Hi all. I'm sure that most on here have noticed prices on sites are going up big time which we all expected with electric costs and cost of living. Just wondered how many people still use thier electric hob that are fitted to most caravan cookers now days.
I designed my van without the need to carry LPG, and have a 2-burner induction hob.
In addition, I have an air con unit on the roof that I use when it is hot. It can also be used for heating.
Another heating element is the immersion heater if I need to use it.
The fridge with a freezer compartment runs on 12V electric.
I have a diesel heating and hot water system.
Although I can cook using a suitcase stove, Cobb or Weber Go Anywhere BBQ, my main mode of cooking is by electric.
Therefore, I need to have EHU, full stop.
I booked all my sites by about October 2022, and could not recall coming across any significant price increase.
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!
Thanks for reply. I've noticed a small increase on pitch prices but most sites now charge anything from £1 - £5 for a awning plus electric over a certain amount a day charged for. I don't blame site owners for any increase. My old caravan has electric water or or gas heating. The same applies to the main heating. I use the cooker a couple of times a day to cook meals which is only on gas. Alot of sites also ban awning heaters. I never use electric except for the battery charging. I do get my gas fairly cheap though.
Now that most sites charge for an "electric pitch" rather than for the amount used, I use it for everything possible. I have even replaced my gas water heater with an electric one, although that wasn't the only reason. It was the deciding factor though. My gas water heater "exploded" soaking everything in the locker, and it came down to a choice of either repairing or replacing the old heater, or replacing it myself with an electric one. As I have to pay for gas separately, and I am being charged an exorbitant price for electricity however little I use, I opted for the electric heater. I also use an electric convector heater rather than my fitted gas one when the cooler nights come. I have a small electric oven that I bought when we had our previous caravan as it didn't have a fitted one, and if I can't find a site with decent overall prices this year, we will probably take that with us this year to save on our gas.
Someone who owned our ancient caravan in the past had fitted a domestic mains fridge so we have to have EHU if we are going for more than an overnight stay, so if we are going to be charged for it anyway, we will use it.
If it's a 'all in' priced EHU, I'll use the electric hob, electric water heater and heating if necessary. If metered EHU, I'd decide if gas was the cheaper option than the electric metered rate.
The price of LPG has not risen anything like as much as electricity, so whilst electric was usually cheaper than gas per kWh in the past, not sure that is still the case!
1Kg of propane = 14kWh, so you can easily do your gas vs electric cost comparisons.
Last 3 sites we have used have now installed the hookup bollards with card which is preloaded with amount depending on your stay. If it runs out you get it topped up at reception and there is a £10 deposit on the card. When leaving site hand in card for return of deposit,but any electric left paid for on card is not refunded.
Quote: Originally posted by SHANTY SINGER on 21/3/2023
Hi all. I'm sure that most on here have noticed prices on sites are going up big time which we all expected with electric costs and cost of living. Just wondered how many people still use thier electric hob that are fitted to most caravan cookers now days.
We have never used the electric hob in any caravan that we have owned. Never saw the point of it being fitted.
I'm not liking that system Birdman 101, it seems rather mean and very unfair not to refund you for unused electric.
However I have some sympathy for sites where people use EHU unnecessarily. We were on a site in October as it was getting chilly at night. A couple in one very large van were sitting around inside in only a vest top/naked from the waist up(!!!) with the curtains open, all their lights on and (presumably) lots of heat blasting out. I was irrationally annoyed each time I walked past!
I had a whinge at reception but they admitted that they could do nothing apart from put up signs asking people to be careful with electric usage.
More sites are starting with metered electric, the caravan club are doing a trial on 2 of its sites this year.
We've stayed on a few sites with metered and on others who have reduced available amperage, all in an effort to keep cost fairer.
Quote: Originally posted by camp chaos on 22/3/2023
I'm not liking that system Birdman 101, it seems rather mean and very unfair not to refund you for unused electric.
However I have some sympathy for sites where people use EHU unnecessarily. We were on a site in October as it was getting chilly at night. A couple in one very large van were sitting around inside in only a vest top/naked from the waist up(!!!) with the curtains open, all their lights on and (presumably) lots of heat blasting out. I was irrationally annoyed each time I walked past!
I had a whinge at reception but they admitted that they could do nothing apart from put up signs asking people to be careful with electric usage.
I wonder if they do the same at home, heating their house to 25degC wearing minimal clothing indoors in the colder months, to complain about fuel prices going up!
I keep my home, car and van at about 18.5 degC throughout the year as I prefer cooler temperatures.
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!
Quote: Originally posted by birdman101 on 22/3/2023
Last 3 sites we have used have now installed the hookup bollards with card which is preloaded with amount depending on your stay. If it runs out you get it topped up at reception and there is a £10 deposit on the card. When leaving site hand in card for return of deposit,but any electric left paid for on card is not refunded.
A site I used a few years ago had a similar system, but they did refund any unused electricity. I paid £10 for the card and got back £7.20 when I left after 2 weeks. That's why I complain about being charged £3 a night plus for an "electric pitch"! It's also why I now use electricity for everything I possibly can when I am on a non-metered site.
Maybe if more sites reintroduced metering they would find that people would use less.
Quote: Originally posted by Colin21 on 22/3/2023
A site I used a few years ago had a similar system, but they did refund any unused electricity. I paid £10 for the card and got back £7.20 when I left after 2 weeks. That's why I complain about being charged £3 a night plus for an "electric pitch"! It's also why I now use electricity for everything I possibly can when I am on a non-metered site.
Maybe if more sites reintroduced metering they would find that people would use less.
I have no issue with electricity usage being PAYG with or without refund or included as part of the pitch fee, as long as the T&Cs of usage etc. are clearly stated upfront so that I could make an informed decision at time of booking.
I can appreciate why metered usage is the way to go, it is fairer and more transparent.
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!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 22/3/2023
.......
I wonder if they do the same at home, heating their house to 25degC wearing minimal clothing indoors in the colder months, to complain about fuel prices going up!
I keep my home, car and van at about 18.5 degC throughout the year as I prefer cooler temperatures.
DK
A fairly common topic of conversation amongst my (dog walking) neighbours, who like me, are mostly knocking on a bit so grew up in 'cold' houses with frost on the INSIDE of unheated bedroom windows, and know a thing or two about economy and putting on an extra jumper if cold rather than increasing heating, so this baffles us! Lots of the houses around me are let to a much younger generation, often by the room, and in some of the colder spells have windows wide open, we can only speculate that they have their heating costs included in their rent fees, so rather than turn down the heating, they just open a window! ..... so DK, there is every possibility these people DO walk around half naked at home with the heating cranked up high! There's a different mindset in younger generation! Us oldies seem to have a better grasp of a host of things, economy of resources, impact on planet etc. as just an example.
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Topic: Hook up prices
via mobile 21/3/2023 at 3:37pm
