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Electrical

UPS, Inverters and Solar Power in South Africa

Loadshedding turned backup power from a niche purchase into a standard part of running a household or a business. This collection covers the whole range, from a R30 charger through to a 10KVA UPS, along with the solar equipment to run a system without drawing from the grid at all. NeonSales stocks 130 products here.

What this collection covers

  • UPS units: line interactive from 1000VA through to 2KVA, rackmount 6KVA, and 10KVA standalone
  • Inverters: 1000W inverter with 100Ah battery, dual AC output
  • Mini DC UPS: 10000mAh units for routers and small 12V devices
  • Solar panels: 90W with junction box, plus aluminium box mounting brackets for 20W to 140W
  • Charge controllers: MPPT in 10A, 15A and 30A
  • Solar kits: complete 12V and 24V kits for gate motors and electric fence energizers
  • Installation: solar cabling kits, crimping tool sets
  • Vehicle and test: portable jump starters, multimeters
  • Adapters: universal travel adapters, quick chargers

Which backup approach?

Solution Runs Best suited to
Mini DC UPS Router and ONT only Keeping internet alive, the cheapest useful option
Line interactive UPS Computers, NVRs, alarm panels Protecting electronics through an outage
Inverter with battery Lights, TV, small appliances Running part of a household, sized by battery capacity
Solar kit A specific system indefinitely Gate motors and fence energizers, no grid draw at all

VA is not watts

The most common sizing mistake. A 2000VA UPS does not deliver 2000 watts. Real output is typically around 60 percent of the VA figure, so plan on roughly 1200W from a 2KVA unit. Add up the actual wattage of everything you intend to run, then size up from there rather than matching the numbers on the box.

Why MPPT rather than PWM

A charge controller sits between a solar panel and a battery and manages the charge. MPPT controllers track the panel's optimal operating point and convert excess voltage into usable current, which typically extracts considerably more energy from the same panel than a simpler PWM controller. On a small panel that difference is what makes a system work through a cloudy week rather than falling short. Size the controller to the panel current, with headroom.

Solar for gates and fences specifically

Gate motors and electric fence energizers are ideal solar candidates: modest, predictable loads that need to keep working precisely when the grid is down. The 12V and 24V kits stocked here bundle the panel, controller and battery sized for that duty, which removes the guesswork. A gate that opens during loadshedding is worth more than most backup purchases of similar cost.

Common questions

Can a UPS run a kettle or fridge? No. UPS units are for electronics. Motors and heating elements draw far more than they are built to supply, and a fridge needs an inverter sized accordingly.

How long will it run? Entirely dependent on load. A router on a mini DC UPS lasts many hours. A desktop PC on the same rated unit lasts minutes.

Do UPS batteries need replacing? Yes. Frequent loadshedding cycles them hard, so expect a shorter service life than the specification suggests.

What size solar panel do I need? Work from daily energy consumption of the device, then allow for winter output and cloudy days rather than sizing to a perfect summer day.

Related: KSTAR UPS · Gate Motors · Electric Fence Accessories · Nemtek · Alarm Accessories · CCTV Power Supplies · Securi-Prod Batteries