UK sites with metered electricity

Posted on 13/11/2021 09:16 by young thomas

If we are all going to 'do a bit' to reduce power usage then solar will certainly help. Folk have it on their houses to provide their own power and then any spare can also be sold to the grid...good idea...

now, when on a campsite, I can generate my own power but the site can't let me have the pitch cheaper even if I don't want to plug in.

they could meter the pitch so that 'my charges' would be smaller than someone more profligate, but the 'investment' in managing and recording an overall reduction would push prices UP...work that one out...

Our Spanish winter site has the latest remotely metered leccy boxes...you can get a reading anytime to check levels, the cost is added to the bill when you leave...again, this can't be done with the 'normal' CC practice of paying on arrival...

this one site seems to be able to fund the cost of these meters, perhaps over a period of time, by the overall reduction in their leccy costs...if they don't, what's the point?

customers get a fairer deal, the site reduces its overheads, the planet is saved!

we always seem to highlight the cost to the club by throwing out huge numbers based on multiple sites, but surely, each site has to run its own budget (just as in my example) and relative costs then seem far lower and 'less sensational'.

 

Posted on 13/11/2021 10:30 by obbernockle

Exactly my opinion. Spanish sites can do it, so why can't ours? Inflating the imaginable cost of metering to £500 per pitch as an excuse to do nothing is just stupid. Using modern methods (like they do over there) the metered reading is permanently shown on a computer screen at the reception desk. When you check-out you settle your bill, or if you chose to, you swipe your card on checking in, it can be settled without contact at check out. Long stayers worrying about their accumulated charge can ask at reception if they wish, no problem. (We have a meter in our caravan, so we know) Ii is quite simple to include a modest amount of electricity in the pitch fee. Regarding excessive usage, we know of one Spanish site where some of their overnight motor caravan pitches were consuming 40 KWH per night, and that was the reason for introducing metered charging.  The Club should go public and tell us what the average electricity consumption is on each occupied pitch / on each site seasonally, so that awareness can at least begin.

Posted on 13/11/2021 10:25 by Cornersteady

About your last paragraph, I learnt very early on that there is nothing worse (OK there probably is but you get the idea) than coming back in winter to a freezing cold caravan and having to sit with your coat on waiting for it to warm up. So yes I do leave the heating on during such times, perhaps set at 18C and the 900W setting. No doubt when I get my next caravan and it has one of these apps to switch the heating from a hour or so before getting back I would use that or if there were some other way (why don't caravans have timers) but at present there isn't.

I don't apologise for doing that and I personally don't see it as wasted heat. We would expect the same in a hotel/B&B and will do the same in our forthcoming cottage in December (unless there are timers). Also there is the point of view that one wastes more energy in letting a caravan cool down then reheat it than keeping it at an even temperature? And of course the heating isn't on all the time, the thermostat will cycle on and off.

And yes I would do the same if it was metered but the cost of running 900W (call it 1Kw) for one hour is about 20p so six hours while we're out would cost £1.20.Really not worth worrying about, a coffee/tea... anywhere will cost more than that. 

Posted on 13/11/2021 10:26 by

 I have been on sites where the electricity  bill is paid on departure  along with the site fees and there are no queues and delay but maybe it's the "dribble " in and out that prevails on the continent.  I have also stayed (and will again) at a site where the electricity  bill is paid at the end of the month irrespective of how long one is staying. However  no matter how its billed it doesn't make the experience  any better 

Posted on 13/11/2021 11:10 by KjellNN

I believe, if you look into the idea that it is more economical to leave heating on all day at a lower level than to turn it off and heat from "cold", you will find that this has been shown not to be the case.  It has been discussed many time on the MSE forum for example.

Posted on 13/11/2021 10:41 by Cornersteady

but surely, each site has to run its own budget

Does it? maybe but do you know that for certain as you've said surely? And even if it does for running costs would each site have to pay for it's own installation then? On my last club site that would be, at a very low estimate of £50 per EHU that's about £10,000? Does a site have that sort of money in reserve?  And again where would this money come from?

this one site seems to be able to fund the cost of these meters, perhaps over a period of time, by the overall reduction in their leccy costs...if they don't, what's the point?

That doesn't make sense at all, if the energy costs go down the site will pay less on those costs. You're also assuming electricity costs will go down? You pay for the electricity you use, simple as that. Before meters the site had to pay £x, after metering the site pays £y and that is the money it has to pay so their is no 'saving' to the site to fund anything? 

There is also the idea that the club or site makes money currently under the present system. 

 

 

Posted on 13/11/2021 11:43 by Cornersteady

As I said a point of view. True or not I won't be going back to a cold caravan.