Coed-Y-Llwyn Caravan Club Site - Electricity
Comments
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Don't own an awning and certainly would not heat it even if we did. However, given no problems on site we would have our Alde on 2kw and put the 1kw kettle on for a brew. As the fridge / battery charger are already on, that's about capacity. So in order for someone to warm their awning, one or all of these would have to be turned off, depending on the pull of the awning heater.
Clearly with problems as specified above it would be sensible to moderate usage and 1kw for the Alde would be better than none. However, our heating stays on ( on the thermostat ) when we are out and also at night. I could have carried on tenting if I wanted to freeze.
If the CAMC can't cope with the demand, for an £8 reduction per night I would switch to gas for heating and fridge. Any less than that and I would be out of pocket, given how much Calor charge and how much the Alde gobbles. Given prices are over £30 for two this weekend, the club would still be making £22 a night.
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Won't this lead to more tripping if the ampage is reduced? I bet many people don't know what ampage they are using at any one time and it is purely by luck that they didn't quite reach the tripping point. Reduce the amps and these same people will probably keep tripping the supply. If the trip is solely for their pitch they may soon get the message when they keep having to get it reset.
Like others I'm appalled at some of the waste of electricity on sites. At the Leyburn site a couple of years ago we saw a couple pitched right opposite us switch on their halogen heater in the awning and then go out for a walk with their dog. When they returned about half an hour later they left the awning doors wide open for quite some time.
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At present temperatures 1kw is more than adequate for heating typical outfit. However I wonder if this has any real impact on site usage? Logically the 1kw would run for twice as long as a 2kw setting. Not sure that this would have a great impact on average site loading?
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and how many do you know who switch off the heating when they make a cuppa?
even with a 16a supply of 3.6kw or thereabouts, folk have to be realistic...
its not the length of time the appliances are on but what runs at the same time.....even with 2kw heating on a large wattage kettle at the same time would be an issue...obviously not for you....as ever
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Maybe my caravan is well insulated but even in this year's freezing temperatures we manged to stay toasty warm, once heated up, on the 0.9 kw setting, and even then it was set on the temperature thermostat so it was wasn't on that continuously.
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...after all, you've paid for it....
....and so are others it seems from threads like this....0 -
even with 2kw heating on a large wattage kettle at the same time would be an issue...obviously not for you....as ever
You are correct for once BB in that it is not a problem for me. If on a 16amp site heating set to 2kw. fridge and charger on electric and if I use the kettle it is under 1kw (I think 800 watt). If on 10 amp heating set to 1kw.
I wish to ensure that if I am boiling eggs on electric section of hob, toasting bread in electric toaster and boiling the kettle at breakfast time That I do not have to consider turning heating on or off. I might forget
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good post Steve, but it takes two to tango, and while the club could make a decent reduction for non ehu, switchers to gas would be wise to move away from buying their gas in just about the most expensive way possible, 6kg Calor bottles...even moving to one larger bottle instead of 2x 6kg would save plenty per kg....
obviously, those who have gone further and pay pump prices get their gas at a quarter of calor's 6kg per litre price....hence no qualms about using a bit.
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As I see it, the main MCB tripping affects everyone irrespective of who is or not guzzling the leccy, so innocent customers using gas or minimal heating, and only electric for lighting maybe will be plunged into darkness through no fault of their own.
Reducing the bollard MCB to something lower puts the onus on the individuals pitch to be responsible, rather than say "it wasn't me guv" who helped put the site into darkness.
Site service is not designed for near 100% loading from individual pitches, but by reducing bollard MCB's to say 10amps could allow it.
On saying that, if its cold and I want warming up, and I have paid for the leccy then I will use it. Trouble is so might my neighbours, until the inevitable happens
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really? So they spend thousands on their outfits, hundreds on their awnings... then just sit in them being cold, or too afraid to boil a kettle as it will rack up the bill?
If there are folks like that then they should seek out sites where this happens, how many sites in the UK do this?
Well maybe they would but I think most will just enjoy their holiday and not see it as boot camp or an endurance test.
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no it's actually bigger than most, a six berth, and as for heating from cold I wish you would read my post as I clearly said once heated up and yes it does keep us toasty warm on the 0.9 kw setting!
You are currently a motor homer I see, have you had a (modern) caravan with grade 3 insulation to base your assumptions on? Perhaps motorhomes are harder to keep warm and you're basing it on that? All that front window leaking heat?
I actually don't know so I wouldn't really make a comment on it.
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On our 2012 Clubman (about 5.4m internal) 1 kw was quite adequate over a cold (but not the coldest) Christmas fortnight. We had a system problem and 2kw was causing kettling.
With our 2005 Charisma of similar size but with blown air we had trouble regulating night time temperature so always used 500 watt overnight so as not to wake up in a sweat.
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..but if then leccy was metered, those 'poor members' would already be making a saving on the pitch of (say) £5+ a night in winter and £2+ in summer in lieu of not having a 16a supply on the pitch....so why would any one 'be cold or afraid to boil a kettle' when they have £35 a week to play with? one could mix some electric with some gas as needs demand.
why does paying (fairly) for the leccy each of us uses, turn a site into a boot camp...or endurance test..
youd be able to do exactly as you do now, so no boot camp or endurance test.
you could still use as much as you need 'to enjoy your holiday' it's just that the club would charge you (fairly) for what you've used.....and as you've often mentioned that 'you'll use it as you've paid for it' is it because you're a profligate user that this seems unfair to you...?.
its also unfair to others who use far less electric than you do, yet pay the same incorporated cost as you....
it's the ever upward cost spiral that gets as many threads on CT as any other, yet as long as your alright.....
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yes, I probably am
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Your assuming they sit in their vans being cold, that is certainly unlikely although I do know of some that go to the local" when it is really cold and only come back to the van to go to bed. When metering is inolved people tend to use a mixture of gas and electricity to meet their needs rather than use electric for everything which the current inclusive pitch charge encourages. It all depends on the relative costs as to which is the prime choice of fuel.
peedee
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ah, but you two are savvy (low amperage) travellers....all this talk of restrictions is totally 'foreign' to most on here...
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'twas Peedee actually, DD.....but youre in the ballpark....
so am I, off to play golf....have a good day all...
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Perhaps motorhomes are harder to keep warm and you're basing it on that? All that front window leaking heat?
Good point and that may well be the case it you do not fit a quality thermal screen when parked up. With the increase in motorhomes, and if the owners don't take steps to cut heat losses down, it will only add to the increased usage of electricity.
peedee
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That seemed to have put the Kybosh on it, DD.....
hope the H&C are working ok...
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Hello to you all
the answer is simple reduce the power to 10amps and the perpetratorr
would be the only one cut off.
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Anyone recall days of yore when people who had caravans understood that it wasn't a good idea to have too many electrical devices running at any one time?
I have no sympathy. It comes under the heading of selfish shivering. Just put a jumper on, those bright enough to actually pack one!
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