Is EHU metering a good investment?
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Yes, we should definitely pay for our own consumption. My stance however was, until recently, that of Husky’s. Recent events have caused a wake up call around the world and the vast majority of us now really do question our personal energy use and costs. Is that because it really is just beginning to bite us now? I’m sure most of us are making every effort to reduce that impact but we also understand the plight of those who are in real fuel poverty. Although currently comfortable I’m not so well off to ignore the facts or turn a blind eye to the plight of those that are. This thread is not about them but it is about what could be done, given the financial constraints etc., to achieve everyone getting on, paying their way. In our chosen leisure time I’m sure those who ‘eat as much as they possibly can’ are not on here debating solutions although they are continuing to contribute to the problems and issues surrounding it. I’d bet they don’t care but I suspect we all do!
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There will always be those who will take advantage of any facility that is available without a thought of the consequences of their actions and as said "eat as much as possible"even if not wanted
How often has one seen those at help yourself restaurants pile their plates up high and then leave much to waste buffets are the same
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Yes David. As long as you pay your own way and are not deliberately wasteful at the expense of others your pocket length shouldn’t matter. I don’t put mine in hibernation, it’s a four season van and we love it. As for Green Issues the World has changed regarding those, on the whole for the better we would hope. Certainly attitudes have! Maybe the future too if we act accordingly & sensibly. Moderately will do for me too presently.
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I was the one who related how in one very cold 24 hour period, using all our own facilities, with Alde heating and HW, we used 40kWh. We were also astonished that we had used so much.
However, our van is older and not so well insulated as current ones, we find 2kw on the Alde is sometimes insufficient if very cold, and use gas instead. We like to be warm, but not hot, usually have the Alde at 21 in the evening, 17/18 during the day, and 13/14 overnight, If the heating is on, then HW is also being heated.
Our van also does not have LED lighting, or a solar panel.
If/when electricity is metered, depending on the unit price, we would use more gas if it worked out less expensive, and might well use the site facilities too.
Fortunately, we very rarely go away in the van in winter!
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- Many can have Deep Pockets it those with Short Arms and squeeze every last ounce of what they can get which is where the problem is
- When we see all those on jollies in private aircraft going to conferences on the pretext of caring for their citizens and this suffering planet is where the real problems are
2 - Many can have Deep Pockets it those with Short Arms and squeeze every last ounce of what they can get which is where the problem is
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Thing is David, those of us who moderate our activity are not the problem. In fact I think we may be part of a solution if we send out the right messages. There are far more influential powers at work that do the damage. Having said that we can do our bit and still enjoy our pastime with little negative consequence for others. We just have to try! Anyway back to the essence of the thread, pay for what you consume! That’s a starting point!
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It’s not controversial it’s your choice, one I’m happy to support👍🏻
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AD, I think you are missing the point. Metering will not be introduced because of me charging a car, rather I would be more able to do so because of it.
The club already has a policy of charging EV users independent of included costs (and there is another active thread discussing its legality and merits).
The issue is how to determine the appropriate cost for _all other users_ (which includes EV users outside of their EV charging) in order stay afloat.
As much as anything, it allows users to understand their usage and take action if appropriate.1 -
Each to their own but we’ve had many wonderful crisp and clear winter walks in the Lakes and Northern Britain. We’ve visited towns and cities and experience their festive contributions to the season of goodwill. Warmed ourselves inside and out by pub open fires and enjoying fabulous food and company. The heating in the van is off when we are out which is for most of the day, and on low during the sleeping hours. We don’t go on many winter tours and don’t ever do so to sit inside a van. Of course it’s a personal choice but having the van in hibernation for a third of the year seems such a shame to me, nature and the great outdoors is still out there to enjoy and wonder at. If we are not wasteful with our energy, and there is no need to be, have the right clothing and bedding and properly pay our way I’m sure the vast majority would be supportive of all us 4 seasoners.
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KJellNN, I clearly missed your account that YT picked up on. That really is an amazing tale, and should be a flag for us all! If you have an Alde heating system, your van can’t be that old? I would be intrigued to know.
Ours is a 2016 Bailey Unicorn S3 Vigo with the Alde wet system. We tend to set the van at 19 when in the day and 14 over night.
We do use the single ring hot plate, and microwave. We tend not to take a TV, and will cook on gas.
We shower and wash up in the van, but will use showers in a toilet block if available (though the one club site we use every year doesn’t have one).
Now I am going to have to install a power meter to see how much we use for the whole van!0 -
AD, point taken. I framed the use of meters from my perspective, but to your point, having meters on each pitch that measured all usage (car charging or not - and it’s mostly not) would be fair to all.
Surely if there can be such huge disparity between users - my measured experience is around 9kWh a day on the one metered CL I have used, compared to KJellNN at 40kWh one occasion - then catering for a cost differential of over £18 (at 60p per kWh) a day in pitch fees is just daft.
Just to put that into perspective. Yesterday (Dec 5th) our house consumed 18.5kWh of electricity. That included water heating (via the immersion heater) 4 hours of oven usage for a roast, lighting, microwave, and some TV (the football), and computer on for probably 8 hours. Hob cooking and heating are on gas, and we are a house of 5 at the moment. No car charging in that number.
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I don’t find it that surprising, he did say it was a particularly cold spell. A few years ago we were away in our 2014 Unicorn Cadiz during the beast from the east. The Alde heating on 2Kw was only maintaining 18C by being on constantly.
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ChocT, as an aside, Alde wet heating has been around for decades. I had a 1992 caravan with it fitted and it wasn't a new innovation then. I heard it was originally designed for boats.
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I agree with David in that we prefer to do our touring/exploring where 'suitable clothing' is generally shorts and a tee shirt.
however, we have family to see and be with around the festive time of the year, along with a regular New Year break with out local pals.
we are heading out with them tomorrow for a couple of days as they want to give their van a run...serviced pitch, hs, water and EHU right on a local river for £18 a night....
however the weather is anything but bright and crisp (that would make a change) with just more and more damp dark days, not helped by the ridiculous clock change which forces everyone to have their heating on for an extra hour each evening...just what you want when power might become short and prices are high and you want to lift folks spirits....hmmmm. Im regularly reminded of 'double summer time' to aid the war effort and how we could still be a little more inventive now.
but back to the thread and the club might find itself between a rock and a hard place as it struggles to find a fair solution to electricity use.
any form of 'smaller included amount' or other measurements requires the not insignificant investment of meters.
other forms of reduction like lower level breakers should help members appreciate why and how, and could bring overall levels down but might add to warden 'duties' if members can't fix a tripped bollard with a flick of a switch as we all used to.
of course, as in all 'projects' a viable solution is 'do nothing' which is where the club is currently (other than notices that folk don't read or ignore) and let everyone 'pay the (increasing) price'.
some might say this is a fair approach, but it won't do anything to help reduce overall costs with folk ever more happy to use 'what they've paid for'.
perhaps, things might change in the world with supplies eventually getting back to a more normal level along with prices...but that's a long way off yet.
Until then we can only watch this space with the club...but that might mean a lot of watching...
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Our 1984 Cotswold Windrush had Alde heating. It was 2kw version. That van, and the one we still have were/are incredibly well insulated. Having done quite a bit of renovation on both, we took walls apart occasionally, and had to get all the insulation back into place. We never struggled with cold in either van, in the depths of Winter.
Our current CW van has Truma heating. Our MH is Truma as well, again it never seems cold, as we only have a small oil filled radiator on in cab area overnight in Winter. That’s a max of 2kw as well, but it’s never on full.
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The thing with restaurants is that you do pay for what you consume. The meal served is a standardised portion. Sides/ second helpings come at a cost. The standard caravanner/motorhomer IS subsidising the electrically obese.
On the point raised by YT on page 32, are we already seeing price pressure? Minehead was quoted at £29. It was the last CAMC site I stayed on two years ago. The cost then £21.50, a rise over the past two years of 38%.
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