Electricity Charges

seasideBill

seasideBill

Joined
Oct 18, 2022
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Adria Twin
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Since 1992
Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?
 
seasideBill said:
Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?
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You did that on purpose didn’t you ⚡️ 🙄😀
 
seasideBill said:
Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?
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Only ever been on monitored electric hookup on about 3 occasions, and have found it to be a rip off. 😬
 
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This will happen more in the future. It will pay to be self sufficient in your van. Solar,lithium,inverter,etc.
I think it’s fair that charges for usage are paid by the user’s.
Phil

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seasideBill said:
Stayed at a CL over the weekend. It was the first time I’ve encountered electric metering in the UK. The owner told me he was charging electricity at cost - £0.89 a unit! That’s a commercial rate apparently, but I was shocked. Ended up increasing the cost by 30% and we could hardly be described as heavy users. Anybody else had a similar experience with leccy charges?
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Surprised you hadn't come across meters before. I've only used a few CL's and 2 of those had metered leccy. One near Middlesborough, and the other near Nuneaton. £1 doesn't go very far I'm afraid. it might work out cheaper to use gas for heating.
 
Gaston aires said:
This will happen more in the future. It will pay to be self sufficient in your van. Solar,lithium,inverter,etc.
I think it’s fair that charges for usage are paid by the user’s.
Phil
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We are very efficient in our van, but a lot of the time not given the option of leccy or no leccy. 🙁
 
Gaston aires said:
This will happen more in the future. It will pay to be self sufficient in your van. Solar,lithium,inverter,etc.
I think it’s fair that charges for usage are paid by the user’s.
Phil
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Very fair and valid comment Gaston aires, IF and only IF the site owner is prepared to let you stay and not use electricity..
IMV too many charge for electric whether you want it or not..

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The bill wouldn't be too bad if you get rid of the 3 way fridge and cook on gas. I just use hook up as back up and for the hair dryer.
 
Gaston aires said:
This will happen more in the future. It will pay to be self sufficient in your van. Solar,lithium,inverter,etc.
I think it’s fair that charges for usage are paid by the user’s.
Phil
Click to expand...
Don’t disagree, but given my £0.25 domestic rate I hadn’t realised how expensive commercial rates had become. I can only assume many CL/CS prices will rocket if not already. Will be using more LPG and solar going forward, but I feel for those trying to make a living out of a micro business.
 
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I saw a few places in Germany this year that had payment within the hookup totem. Charging €1 per kWh.

I expected my Euro to last a while. I forgot how inefficient a 3-way fridge was on EHU. We burnt through 2 kWh in 12 hours. I'll leave it on gas next time.
 
Coolcats said:
I did hear that CAMC are looking to install meters
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Yes a warden told me that recently but not only electric but possibly water as well. You be allowed a set amount within your pitch fee but charged extra for anything above that. The feeling apparently is that we fill up our water tanks and then waste large amounts of water by emptying them before we leave!!
 
Coolcats said:
I did hear that CAMC are looking to install meters
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Our Truma runs on diesel and we have a low energy consumption compressor fridge. I don't want to subsidise high electricity users, tuggers in particular. I would welcome a metered supply for every pitch.

I expect it will take years to install enough meters. Meanwhile members will get charged more anyway. There is an article in the latest C&MC magazine warning members to expect higher electricity and gas costs to be reflected in higher pitch fees for next year. It also calls on members to use less, specifically asking them not to use electric heaters inside awnings.
 
Yes that’s exactly what happened with many motorhomers particularly those weekenders arriving on a Friday evening. Arrive, brim the water, use the site facilities for everything then pour most of the fresh water tank down the service point before leaving. A double cost whammy for a site connected to mains sewerage.
 
SpeedyDux said:
Our Truma runs on diesel and we have a low energy consumption compressor fridge. I don't want to subsidise high electricity users, tuggers in particular. I would welcome a metered supply for every pitch.

I expect it will take years to install enough meters. Meanwhile members will get charged more anyway. There is an article in the latest C&MC magazine warning members to expect higher electricity and gas costs to be reflected in higher pitch fees for next year. It also calls on members to use less, specifically asking them not to use electric heaters inside awnings.
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Totally agree with you on this. I am also a low electric user and dislike subsidising those with an awning heater.

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If it stops people from bringing all manner of electrical items & using them when not even in the van then I’m all for it, although it seems a bit like the CAMC want it all ways. I don’t consider £48 per night from mid December to be good value.
 
Metered leki was fairly common on a number of sites we stayed on in Germany, Austria and Italy over about 60 nights during the last summer.

I've only seen it on 2 sites in the UK so far, but it's logical that most sites will be fitting new metered bollards over the next few years, otherwise you end up with the frugal EHU users paying for those that heat their awnings.

It is now compulsory for newly installed bollards to be fitted with automatic cut out switches.
(If there is no EHU lead in the socket, there is no power, so you have to plug in, with a twist lock, and then switch on at the bollard)
I don't know at what point the new bollards will become compulsory, but I'd imagine it will be a few years before every 'old style' bollard without the auto cut off (and meter) fails it's PAT test.

Bottom line is I suspect metered leki will be pretty standard on most sites within the next 3-5 years, especially as an increasing number of tuggers will be arriving in EV's which need recharging
 
Has anyone approached CAMC to tell them they need to install meters and leave it to the guest to decide if they want it or not?
 
Suits mse we rarely use EHU, all our vans the heating has been gas only, new one on order will be as well. Can't see the point of paying £650 for the electric option on the Truma then paying even more to use it. Gas works out far cheaper.
 
I wouldn’t mind paying for metered electric. A CL we stopped at recently included enough for the fridge and occasional water heater but you paid for everything else.

We didn’t go over the limit as I used gas for heating and water.

More than fair IMHO and the pitch was £10.

CCC wanted £45 a night nearby……

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Can you tow using a EV, if so must reduce your range ?
 
Riggers1 said:
Yes a warden told me that recently but not only electric but possibly water as well. You be allowed a set amount within your pitch fee but charged extra for anything above that. The feeling apparently is that we fill up our water tanks and then waste large amounts of water by emptying them before we leave!!
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I always fill mine before leaving. Always travel with full tanks unless I'm going home.
 
1000l of water at domestic rates is £3.08, that’s with Anglian water.

Motorhomes are very, very efficient at water usage. A weekend away for 4 of us would cost me 45p in water. I would be happy to pay for metered for that too.

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