Smart Metering Trial

Dave - have you not got a 10 year old niece or nephew who could run you through the basics?  

My main reason for using this thread was for info regarding the metering costs involved at Wyatts Covert from anyone willing to share that info. - Would not have gained this knowledge or known there was a tablet available for members use ref metering so thanks to poster H1UBS.  

Good luck to all who use the metering system.  I feel it could prove costly during the colder months unless one mostly uses gas

Thanks – I saw the cost per kilowatt (variable) also found that the poster said what he did and did not use along with his costs over his time there to be useful info.

Yes I have 18 and 16 year old granddaughters I can’t keep up with them. They show me that fast that I can’t take it in.

Thanks for answering, it’s a system I will avoid using.  Maybe CAMC will base the trial results on usage figures rather than user experience.

"One other issue,it would be nice to have an link or an app to take you to the smart metering company,without having to constantly find it through the Wyatts Covert web site.(Unless this can be done somehow already)"

Fozzie, if you've found the webpage you can create a bookmark so that you can access it again later with one click.

 I've just returned from the Cherry Hinton Cambridge site and, because i had my aircon running, got asked by one of the staff if I'd be prepared to pay more for using it.  Seemed like a random question at the time but presumably this links in with them potentially rolling out smart metering. They said it was for a survey they were undertaking at the site.

If on average, a van/MoHo uses 3-4 kw per day for just the fridge, add to that the lighting, battery charging, heating, cooking, cooling & hot water, then the site fee (reduced) + electrics is undoubtably going to be more than the current site fee.  On the lowest reduction of £1 / day they're giving, just the fridge alone costs around £1.60 a day to run. So in peak season you'll end up getting a site fee reduction of £1 and end up paying a lot more than that in additional electric charges.

What next, water meters and waste charges ?

Fozzie -  Thanks for posting info.  This system is not for me but will check later in the year to see what system  will be used at the next trial site.

I have been to Wyatts and used the Smart Metering trial. I can see that this may result in savings as I used my gas for heating rather than the electricity.

My concern is how the Club would carry out a roll out. If we use an external provider we are locking ourselves into one supplier for the duration of the use of smart metering because they would own the hardware, software and cloud service and restrict its use by third parties. This means it will be very difficult to negotiate reasonable prices going forwawrd.

The alternative is to roll out our own solution with the upfront costs.

Maybe an alternative is to buy a small company that is becoming established in this area and build on that skills base.

I think the move to metered pictures is inevitable and sensible. We have all witnessed those who have a 3kw heater burning away in an empty awning. However the bigger problem arises from EVs. Whilst on Culloden site this year I noticed an EV camper van was connected once it was dark. I mentioned it to the warden who confirmed they had not paid the required additional fee. This means we are all having to subsidise those who cheat. 

I don't know how literal the instructions are meant to be, and I know nothing at all about the subject, but the EV charging rules on this website state that charging should be done overnight; if so, then the fact that it was dark (the assumption thus made that it was being done secretively) is neither here nor there.

There's no excuse for theft if it happens; I genuinely wonder, however, if some might just assume that any electricity usage is within the pitch fee and not think to check. I appreciate there's a difference (depending on how long the heater is left on), but if someone thinks it's OK to use a 3 kW heater in an awning they might equally see no issue in charging up their EV. I don't know, I am just speculating. I am not sure how well EV charging charges are publized; I've not seen much either on this website or on sites (though my last site visit was early this year). But I am not making excuses - just wondering if that might explain why it happened. Probably, most people with an EV would think to check, but maybe not all.

I find it difficult to see heaters inside awnings unless it is one of those that glows red. I can't recall seeing it often and never without people present. Goodness knows what the wattage was; are not 2kW heaters much more common? Anyway, I doubt that fraudulent charging of EVs amounts to much of a loss compared to energy usage that some might make a case for being extreme or unnecessary. 

I don't ever recall anyone holding a shotgun to my head to stay with the Club.  If you don't like it, just leave.  There are thousands of caravan sites throughout the UK and many of them stay open during the winter, so it is not as though you don't have many other sites to choose from!