I know there are a number of regular posters on here who, like us, like going to The Old Oaks. I’m sure you have all received their recent email to say they are in the process of installing metered electric posts and hope to have them up and running in the next few weeks.
They are including 12kWh per night in the pitch price but, never having used a metered pitch before, I am wondering if this is a decent amount for us. We have Alde heating, which I know is more power hungry than other types, but we don’t have aircon or use an awning heater and we only cook on gas. It would be interesting to know how many kWhs people who are going over the next few months use, especially if you have Alde heating, to give us an idea of whether we will be likely to exceed the 12kwh included per night. We are booked for September so we can’t guarantee that we won’t need any heating.
I have absolutely no issue with them going metered, as they said in one of their recent messages, if some people are using over £20 of electricity per day, it is unsustainable for them to keep subsidising it. I am just trying to work out how far 12kWhs will go.
------------- Pixie
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
We got the very same email we are going in May. I wouldn’t say we are big users of electricity no aircon or awning heaters. Just for the Alde heating fridge lights etc.
Given the cost of energy now I suppose it’s inevitable that a lot of sites will be adopting metered electric. I personally have no problem with this, at least here Old Oaks give a daily allowance and anything over this you pay for extra.
Why someone would use a fan type of heater in an awning to me is a total waste of time given how draughty they can be.
Quote: Originally posted by clbewi on 26/2/2025
Why someone would use a fan type of heater in an awning to me is a total waste of time given how draughty they can be.
I am guessing some peeps like to gather and entertain from their awning, instead of sitting around a camp fire in the open when it is cold, wet and miserable.
I can understand why sites ban fan heaters in awnings as they can be very draughty and difficult to keep warm efficiently/effectively.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
I would think 12 kWh per day is plenty as our last home bill for January we used 6 kWh per day which includes washing machine Dishwasher and Electric cooker which you will not have in caravan,
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Quote: Originally posted by clbewi on 26/2/2025
We got the very same email we are going in May. I wouldn’t say we are big users of electricity no aircon or awning heaters. Just for the Alde heating fridge lights etc.
You sound like you use electric in a similar way to us so I would be really interested in hearing about how much you use while at Old Oaks.
Just checked our lecky bill at home and it's 37p per kWh so 12kWh would be £4.44.
Heating is usually controlled by a thermostat which turns it down or off so not consuming electric all the time. How much depends on how cold it is outside and how hot you like the van and how much you use it. If you're out all day it won't be using any.
We went to a site with metered EHU last May bank holiday (4 days)
We used 18kwh over the weekend, that was just for kettle, tv at night, lights. Cook on gas, we had electric grill on one day. Truma heating on perhaps a little at night. Could you run your Alde on a mix to save electric if needs be?
I would be tempted to read meter (photo for proof) if its visible and check daily to see how you are going. You will then have a better idea.
Like you say September could be an Indian summer and warm or freezing cold. 12 kwh daily sounds reasonable enough.
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 26/2/2025
Just checked our lecky bill at home and it's 37p per kWh so 12kWh would be £4.44.
Heating is usually controlled by a thermostat which turns it down or off so not consuming electric all the time. How much depends on how cold it is outside and how hot you like the van and how much you use it. If you're out all day it won't be using any.
Domestic charge rates are rather irrelevant for camp site comparisons as sites pay and charge at commercial rates which tend to be a fair bit higher! Some sites that made very bad contract agreements were paying/charging near £1/kWh!
The amount of electricity used can be of some guidance value though, it'll show if you are a frugal or extravagant user, and that can be translated over to your caravan/MH estimates.
With some metered rates, we've now reached what was mostly for many years an unthinkable situation, of gas being a cheaper power source than EHU! So if cost conscious, may be worth looking as using gas rather than paying over included allocation PAYG EHU rates! You need to do some number crunching to see where the savings lie, and factor in possibility of needing to swap cylinders part way through stay.
When domestic electricity costs went up, the advice given in reputable newspapers & trustworthy websites was that it was cheaper to boil the water for your coffee on the gas hob rather than boiling the electric kettle. Unclear where using a microwave fitted in this cost comparison, but it is less convenient?
I changed to Safefill gas bottles which are very cheap to refill compared to calor bottles. So if I go on a site which charges for electric I would as I do in Spain use gas. I know initially they are expensive I have had 2 x 7.5kg bottles for 3 years and they have paid for themselves already.
We received the email too, we're booked for our first visit in May/June and looking forward to it. We have a folding caravan so only small, we heat it with an oil filled radiator when it gets chilly. We've not used our awning yet but we'll be there for 9 nights so will be using it this time. The stove is gas but we do take our airfryer with us. We had metered electric at York Caravan Park last year and ended up getting a refund as we didn't use what we had paid for. Trial and error I guess, just see how it goes.
------------- May/June - Spring Valley
Aug/Sept - Leekworth
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Quote: Originally posted by TraceyD on 27/2/2025
We received the email too, we're booked for our first visit in May/June and looking forward to it. We have a folding caravan so only small, we heat it with an oil filled radiator when it gets chilly. We've not used our awning yet but we'll be there for 9 nights so will be using it this time. The stove is gas but we do take our airfryer with us. We had metered electric at York Caravan Park last year and ended up getting a refund as we didn't use what we had paid for. Trial and error I guess, just see how it goes.
We’re at Old Oaks (in Top Oaks) May bank Holiday so may be same time. Looking forward to our return visit, one of the best sites we’ve been to.
We have been to several sites with metered EHU, typically 10 units per 24 hours included in the price and you pay any extra. We have found that the price per unit can vary from 24 to 54p. Do you know what Old Oaks charge per unit?
Quote: Originally posted by Mrs. Bonce on 28/2/2025
We have been to several sites with metered EHU, typically 10 units per 24 hours included in the price and you pay any extra. We have found that the price per unit can vary from 24 to 54p. Do you know what Old Oaks charge per unit?
They have said they will charge whatever they are paying at the time. I am hoping that the 12kWh will be plenty for us, but I am just not sure about the Alde heating. If we have to pay for a few more kWhs it’s not a big deal but I have no frame of reference for how much the Alde heating uses. It will be interesting to hear back from those who are visiting at the end of May
Quote: Originally posted by TraceyD on 27/2/2025
We received the email too, we're booked for our first visit in May/June and looking forward to it. We have a folding caravan so only small, we heat it with an oil filled radiator when it gets chilly. We've not used our awning yet but we'll be there for 9 nights so will be using it this time. The stove is gas but we do take our airfryer with us. We had metered electric at York Caravan Park last year and ended up getting a refund as we didn't use what we had paid for. Trial and error I guess, just see how it goes.
We’re at Old Oaks (in Top Oaks) May bank Holiday so may be same time. Looking forward to our return visit, one of the best sites we’ve been to.
We're arriving the weekend after BH, first year I've not had to book school holidays since quiting my job in education.
------------- May/June - Spring Valley
Aug/Sept - Leekworth
Only time we have used a site with metered electricity was in 2019. There was no allowance given before charges kicked in, we paid for every unit we used. However, thinking about how much most sites charge extra for a pitch with EHU, we paid less for 2 weeks electricity than we would have paid per night extra for a pitch with EHU on another site. It was a lovely two weeks in July, no heating needed, and prices have gone up considerably since then, but we paid £2.80 for two weeks electricity.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Old Oaks - Metered Electric
via mobile 26/2/2025 at 3:49pm
