“100 Rand per Fan per Month”: Johannesburg Man Breaks Down Electricity Costs of a Fan

• A Johannesburg electricity expert explained that fans use between 50 and 150 watts per hour, with an average of 100 watts per hour to run
• His calculations show that using a fan for one hour daily costs about 12 rand per month
• The TikTok video gained over 59,000 views as South Africans asked questions about other appliances and compared fan costs to air conditioners

A Johannesburg electricity expert has helped South Africans understand exactly how much it costs to run a fan, breaking down the numbers in a way that's easy to understand.

Content creator @djwesreddy, who specialises in sharing information about power usage and electricity costs, posted a video on 1 September 2025 explaining the monthly expenses of keeping cool with a fan.

In his video, @djwesreddy explained that different types of fans use between 50 and 150 watts every hour. Using 100 watts as a good average, he calculated that this equals 0.1 kilowatt hour per hour, which at four rand per unit costs 40 cents per hour.

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The electricity expert broke down the monthly costs in simple terms that anyone can follow. If you use a fan for just one hour every day, it will cost you around 12 rand per month. However, if you're running it for eight hours per day for 30 days, the cost jumps to 96 rand per month.

"So 100 rand per fan per month is a good average cost number to work on," @djwesreddy explained.

He also provided a helpful comparison, noting that fans use between 50 and 150 watts, while air conditioners use between 1,000 and 3,000 watts, showing the huge difference in electricity consumption.

South Africans react to fan costs

The video went viral with over 59,000 views and more than 100 comments from viewers asking about other appliances:

@Die_HansworsOG requested:

"Please do a gaming pc or console."

@💕Kash💕 asked:

"Please, can you do one with the cost of heating a bucket vs geyser?"

@Rory Furrows wondered:

"What uses more electricity? To boil 1 litre of water using a kettle or an induction cooktop?"

@Shashi complained:

"For 100 rand we only get 13 units nowadays... Can you imagine?"

@e_dirty6_garage pleaded:

"Wes, please help me work out what my 400-watt plant light consumes."

@Ant appreciated:

"Thank you, Wes. You are really making a difference in my budget."

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@dewald joked:

"What if you use an aircon for 10 hours a day for a month 😂"

@Scorpion King praised:

"Very educational... Keep the videos coming."

Why knowing appliance costs matters now

According to the information on Eskom's website, in 2025, electricity prices went up again. Direct Eskom customers started paying about 12.7% more from April, while people who get power through municipalities saw an 11.3% increase from July. With these hikes, South Africans need to pay closer attention to how much their appliances use, because electricity is getting more expensive every year.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

Eskom’s "Please Use Only What You Need" campaign says, small daily changes can reduce your electricity bill and help ease pressure on the grid. Simple habits like switching off lights and gadgets when not in use, even avoiding “vampire” standby power, make a noticeable difference.

Keep your fridge at around 3°C, the freezer at 18°C, and ensure they are placed away from heat sources. For hot water efficiency, insulate your geyser and pipes, and use geyser settings wisely. In summer, set air conditioners to 23°C and maintain insulation in winter to retain heat effectively.

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3 Other stories about electricity costs

• Briefly News recently reported on a local man who paid over R1,600 for just 414 units of electricity, but his reaction to the bill and what he called his "biggest enemies" had South Africans relating completely.
• A Durban financial advisor discovered his monthly utility bills had increased by R1,000, but the shocking percentage increases he revealed in his breakdown left viewers questioning their own bills.
• A Johannesburg electricity expert warned about a massive NERSA calculation error that will lead to much higher price increases, but the real shocker was how much more South Africans will actually pay.

Updated by Hilary Sekgota, Human Interest HOD at Briefly News.

Source: Briefly News