Hi All just letting all N Ireland caravaners know that Golden sands is down to 5 amps yet Benone tourist complex is 16amps grrrr... This is such a rip off ! Will be using Tourist complex from now on !
5 amps on a site cant even boil a kettle
- Thread starter john_374342067
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I have never used a caravan site that runs on 5 amps. Is this an initative toards reducing CO2 or an excuse to cut costs but maintain prices ?
John
John
A low wattage kettle designed for caravan use only uses about 3 amps.
Fridge, lights, telly, still don`t add up to 5 amps, so I can`t see the problem. Nice to have a little more for heating etc if needed, but thats why we lug gas bottles about and go to fields and not the Ritz.
Fridge, lights, telly, still don`t add up to 5 amps, so I can`t see the problem. Nice to have a little more for heating etc if needed, but thats why we lug gas bottles about and go to fields and not the Ritz.
Some sites that installed mains electric early can't always give full current to all pitches.
We stopped at the excellent commercial site at Scourie in NW Scotland - you get a choice of 10 amp at the back or 5 amp directly overlooking the bay - it's no contest, have a bayside pitch and don't use the microwave.
Sometimes caravanners forget how little they need to enjoy their surroundings.
We stopped at the excellent commercial site at Scourie in NW Scotland - you get a choice of 10 amp at the back or 5 amp directly overlooking the bay - it's no contest, have a bayside pitch and don't use the microwave.
Sometimes caravanners forget how little they need to enjoy their surroundings.
5amps is not unusual on some continental sites, can't see the problem myself.
We boil up on gas any way ;-)
We boil up on gas any way ;-)
As Angus said, the basics should not use more than 5amps and although it is nice and easy to use a hook up for kettles, heating and hot water. However, we have all paid to have vans that can use gas to run without any hook up - at least with 5amps you will be able run lights, tv and keep your battery topped up.
5 amps?
If the camp-site is in the right location - then low power shouldn't be a turn off.
Tis weekend, I was checking some very pretty "Groene Camping" camp-sites in Holland, on farms, in national parks, or in the sand dunes - that offer either 2 amps or 4 amps. After all, 2 amps is enough to run your fridge and the lights at night.
Robert
If the camp-site is in the right location - then low power shouldn't be a turn off.
Tis weekend, I was checking some very pretty "Groene Camping" camp-sites in Holland, on farms, in national parks, or in the sand dunes - that offer either 2 amps or 4 amps. After all, 2 amps is enough to run your fridge and the lights at night.
Robert
I can see that some sites may have difficulty supplying more than 5amps but if it is deliberate policy on the grounds of 'saving the planet' then it's very wrong. Campers and caravanners use the least of all energy and resources when on holiday. No one is more economical. To squeeze us more by limiting supply is a disgrace.
To suggest that it's deliberate to save the planet is too fanciful.
Caravan sites not investing in upgraded supply network is the much more likely explanation.
Even caravan sites with 16 amp supplies can't cope if everyone wants 16A at the same time.
Caravan sites not investing in upgraded supply network is the much more likely explanation.
Even caravan sites with 16 amp supplies can't cope if everyone wants 16A at the same time.
If they have enough ampage to boil your kettle why use your own gas? You've paid for the electric in with the site fees.
the problem with low wattage camping kettles is they take 2 or 3 times longer to boil so they use just the same if not more electricity than a normal kettle in the long run anyway, ok they wont blow a 5 amp supply but they will tie it up for ages.
Another thing to note is the battery charger alone on modern vans is capable of pulling 5 amps your water heater pulls 1.3 amps and your fridge pulls 4.5 amps, 5 amps is not enough for a modern van, we had problems in france on a 10 amp supply if we left the water heater and fridge on at night as the battery charger tried to keep up with lighting demand.
Another thing to note is the battery charger alone on modern vans is capable of pulling 5 amps your water heater pulls 1.3 amps and your fridge pulls 4.5 amps, 5 amps is not enough for a modern van, we had problems in france on a 10 amp supply if we left the water heater and fridge on at night as the battery charger tried to keep up with lighting demand.
When we use a 5 amp supply we simply don't use the microwave - everything else we use as normal - don't get a problem.
A 20A power supply only pulls about 1.5A from the mains.
I don't know where Icemaker's getting his figures from.
A 20A power supply only pulls about 1.5A from the mains.
I don't know where Icemaker's getting his figures from.
Have to agree with Icemaker on one point - using a low wattage kettle will use more power in the end then a high wattage kettle because of heat loss while heating the water.
To use an extreme example a 10W kettle would never boil because it would never be able to exceed the heat loss as the temperature increased.
Personally we switch off the heaters while boiling our normal kettle and if that is not good enough would boil on gas, never had to do it on hookup yet though!
To use an extreme example a 10W kettle would never boil because it would never be able to exceed the heat loss as the temperature increased.
Personally we switch off the heaters while boiling our normal kettle and if that is not good enough would boil on gas, never had to do it on hookup yet though!
A low wattage kettle will use more power than a high wattage one simply because the high wattage one will trip a 5 amp supply.
I don`t think the 5 amp supply has anything to do with "green" issues, more likely to be a site owner who can`t/doesn`t wan`t to upgrade the supply, or has perhaps decided that there is a proportion of people with the attitude that as they have paid for the electric they HAVE to use as much as possible to get their monies worth.
A bit like the "heavier caravan" debate really. Do we really need to carry so much stuff, and do we need to use all of it, all of the time?
I don`t think the 5 amp supply has anything to do with "green" issues, more likely to be a site owner who can`t/doesn`t wan`t to upgrade the supply, or has perhaps decided that there is a proportion of people with the attitude that as they have paid for the electric they HAVE to use as much as possible to get their monies worth.
A bit like the "heavier caravan" debate really. Do we really need to carry so much stuff, and do we need to use all of it, all of the time?
Sometimes caravan sites are limited in supply at their network connection point - if this is the case the cost of upgrading the supply can be enormous if miles of new cabling is necessary.
Hi have you been abroad yet where some old sites are down to 3 amps , we were ever lasting tripping the board.I have never used a caravan site that runs on 5 amps. Is this an initative toards reducing CO2 or an excuse to cut costs but maintain prices ?
John
A 20A power supply only pulls about 1.5A from the mains.
I can't make sense of that one RogerL? Where am i going wrong?
I can't make sense of that one RogerL? Where am i going wrong?
20 amps at 13.8v is 276 watts - add 25% for inefficiency that's 345 watts - which is 1.5 amp at 230v.
Hello , am I reading this right , or should we all give in to sites which blatently want to screw us . Surely we should all believe that you get what you pay for , meaning , if a site charges say
Bet you wished you hadn't asked?A 20A power supply only pulls about 1.5A from the mains.
I can't make sense of that one RogerL? Where am i going wrong?
.
We use a low wattage kettle with no problems.
It does take longer but who's in a hurry.
It may be the Irish in me but we put it on a bit earlier!!
.
It does take longer but who's in a hurry.
It may be the Irish in me but we put it on a bit earlier!!
.
Hello , am I reading this right , or should we all give in to sites which blatently want to screw us . Surely we should all believe that you get what you pay for , meaning , if a site charges say
The charge isn't just for the electricity consumed, it's for the bigger cost of upgrading the main supply, cabling to each pitch and the regular safety checks that have to be paid for.
I put down 20% profit , that is a huge amount , so keeping it upgraded should be a minor problem !!!!!
---- STEVE
It has been discussed on here in the past regarding what specific items within the van consume and i clearly remember the charger being an average of 5 amps on full power from the mains, it allso shows the charger as fused at 10 amp in my caravan which would go along with a 5 amp possibility.
if i have the time tomorow i will put my ammeter on the van and see just what it is using whilst sat on the drive with just the fridge and charger switched on, but im off to the carribean early wed morning for some well earned sun away from this washed out country so i might not have time.
enjoy yourselves i will be back in 2 weeks.
if i have the time tomorow i will put my ammeter on the van and see just what it is using whilst sat on the drive with just the fridge and charger switched on, but im off to the carribean early wed morning for some well earned sun away from this washed out country so i might not have time.
enjoy yourselves i will be back in 2 weeks.
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