With loadshedding on everyone’s lips, WineLand asked Eugene Schultz of local energy installations and maintenance provider Baymont Cape Projects, to elaborate on their work and provide some advice from their experience.
Founded in 1997, Baymont Cape Projects is a Medium Voltage & Electrical company based in Cape Town, with a proven track record in the mining, municipal and commercial property industries with numerous successfully completed projects across Southern Africa – and especially in the Cape winelands.
What solutions can Baymont Cape offer small, medium or large wineries?
Baymont Cape offers all electrical testing, maintenance, repairs and installation services for generators and change over panels, transformers, low and medium voltage switchgear, as well as power factor correction and solar power. Our services also include infra-red (thermal) scanning of panels and electrical equipment.
Baymont Cape offers customers 24/7 emergency assistance.
How has loadshedding affected demand for your services?
Since loadshedding increased, emergencies and breakdowns have also increased. Therefore it’s important to monitor and service electrical equipment more regularly, especially on generators, to avoid unexpected failures and downtime.
What are the most common issues you have to address at wineries?
Poor maintenance plan practices as well as old and outdated electrical equipment.
What are the most difficult choices that wineries face?
Electrical equipment is expensive, and it is not always readily available.
Therefore regular maintenance and testing is important to monitor the condition of your existing equipment in order to proactively plan for when the equipment requires replacement.
What advice would you give to wineries who are trying to mitigate the effects of loadshedding?
Generators are now running anything from four up to eight hours a day. To ensure that your backup power is there when you need it during loadshedding, practice a proper maintenance plan more frequently than ever.
It is advisable to have a long-standing relationship with a contractor who understands your plant and has knowledge of the equipment history.
For more information, visit baymontcape.co.za
