More than 15 years after loadshedding first found its way into our national vocabulary, South Africans have resigned themselves to the realisation that power supply issues are going to be with us for some years still.
Despite constant reassurances that relief is in sight, and some welcome but overdue moves on the just energy transition to renewables, 2022 broke all previous records for the number of days, and severity, of loadshedding. But 2023 has set new records, with loadshedding at ever-higher stages now the norm, and just a handful of days so far this year without interruptions.
Now, South African businesses and individuals have realised they have to take their destiny into their own hands, and ensure their own stable power supplies.
This is especially relevant in light of the post-Covid work-from-home or hybrid working model that many companies have adopted. Despite hybrid working driving increases in productivity and a better work-life balance, a lack of secure power is driving many workers back into the office – but the same power issues are making the commute lengthier and more dangerous, and the onus then falls on organisations to provide continuous power in the workplace.
Eugene Botes, Eaton Brand Manager at distributor Pinnacle.
It’s become clear what the solution is, says Eugene Botes, Eaton Brand Manager at distributor Pinnacle. Businesses and households now have to look at solving their own power issues in order to continue working and enjoying a decent quality of life.
Eaton to the rescue
“Eaton is dedicated to improving people’s lives and the environment with power management technologies that are more reliable, efficient, safe and sustainable,” Botes says.
“Every day, all around the world, people depend on technology, transportation, energy and infrastructure to live and work. With rapid growth in electrification, an energy transition driven by climate change and explosive growth in connectivity, we’re well positioned to solve the world’s toughest electrical and mechanical power management challenges.
“Because that’s what really matters. And we’re here to make sure it works.”
Botes points out that Eaton offers a range of UPS solutions that help households and organisations across the board to keep the power on during loadshedding, with a range of battery backup options that won’t break the bank.
Household and SOHO Environments
Ellipse PRO UPS
The line interactive Eaton Ellipse PRO UPS provides a 650VA to 1600VA power range and features an LCD display to provide users with the relevant UPS status and measurement information. As a Tower UPS with an extra-flat design, this unit is user-friendly for easy installation and can be utilised in a vertical format below a desk or horizontally beneath a monitor – mounted options are also available.
With the Ellipse PRO’s EcoControl function, which automatically disables additional equipment when the master device is switched off, users have the capability of saving up to 20% on energy consumption.
5E UPS
The Eaton 5E UPS is slightly bulkier than the Ellipse PRO but is still ideal for a small/ home office environment. Unlike the Ellipse PRO, the 5E does not feature a graphical LCD display and provides a 650VA to 2000VA power range as opposed to the 650VA to 1600VA provided by the Ellipse.
3S Mini
A portable, sleek and snazzy little device that will blend into your home or office environment, keeping your device running when the power goes down. The battery life of the 3S Mini is dependent on the device running:
IP Camera – Up to five hours of battery life
Streaming TV Player – Up to 5 hours of battery life
WIFI Extender – Up to 2 hours of battery life
Internet Gateway – Up to 1 hour 20 minutes battery life
Office Environments
5PX UPS
For users looking for a little more power for their office environment without spending a fortune, the Eaton 5PX includes several models ranging from 1000VA up to 3000VA.
Available in a convertible form factor, the 5PX can be used as a tower UPS or a rack-mounted UPS.
Users are also able to add up to four extended battery models (EBM) to the 5PX models for maximum runtime during power outages.
Enterprise Environments
Eaton 9SX UPS
With robust online double-conversion power protection, zero transfer time to battery, continuous filtering of power, and an internal, automatic static bypass, the Eaton 9SX tower UPS consistently delivers reliable performance.
The 9SX UPS provides up to 28% more wattage compared to traditional UPSs, allowing users to connect more devices and leave room for expanding IT systems. High-performance online double-conversion topology increases their performance and efficiency.
The Eaton 9SX UPS 5/6/8/11 kVA UPSes boast a number of features that make them available and flexible, easy to maintain, with longer battery life. They are easy to manage via a single screen, and Eaton’s Intelligent Power Software is included with each UPS.
The Eaton 9SX UPS 700/1000/1500/2000/3000 VA Online double conversion UPSes feature an internal bypass that allows service continuity in case of internal fault, and a maintenance bypass for easy replacement. A stronger, longer battery life is complemented with Eaton ABM battery management technology, and manageability is via a graphical LCD providing clear information on a single screen. The devices can meter energy consumption through the LCD or Eaton’s Intelligent Power Software, which integrates with leading virtualisation environments and cloud orchestrations tools.
Flexibility is built into the Eaton 9SX, with one platform and two factors offering dozens of choices in rack or tower configurations.
Shop the Eaton range here.
