Airstream Eats Electricity.

[Paullus1959]

I must admit to always liking the quirky looking Airstream caravans. However, they are very heavy as it turns out in more ways than one as I found out today.
I've just returned from my favourite CL in Pershore. However, it does have certain rules that you must be aware of and comfortable with. In particular, the pitch price of £22 per night includes 10 units of electricity, anything over is charged at 22p per unit which is what it costs the owner, so no profit is made. Last October it was quite warm and I paid a £3.00 excess electricity charge for 14 nights. I have now just returned after eight nights, during which time the temperatures averaged 7° C and fell to -2° C overnight on a couple of occasions. So, my Alde heating was on for most of the week, I turned it down when we went out, set it to 21°C in the evening and dropped it to 17°C during the night. Anyway, when it came to settling up today I had used £22 worth of extra electricity during my stay. I did read the meter myself at the start and end of my stay, as advised.
I've got no problem with this as I've used the electricity. During my conversation with the CL owner she told me about a couple who had recently spent two nights at the CL in their Airstream Colorado who used an additional £30 worth of electricity during their stay! What on earth have they got in there to gobble up so much electricity in such a short period of time?
I am surprised that more CL's don't have metered electricity charges but I think it is something that will become more commonplace. How can the owners continue to absorb the rising energy costs?
Fair play has to be a factor too though. I stayed on a CL in Pembrokeshire where the owner had been forced to make a rule forbidding the charging of electric vehicles on the pitch. This was after one individual boasted to the owner about how he was recouping his travelling costs by charging his EV on the pitch with inclusive electricity. Some people!

 

[Hutch]

Having only used two sites that charged for Electricity, Both were over three years ago and Seemed ok against the pitch fee, £15 plus Power.
My last two days at home changed from £7.00 to £10.50. But really cold, OAT, 7c . I can see site fees going up by £5 per day. I am ok with that really.

 

[Bluetonic]

just been away with my sister-in-law for the weekend on a CL which charges extra if you use over a certain amount of electricity.
They have a Buccaneer with Alde heating and electric underfloor heating, we have a Bailey with Whale blown air heating.
For the weekend we used £3.50 excess, heating on 20c when we were in the van during the day and 14c at night.
Not sure what there settings were, but their excess was £12.50 for the two nights.
Must say though that I much preferred being in their van

 

[Raywood]

I cannot see why an Airstream would se far more electricity than a conventional caravan of the same size assuming the insulation is of a similar standard.. Possibly if you can afford the Airstream you can afford to waste electricity.

 

[Buckman]

just been away with my sister-in-law for the weekend on a CL which charges extra if you use over a certain amount of electricity.
They have a Buccaneer with Alde heating and electric underfloor heating, we have a Bailey with Whale blown air heating.
For the weekend we used £3.50 excess, heating on 20c when we were in the van during the day and 14c at night.
Not sure what there settings were, but their excess was £12.50 for the two nights.
Must say though that I much preferred being in their van

We have the 2018 Buccaneer. Heating is at 20C during the day and night time at 17C. We also have an air con, but use it only on fan during the winter.
Not sure why they would have used £12.50 excess for 2 night? Still cheaper than gas as you would use probably about 6kg of gas over a weekend.

 

[Darren.H]

We have the 2018 Buccaneer. Heating is at 20C during the day and night time at 17C. We also have an air con, but use it only on fan during the winter.
Not sure why they would have used £12.50 excess for 2 night? Still cheaper than gas as you would use probably about 6kg of gas over a weekend.

Your better using kwh rather than cost as some sites will have a cheaper supply.

We use on average 130 kwh per week at a cost of 0.175 pence per kwh.

We are living full time in the van, our main tips are at this time of year for Alde users, turn the water heating option off.
When away from the van use the "Day" setting as an On function for when you return.
If you have a partiton door to segregate the living from sleeping area do use it, provided the room thermostat is on the lounge side.