Standby for more Savings

Dan Electrical

These days our homes are full of appliances that use electricity all the time, even when we aren’t there. We leave them on standby mode, waiting to be used again. You would think that an appliance on standby would only use a little electricity, but sadly we are mistaken.
In some households appliances of standby mode use the equivalent of leaving a 100W light bulb on all year
Some examples of appliances that use power, but can be switched off are; battery and phone charges, microwaves (do you really need that digital clock?), computers, TVs, DVD players, decoders, Hi-Fis, game consoles, rechargeable toothbrushes, the list can go on and on. There are some appliances that do however, need to be powered all the time such as; home security systems, remote controlled gates and garage doors, to name but a few. Make sure you select low consumption models to reduce your electricity usage.
Check the Label

Before you buy a new appliance, check the energy efficiency rating, which is rated on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). A-rated appliances are better for the environment and cost much less to run. For example, if you replace the fridge-freezer you bought in 1995 with an A-rated energy efficient one, you would save about R 680.00 a year on electricity. Some brands are A+ or A++ rated - the pinnacle of appliance energy efficiency.
Here are some handy tips for reducing energy around the house:

Lights:

1.    In most homes, lighting accounts for around 17% - 20% of the electricity bill. A considerable amount of electricity can be saved by replacing your conventional tungsten bulbs with compact-florescent lamps (CFLs). They are more expensive, but CFLs last 8 times longer.
2.    Turn off the lights that you don’t need on and use lighter lampshades as they will make the most of the energy.
3.    Fit lower wattage bulbs wherever possible and avoid leaving spot lights on for too long, as they use more electricity.

In the Lounge:

1.    Switch the TV off when not in use, leaving it on standby mode uses up to 50% of the power the TV would use if it was actually on, the same goes for the Hi-Fi’s and computers.
2.    Rather use a gas heater or a temperature-controlled oil heater for space heating and switch of the heater if you leave the room.
3.    Curtains help to retain the heat, so draw them early in the evening.

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Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

Teachers ask that electrical safety be worked into program content



If there's one thing common to all children, it's curiosity. The urge to discover how things work, that drive to explore the unknown, is to be celebrated.

But children have to learn how to be safe. We have to teach them that cars and trucks and electrical outlets can be dangerous. And as the utility that provides electricity to so much of the province, BC Hydro takes responsibility for helping to deliver that safety message.

"We use electricity every day," says BC Hydro's Mary Ferguson. There are potentially hazardous situations everywhere.

Overhead lines are dangerous to kite flyers. Residential transformer boxes on the ground can be obstacles to kids playing hide-and-seek. Toasters and appliances in the kitchen must be used properly and with safety in mind.

Luckily, young children in particular want to do the right thing, says Mary, one of the people who coordinates FirstWave and BC Hydro's school programs.

"Kids take learning seriously," she says. "We teach electrical safety in the context of understanding how we get our electricity and how we use it."

Developed for every age of student, from early childhood and kindergarten to high school, the programs offered by BC Hydro are created to support the curriculum and learning outcomes set out by the Ministry of Education. And teachers at all levels, says Mary, have asked that safety be embedded in the electricity context.

An outdoor activity included in the Energy Explorers resource kit for teachers helps kindergarten students learn the "look, but don't touch" rule. The flash cards pictured here are used in games that directly teach safety lessons.

These activities help teach the "Safety and injury prevention" module established by the Ministry.

Safety messages are always presented in context. Grade 6 students, for example, learn how electrical circuits work, and also learn to think ahead. That forward planning, says Mary, is both prudent for safety but it's also part of the scientific method.

High school students take things a step further with more sophisticated lessons about electricity and safety.

What children learn in the later years, says Mary, is built on what they've learned previously. "It scaffolds," she says.

www.danelectrical.co.za

info@danelectrical.co.za

27 12 997 2737

Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

We, Dan Electrical - Master Electricians, have had some extensive experience in the field of electrical contract work. Her are some brief reports on some of the projects we worked on.



We inspected part of Eskom NER North Eastern Regions Substation to compile a specialised compliance report as to the condition of the battery banks. These battery banks provide the substation protection equipment with a continious voltage to ensure overload protection at all times. This is a specialised function and should be performed by a Master Installation Electrician.



A particular site at Rhodesfield where the Gautrain rail crosses a high voltage overhead line. Because huge mobile cranes were used a customised earthing solution was required to prevent the crane operator from receiving a nasty shock due to induction from the high voltage overhead lines.



Even though electrical installations on farms are seldom under scrutiny when it comes to the wiring code, the buyer or bank in this case may require a valid certificate of compliance before a loan is approved. This was a prime example where our client wanted to sell his farm between Warmbaths and Thabazimbi and we first had to perform an inspection, repair years of substandard reticulation connections, before the certificate of compliance could be issued.



We have experience with various popular brands home automation systems and can assist with design, installation and repairs. We also deal with local companies which means lower costs and availability of spares.

Dan Electrical

012 997 2737

info@danelectrical.co.za

Facebook

Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

We, Dan Electrical - Master Electricians, have had some extensive experience in the field of electrical contract work. Her are some brief reports on some of the projects we worked on.



We inspected part of Eskom NER North Eastern Regions Substation to compile a specialised compliance report as to the condition of the battery banks. These battery banks provide the substation protection equipment with a continious voltage to ensure overload protection at all times. This is a specialised function and should be performed by a Master Installation Electrician.



A particular site at Rhodesfield where the Gautrain rail crosses a high voltage overhead line. Because huge mobile cranes were used a customised earthing solution was required to prevent the crane operator from receiving a nasty shock due to induction from the high voltage overhead lines.



Even though electrical installations on farms are seldom under scrutiny when it comes to the wiring code, the buyer or bank in this case may require a valid certificate of compliance before a loan is approved. This was a prime example where our client wanted to sell his farm between Warmbaths and Thabazimbi and we first had to perform an inspection, repair years of substandard reticulation connections, before the certificate of compliance could be issued.



We have experience with various popular brands home automation systems and can assist with design, installation and repairs. We also deal with local companies which means lower costs and availability of spares.

Dan Electrical

012 997 2737

info@danelectrical.co.za

Facebook

Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

How to save electricity in your home

 

Save electricity

Saving electricity will not only save you money, but will also help with the rising power cuts, as the country needs to cut energy use by 10% for the current system to cope. Saving electricity will also give you a warm fuzzy feeling, as you will be doing your bit to conserve natural resources, i.e. coal, and reducing the impact energy consumption has on the environment, slowing down global warming.

What’s Watt?

 

·         Electricity is measured in units of power called watts (W)

·         1 000 watts = 1 kilowatt (kW)

·         1 kilowatt hour (kWh) = 1000W or 1kW working for one hour

·         Electricity is measured in kilowatt hours, and on your electricity bill each kilowatt hour is shown as one unit.

All household appliances are rated in watts or kilowatts. This will indicate how much electricity the appliance uses in a certain amount of time. For example, a 1kW kitchen appliance uses one unit of electricity an hour. A 100 watt light bulb uses one unit of electricity every 10 hours. Usually the rating is shown on the appliance, the higher the rating, the more electricity it will use.

Hungry Appliances

The first step in saving electricity is to understand how electricity is used in your home.  South African households, on average, use electricity in the following ways:

·         Space heating and cooling: 18%

·         Lighting: 17%

·         Fridges and freezers: 8%

·         Cooking: 11%

·         Consumer electronics: 5%

·         Consumer electronics on standby mode: 15%

·         Geysers: 24%

·         Miscellaneous: 2%

 

Standby for more Savings

These days our homes are full of appliances that use electricity all the time, even when we aren’t there. We leave them on standby mode, waiting to be used again. You would think that an appliance on standby would only use a little electricity, but sadly we are mistaken.

In some households appliances of standby mode use the equivalent of leaving a 100W light bulb on all year

Some examples of appliances that use power, but can be switched off are; battery and phone charges, microwaves (do you really need that digital clock?), computers, TVs, DVD players, decoders, Hi-Fis, game consoles, rechargeable toothbrushes, the list can go on and on. There are some appliances that do however, need to be powered all the time such as; home security systems, remote controlled gates and garage doors, to name but a few. Make sure you select low consumption models to reduce your electricity usage.

Dan Electrical

info@danelectrical.co.za/+27 12 997 2737

Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

Danie Esterhuizen started Dan Electrical because he has a passion for service-delivery and believes he can accomplish this by investing in people.  Thus, he forms long-standing relationships with his clients and personnel and through this makes a difference in the community.  All employees working for Dan Electrical share this vision.  This ensures that the client receives quality workmanship and excellent service every time we embark on a project.



We set ourselves apart from the field by delivering quality service and by producing work of a very high standard.  Our work is guaranteed by the Electrical Contracting Association and approved by the ABSA HB Scheme.  We are also listed service providers for various building-owners including PIC, ERIS, Giant Leap, Pro-Admin etc.  Dan Electrical is a Level 4 BEE contributor.



We have an established name in the electrical industry.  We work on projects in the Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Sectors.  We have the necessary skills and capacity to embark on big projects, such as the BKS office alterations in Hatfield and the COC’s of Dunns Head Office as well as Nissan.  We also did the COC for the New Court chambers which was done over 8 floors.



Visit our website at www.danelectrical.co.za or contact us directly: info@danelectrical.co.za

Dan Electrical Master Electricians Pretoria South Africa

1.Electrical COC (Certificate of Compliance)



a. It is compulsory since 1992 and is valid for 2 years and the responsibility of the owner or tenant



b. Must be in possession of original valid certificate



c. Usually new application for mortgage or sale of property



d. At least once a year or two it has to be re-inspected to make sure the certificate is still valid



e. Consequences if you do not have one or if it is not valid:



                i.insurance claims may be rejected



               ii.you can get a fine or imprisonment



              iii.you can be held liable for negligence or prosecuted if someone got hurt



The seller must get a certified electrician to inspect the electrical installations if the ECOC in the seller’s possession is older than two years or if any changes have been made to the electrical installations during this time. The original compliance certificate must eventually be retained by the buyer after it has been presented to the conveyance attorneys, as legislation requires a property owner to produce a valid certificate of compliance on request to an inspector. Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa,says aside from the fact that the certificate is proof that the electrical installation is safe, the law requires a homeowner to be in possession of an ECOC, as do home insurance companies.

 

2. Electrical alterations/changes



  a.people who erected, altered, enlarged buildings, moved from office or      made improvements



  b.new office refurbishment, drywalling done, buildings upgraded



  c.corporates constantly move people and make use of one of these groups  to manage the     project. The electrical portion falls under one of  these groups



3.Electric Fencing COC (Certificate of Compliance)



In terms of the Electrical Machinery Regulations of 2011 (the Regulations), issued under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, an additional compliance certificate is now required where there is a change of ownership of immovable property.Regulation 12(4) and 12(5) of the Regulations requires every user or lessor of an electric fence system to have an electric fence system certificate in respect of such electric fence system if it has been installed after 1 October 2012 or, as with an electrical compliance certificate, if any addition or alteration was effected to an existing electric fence system after 1 October 2012.



This is according to Muhammad Gattoo, director in the real estate practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.  It would be prudent to include in all new property sale agreements, where there is an electric fence system, an appropriate clause requiring the obtaining of the certificate by the seller and the delivery thereof to the purchaser prior to transfer taking place,” he adds.

For more info contact us at www.danelectrical.co.za or info@danelectrical.co.za or you can socialize with us at www.facebook.com/danelectrical