Should the Club put it's foot down?
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I think the issue is about responsible use of energy. For me awning heaters may be fine if paid for folk are sitting in the awning. It's the use of flashing lights that I question, particularly when the owners cannot see them at all or are out or fast asleep
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At the end of the day it will depend of how determined the Club is to reduce electricity costs. other than having a notice in the toilet block asking people to be sensible. At the moment any increase in energy costs are passed onto us all as they are included in the pitch fee. I can be a frugal as I like in the use of electricity but if my neighbour is wasting energy trying to heat an awning I am subsidising that use as most of us will. It is true that it would be expensive to convert to charging for electricity on a per use basis. But unless the Club ( who are in the best position to judge this) have done any studies it won't happen. Would it cost more than the hundreds of thousands spent on installing site WifI? There are also several models. You could have the metering and pay at end of stay but I think this would be unsatisfactory as it would create too much admin. You could introduce the system used on a lot of German Stellplatz where by you plug in and add money into the bollard. this also has difficulties as often its difficult to judge how much you would use. I suspect by far the best system would be to have a prepayment card system which you could slot into the bollard you are plugged into. If the system was the same across the network everyone would soon get used to it. There would, of course, have to be a corresponding reduction in pitch fees to allow for the amount currently included in the site fees for electricity. Will it happen? Not sure I would put money on it!
David
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In terms of any "green aganda", I wonder how much energy would be saved by banning awning heaters or metering electricity "over here" compared, say, to that expended by towing huge distances or driving MHs "over there"?
Just mulling it over!
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my flashing lights are solar powered, is that OK?
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" ...of course, third world countries like Spain, France and Germany seem able to painlessly collect metered data from pitches, prep up a bill, allow payment the night before leaving and still sell them a lot more cheaply than the club."
Is that every site in those countries, BB, or 75%, or 50% or 20% or is it just on some of the ones you happen to have visited? I'm just wondering, if it's so easy and so cheap, why is it so uncommon on sites of any kind over here?
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indeed, a good way forward is to ban over there towing?
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Have never been to the Algarve - is it any good?
Ah, hadn't realised Cuba was with Thomas Cook (that would also be a "package" wouldn't it?)
Might I suggest Costa Rica as an alternative? Same part of the world, same climate, marvellous beaches, very welcoming people and an astounding variety of wildlife. Highly recommended!
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Just mull this over then
https://e-csr.net/plane-cars-means-transportation-pollution-27537/
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Very simple solution. Just replace the 16amp circuit breakers in bollards to 10 amp ones. That should ensure less electricity is used, but still give visitors the option of how to use it.
Heating a tent wouldn’t be top of my priority, but then we still consider touring as posh camping and can survive without having absolutely everything replicated as though at home. I think of heating an awning down there with letting a tap run constantly. Don’t do either. Electrical consumption is one of the factors driving up prices. That affects everyone.☹️
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Very simple solution. Just replace the 16amp circuit breakers in bollards to 10 amp ones. That should ensure less electricity is used, but still give visitors the option of how to use it.
Maybe TTDA but it would have little impact on my usage. 1kw of heating being sufficient in my experience and ample electric for everything that I require. Does my heating burn more electric on a thermostatic 2kw heating than on a 1kw?
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lol, yes quite right.
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Also you (one) does not pay for my electricity, the club does.
I think i do pay for it, it's included in the cost to rent a pitch.
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I wish somebody would.
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whenever there is a thread which concerns CC change, we get the inevitible 'scary numbers' which refer to the total costs for the whole club network...and, of course, this all sounds like a lot of money....even putting in MHSP or WIFI on every site comes to a large number, despite the actual cost per site being pretty modest.
other sites, some in 'other places', seem to be able to 'afford' to make these improvements but the cry is then that they 'are only doing it for one site'.
however, while the club has expenses across the whole network it also has a healthy income from each of these numerous sites where individually, getting an improvement carried out, each site can manage it as easily as any other single commercial site.
even if the project were costed for the 200 odd sites (even better, cheaper for economies of scale) the coffers are refilled with 200 odd times the income.
yes, the overall numbers are high and its easy to bandy these about to make it sound un-doable, but other sites (including small commercial chains) manage infrastructure and technical improvements to stay in touch with modern vanning thinking/requirements.
its really all down to the desire to do these things. as long as customers are happy paying ever rising fees to cover increased electric costs the club seems little interested.
after all, a few notices in the gents come fairly cheaply.
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other sites, some in 'other places', seem to be able to 'afford' to make these improvements but the cry is then that they 'are only doing it for one site'.
I do not consider it to be an improvement personally.
yes, the overall numbers are high and its easy to bandy these about to make it sound un-doable, but other sites (including small commercial chains) manage infrastructure and technical improvements to stay in touch with modern vanning thinking/requirements.
I can't say I either consider it an improvement to have metered EHUs nor financially un-doable but I foresee no fantastic benefits for me. I presume that you do personally as you might want to avoid paying for electricity altogether. Presumably by using one of the forward thinking sites in the UK that are embracing the idea of metering. I can't say that I have noticed mainline site operators rushing to embrace such an idea. Maybe it is because they do not see it as an attraction to their main clientele? Maybe because electricity supply is regulated in the UK and they see no financial profit. Do you have much evidence of major players rushing to embrace such change within UK because I certainly do not.
its really all down to the desire to do these things. as long as customers are happy paying ever rising fees to cover increased electric costs the club seems little interested.
Why suppose that the rising fees are due to any large extent in increasing electric cost.
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I have used a fan heater in my awning.
I know that when abroad and using a supply of maybe 6 amps I have to think about what I am using to avoid tripping the bollard, especially when the trips are locked away and that means going without till the disgruntled site staff come to reset it.
I know that having a metered supply would probably have the same affect and make me think about my consumption.
Would I want that though?
Probably not but, as there are lots of examples of being made to do do things that might prevent us coming to harm, because left to our own devices we might not, then the chances of us doing things because they are 'good' may, if left to us, take a little longer to achieve.
So maybe meters, or whatever system, might be used to speed things up but it does not seem, on this thread at least, that there is a lot of 'support' for this.
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So maybe meters, or whatever system, might be used to speed things up but it does not seem, on this thread at least, that there is a lot of 'support' for this.
I don't see a great deal of support on this thread either other than from those who decided to take the thread off topic from awning heaters. [Deleted User User] seems in favour for the CC to introduce metering but says that he rarely uses a club site anyway.
Those with extended and full off grid facility (the true campers such as Bolero Boy?) might think it a great idea ...... especially during the warmer months.
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