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By now we’re used to the unpredictable nature of our electricity supply and started making changes to ensure our daily routine can continue in spite of it.

But have you considered the effect these irregular power surges might have on your appliances at home and the office? To ensure you don’t suffer any serious damage, there are a few measures you can take.

1. Regularly check the load shedding schedule.
This is important since you can’t protect your appliances if you’re not sure when power will be shut down. There are various ways to do this, including Eskom’s Twitter feed, website, as well as various apps. 

2. Switch off and unplug
Before scheduled load shedding, turn off and unplug or disconnect all your electrical appliances. By doing this, you will avoid a sudden strong surge of power to your device which could damage sensitive electronic circuitry.

It is also important to unplug computer power cables from plugs, as well as telephone cables.

3. Use surge protectors
As mentioned above, power surges could damage your appliances. To prevent this, you can also fit plugs equipped with surge protectors which will lessen the surge. Just remember, even if you use surge protectors, it’s still safer to unplug devices entirely.

4. Get a power bank
These useful little things are portable chargers which you can charge your phone and any other USB device with. With their help, you won’t be stuck without your cell phone or tablet while the rest of the world is shrouded in darkness.

They are readily available at online stores like Takealot and are not that expensive considering the convenience.

5. Get a UPS
A UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply functions as a surge protector, but with also has a built-in battery, and can provide a constant power output for up to an hour. A UPS is merely a backup system to buy you time to protect appliances and save data. 

6. Backup
Backing up your data shouldn’t be done only when load shedding is prevalent. It should be part of your weekly routine. If you know load shedding will take place, do regular backups while working or before the scheduled power outage. This will ensure you don’t lose important work.

[SOURCE: www.eskom.co.za, www.mg.co.za, www.fin24.com, www.mweb.co.za, www.property24.com]

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Teen dié tyd is ons al gewoond aan die onvoorspelbaarheid van ons kragtoevoer-situasie en het ons reeds aanpassings gemaak in ons daaglikse roetines om dit te akkommodeer.

Maar het jy al gedink watter impak onverwagse kragvloei op jou huis- en werktoestelle het? Om te verseker dat jy nie onnodig skade ly nie, kan jy ‘n paar maatreëls tref.

1. Gaan gereeld die beurtkragskedule na
As jy nie weet wanneer die krag afgaan nie, gaan jy nie toerusting betyds kan beskerm nie. Daar is verskeie plekke om die informasie te bekom – Eskom se Twitterrekening, webwerf, sowel as verskeie toepassings. 

2. Skakel af en ontkoppel
Voordat geskeduleerde beurtkrag plaasvind, skakel al jou toestelle af en trek dit by die muurprop uit. Sodoende voorkom jy dat `n skielike sterk stroom na jou toestel vloei wanneer krag herstel word, en sensitiewe elektronika beskadig.

Dit is veral belangrik dat rekenaarkabels, sowel as foonkabels, uit muurproppe verwyder word. 

3. Gebruik oorspanningafleiers
Soos ons hierbo genoem het, kan skielike sterk strome jou toestelle beskadig. `n Ander metode om dit te voorkom, is om proppe toe te rus met oorspanningafleiers (surge protectors), wat die sterkte van die stroom sal demp.

4. Kry `n kragbank
Hierdie handige klein toestelletjies is draagbare laaiers wat gebruik kan word om jou foon en enige ander USB-toestel te laai. Sodoende sal jy nie gestrand wees sonder selfoon of tablet as die res van die wereld in donkerte gehul is nie.

5. Kry `n UPS
`n Ononderbroke kragbron of UPS vervul dieselfde rol as `n oorspanning afleier, maar met die ekstra funksionaliteit van `n ingeboude battery. Dit verskaf deurlopende kragtoevoer vir `n maksimum van een uur. `n UPS is bloot `n rugsteunstelsel om jou genoeg tyd te gee om jou toestelle en data te beskerm.

6. Rugsteun
Rugsteun van data behoort nie uitsluitlik gedurende beurtkrag te gebeur nie – dit behoort deel te wees van jou roetine. As jy weet dat beurtkrag onafwendbaar is, rugsteun en stoor deurlopend jou werk of ten minste voordat die kragonderbreking plaasvind. Dit sal verseker dat jy nie belangrike werk in die proses verloor nie.

[BRONNE: www.eskom.co.za, www.mg.co.za, www.fin24.com, www.mweb.co.za, www.property24.com

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