, solar, gas cooking, food safety, surge protection, wifi and small backup power, with typical rand ranges and a priority list for a small budget near the end. Prices are typical observed ranges at the time of writing. Traders set their own and they move, so confirm on the day.

Light first: lamps, bulbs, headlamps and torches

Light is the cheapest problem to solve and the one that makes the biggest difference to how an evening feels.

Rechargeable LED lamps

Flat panel and lantern-style rechargeable lamps are the workhorse. Look for more than one brightness setting, because running on low can multiply the runtime several times over. Check that it uses a charging port you already have a cable for, and that it has a hook or magnet so it can hang rather than take up table space. Two medium lamps beat one bright one, because you can light two rooms.

Bulbs, headlamps, torches and candles

Rechargeable bulbs fit an existing fitting, charge while the power is on and stay lit when it goes off. Two cautions: they are only as good as the internal cell, which fades with age, and a fitting on a wall switch must be left switched on to work during an outage.

A headlamp is underrated, because hands free matters when cooking or checking a meter box. Check the strap elastic and battery door catch, since those break first. Candles are cheap but they are a leading cause of avoidable house fires. If you use them, use a non-flammable holder on a flat surface, well away from curtains, and never leave one burning in an empty room.

Power banks and how to read a claimed mAh honestly

Power banks carry the most optimistic marketing in this category, so it is worth knowing what the number on the case means.

1. The rating is measured at cell voltage, not at the output. Lithium cells sit at roughly 3.7 volts while a USB output is around 5 volts, and converting up loses energy. A bank rated 10,000 mAh will never deliver 10,000 mAh to your phone.
2. Expect well under the headline figure. After conversion and heat losses a good bank typically delivers around two thirds of its rating. A poor one delivers much less.
3. Weight is the honesty test. Cells have mass, so a bank claiming huge capacity that feels light is telling you something.
4. Watt-hours beat mAh. If watt-hours are printed on the case, that is the more meaningful number, and a product that prints it usually has less to hide.
5. Check the output rating. A bank that charges slowly is frustrating during a two-hour slot.

For most households, 10,000 to 20,000 mAh per person is sensible, kept charged as a habit rather than remembered at the last minute. Our phone accessories and electronics guide covers cables and chargers in more detail.

Solar lights, gas cooking and food safety

Solar garden and security lights

Solar suits South African conditions and costs nothing to run. Path lights are cheap and mostly fine. For anything you rely on, choose a unit with a separate panel on a cable, so the panel sits in full sun while the light sits where you need it, and one with a replaceable cell, because that fades first. More on outdoor lighting is in our garden, braai and outdoor guide.

Cooking with gas, safely

A single or double-burner gas cooker turns a four-hour outage into a non-event. Use it in a well-ventilated space only, with a window or door open, because burning gas consumes oxygen and produces carbon monoxide. Never use a gas braai, charcoal braai or patio heater indoors. Check for leaks with soapy water, never a flame. Store cylinders upright away from heat, inspect the hose and regulator for perishing, and turn the gas off at the cylinder.

Gas appliances and fixed gas installations are subject to safety regulation in South Africa. This is general information and not professional advice, so confirm the current position with the supplier, the NRCS and a registered installer.

Keeping food safe through an outage

• Keep the door shut and the freezer full. A closed fridge holds temperature for a few hours and a full freezer far longer, so fill gaps with bottles of water.
• Move the risky items. Dairy, raw meat and leftovers go into a pre-chilled cooler box with ice bricks for a long outage.
• Use a fridge thermometer, which costs little and removes the guesswork.
• When in doubt, throw it out. Do not taste to test, and do not refreeze thawed raw meat.
• Fill a flask before the slot starts, which covers tea, coffee and baby bottles.

Wifi, surge protection and small backup power

A fibre router draws very little power, so a small router UPS will usually keep it running for hours, though fibre only works if the street-side equipment is also up. Keep mobile data in reserve, and drop your phone to low-power mode at the start of a slot rather than the end.

Damage often happens when power returns, not while it is off. Switch televisions, computers and anything with a motor off at the wall during an outage, and use a surge-protected multiplug for sensitive equipment. Treat a surge plug as a consumable: once it has absorbed a serious surge it may no longer protect anything, even if the light still glows.

On portable power stations and small inverters, two numbers matter. Watt-hours tell you how long it runs; the output rating in watts tells you what it can run at all. Anything with a heating element, such as a kettle, iron or heater, draws far more than most small units supply. Lights, routers, laptops, fans and phone charging are the realistic uses.

Anything wired into your house wiring, including changeover switches, roof solar and battery systems, is fixed electrical work. It must be done by a registered electrician, and you should receive a certificate of compliance. This is general information rather than professional advice, so confirm requirements with a registered electrician and your municipality.

Electrical safety and approvals in South Africa

Approvals to look for

Many categories of electrical and electronic goods sold to the public in South Africa fall under compulsory specifications administered by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, the NRCS. In general terms, a supplier of a regulated product must hold a letter of authority from the NRCS before that product may be sold, and the goods should be marked as the regulation requires. Separately, the SABS mark indicates certification by the South African Bureau of Standards against a particular standard. The two are not the same: one is a regulatory approval to sell, the other a certification mark.

Practically, prefer goods that are properly marked and packaged, with a legible label showing voltage, wattage or current rating and supplier details. Ask the trader whether the product is approved for sale in South Africa, and keep your receipt. This is general information, not professional or legal advice, and requirements change, so verify the position with the NRCS and take a complaint to the National Consumer Commission if a product is not as represented.

Practical safety rules

1. Be careful with very cheap unbranded chargers. A charger sits between mains voltage and something you hold. Look for a solid case, no rattling, correct pin spacing, a legible rating label and clear supplier details.
2. Do not overload multiplugs. Never plug one multiplug into another, never run heaters, kettles or irons off an adaptor, and replace anything that gets warm, discolours or smells hot.
3. Check plugs and cords. A cracked plug or a cable with exposed copper needs replacing, not taping.
4. Never run a generator indoors, in a garage or on a covered patio. Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which is odourless and can kill within minutes in an enclosed space. Run it outdoors, well clear of doors and windows, and refuel only once cool.
5. Never back-feed your house through a wall socket. It endangers you and anyone working on the network. Backup power feeding house circuits needs a proper changeover installation by a registered electrician who can issue a certificate of compliance.
6. Fit and test smoke alarms, keep a fire blanket in the kitchen, and keep a torch rather than a candle next to the bed.

Typical prices and what to check before buying

Typical observed ranges at the time of writing, given purely as a planning aid. Not official prices. See the China Mall Durban price guide for a wider picture and how to spot quality versus cheap stock for the in-hand checks.

What to buy first on a small budget

If you can only spend a little, buy in this order. Each step is useful on its own.

1. One rechargeable LED lamp, roughly R60 to R200, which removes the need for candles in the main room.
2. A headlamp or decent torch, roughly R50 to R200, for hands-free work.
3. A power bank of 10,000 mAh or more, roughly R150 to R400, to keep a phone alive.
4. A second lamp, or a rechargeable bulb for the passage, roughly R70 to R300.
5. A surge-protected multiplug for the television and computer, roughly R100 to R300.
6. A single-burner gas cooker, used ventilated, roughly R150 to R450.
7. A cooler box and ice bricks, roughly R150 to R500, which double for outings.
8. A flask, roughly R80 to R300, and a router mini-UPS if you work or study from home.
9. A portable power station, only once the cheaper steps are covered.

Keeping it findable matters as much as owning it. One labelled lidded crate holding the lamps, torches, batteries and matches is the difference between calm and chaos when the lights go. Our storage and organising guide covers crates and labelling, and the hardware and DIY guide covers plugs and extension leads.

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What are the most useful load shedding essentials to buy first?

Start with a rechargeable LED lamp, a headlamp or torch, and a power bank of at least 10,000 mAh. Those three cover light and communication for roughly R250 to R800 at the time of writing. Add a surge-protected multiplug, a ventilated gas cooker and a cooler box next.

How do I know if a power bank's mAh rating is honest?

Weigh it in your hand, because lithium cells have real mass and a light bank claiming huge capacity is a warning sign. The rating is measured at cell voltage of about 3.7 volts, not the 5 volt output, so real delivery is well below the headline number even on a good unit.

Are cheap phone chargers safe to buy?

Be careful. A charger sits between mains voltage and a device you hold, so a poorly made one is a real fire and shock risk. Look for a solid case, correct pin spacing, a legible rating label and clear supplier details, and ask whether the product is approved for sale in South Africa.

Do electrical goods sold in South Africa need approval?

In general terms, many categories of electrical goods fall under compulsory specifications administered by the NRCS, and suppliers of regulated products must hold a letter of authority before selling them. The SABS mark is a separate certification against a standard. This is general information only, so confirm current requirements with the NRCS.

Can I run a generator in my garage during load shedding?

No. Never run a generator indoors, in a garage or on a covered patio, even with the door open. Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which has no smell and can be fatal within minutes in an enclosed space. Run it outdoors, well away from doors and windows, and refuel only once cool.

How long is food safe in the fridge during an outage?

A closed fridge holds a safe temperature for a few hours and a full, closed freezer considerably longer. Keep the doors shut, fill freezer gaps with water bottles, and move dairy, raw meat and leftovers to a pre-chilled cooler box for long outages. When in doubt, throw it out.

Do I need an electrician to install backup power?

For anything fixed, yes. Plug-in lamps, power banks and portable power stations need no installation. But an inverter or generator wired into house circuits, a changeover switch or roof solar is fixed electrical work that must be done by a registered electrician who can issue a certificate of compliance.

Where can I buy rechargeable lights in Durban?

Rechargeable lamps, bulbs, torches, headlamps, power banks and solar lights are widely sold at Durban China City, 269 Inanda Road, Springfield Park, and at hardware retailers across the city. Trading is 09:00 to 17:00, seven days a week, with on-site parking. Phone 031 577 1615 to check public holiday hours.

Buy the cheap things, but buy them properly

Most of what makes load shedding bearable is inexpensive. The point is not to spend more, it is to spend on approved, properly made goods, keep them charged, and keep them where everyone in the house can find them.

The safety rules are not optional extras. Ventilate anything that burns fuel, never run a generator indoors, do not overload multiplugs, and leave fixed electrical work to a registered electrician. This is general information rather than professional advice, so confirm anything regulatory with the NRCS, your municipality or a registered electrician.

Durban China City
269 Inanda Road, Springfield Park, Durban, 4001
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
+27 31 577 1615
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