Recent events in the Cape have brought the reality of large-scale power cuts into our homes and businesses. Despite the expedited return to service (RTS) initiatives on a number of mothballed power stations, power outages are likely to remain an annoying and costly part of our lives for years to come.
The answer, in the meantime, is to treat electricity as a strategic resource and to apply measures that improve energy management in the home. Two such measures are manufactured and distributed by CBI-electric: low voltage, these being the energy control unit (ECU) and the load control relay (LCR).
Both the ECU and the LCR are load shedding devices (LSDs) used to control the shedding of non-essential loads such as electrically heated water tanks and under-floor heating during high demand periods such as early evening, when most families are preparing dinner and switching on electric heaters.
As an example, when a stove (the controlling circuit) is switched on and the current exceeds the rating of the LSD, the supply to the hot water geyser (controlled circuit) will be temporarily interrupted. The LSD rating (amp) should be low enough to ensure the timely interruption of the controlled circuit.
Both LSDs are compact in size, clip into/onto a minirail for convenient mounting and are silent in operation.
The ECU has the following discrete features:
* The controlling circuit can carry 100 A continuously.
* LED status indication.
* The operating point is unaffected by ambient temperature.
* It is an electronically controlled unit that allows instantaneous interruption of controlled circuit at 105% and instantaneous re-connection at 65% of rated current.
* Controlled circuit switching capabilities 21 A at 230 V (resistive load).
The LCR has the following discrete features:
* Is a bimetal controlled unit that allows for greater tolerance of switching point, interrupts the controlled circuit at 125% and reconnects at 80% of the rated current.
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