Microwave vs ovens

[Surfer]

It seems many people prefer using the microwave as opposed to using the hob an the oven and many caravans come standard with microwaves.

However more and more sites are having meters fitted to be able to charge for electric consumption and a microwave will increase the number of units used.

At an average of about 14p per unit with a caravan using an average of 12 units per 24 hours or £3.36 this could work out to be an expensive weekend away especially if the price of the pitch does not drop. Cost would be higher if the heating was turned up high and the hot water boiler left on all day.

At the moment our feet can do the walking, but for how much longer? Gas is expensive to use for heating unless you have a 19kg bottle but that will probably only last you 8 - 10 weekends away.

Where do we go from here? Is this the beginning of the end for winter caravanning?

 

[Dustydog]

Ian

Check your sums. I think there's an error??

Our 700 watt microwave will heat most food satisfactorily in 5 minutes or less. That's not much fuel cost and it's quick.

How many kilawatt hours is a unit?

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[David_L]

1 Kwh = 1 Unit

 

[xtrailman]

but one unit of gas, is not 1kwh.

a calculation has to be done, which varies.

 

[David_L]

I should have added electric

 

[DavidKlyne]

I have never stayed at a site in the UK with electric metering although admittedly I do tend to use mainly Club sites. We have spent 119 nights in the van this year and at most used about two 6kgs bottles of gas although we have not used the heating much.

David

 

[DianneT]

We have been away for 109 nights this year have not used 2 small bottles of BP Lite. Have only paid extra for electrics in Germany on the way to Austria in April it was very cold and used the fire and warm air heating a lot. In this country have never been changed for electrics at C.C.CL's.

Use the oven and hob lot and also the Microwave. Gas B.B.Q. and bought a Ramoska in March which is low in power and very good. Slow cooker used as well another low powered utensil.

 

[DeliDave]

Have stayed twice on a small site (CC) near Overstone Northants,

 

[Surfer]

Ian

Check your sums. I think there's an error??

Our 700 watt microwave will heat most food satisfactorily in 5 minutes or less. That's not much fuel cost and it's quick.

How many kilawatt hours is a unit?

Cheers

Dustydog

Should be

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Ian,

Regardless of any errors in your calculation, metering is bar the most efficient and fair method of charging for electricity. The site owners are legally required not to make profit from the supply of electrical power so what you are charged per unit will be a fair price.

What you pay is therefore in your own control, and it will penalise those who selfishly use as much power as they can simply because its available, and those of us who are more careful will pay less - That seems pretty equitable to me, after all if you were at home you are likely to be using just as much power if not more, so even at

 

[Surfer]

Put it this way. When using the fridge, hot water boiler and heating on gas plus cooking, a 19kg bottle lasts you less than 3 weeks and that is switching off the boiler during the day and having the heating on medium. Using electric at 12 units per day equates to

 

[Dustydog]

Hi John

"That is usually the output power, the amount they actually use is usually somewhat more. It depends on the make and model but as a guideline 700Wo/p is usually about 1200w input"

I didn't know that. In fact that has ramifications for overall usage when on an EHU with only 10 amps. Do I add on say 500 watts to the electric water heater , fire , fridge etc in my calculations to avoid tripping the overload breaker?

Many thanks

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Surfer]

Many people forget that the fan on the heater is in addition to the 1000w rating. So in addition to the 1kw per hour you are using on the heater, you are using an additional amount to circulate the air with the fan. I would imagine that the Aldi systems uses a pump to circulate the water in addition to the actual heating up of the water.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Ian

I thought the Truma heater fan was 12 volts?

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[Jennifer_374461363]

Yes, you are correct there, and so is the Alde pump, unless you have the optional 230v one. These fans/pumps, and most lights are using 12v through the charger, so remember to add a little to run that.

 

[Surfer]

Quite correct but it does not run entirely off your battery. It is converted from 230v AC to 12v DC through a step down transformer.

 

[Zafiral]

to me there are a lot of bigger costs to caravanning than the electricity.

If diesel goes up 5p per litre and you travel 100 miles for your weekend and you get 22mpg then the fuel is an extra

 

[Jennifer_374461363]

Quite correct but it does not run entirely off your battery. It is converted from 230v AC to 12v DC through a step down transformer.

12v is not only battery, as you say these 12v items can run from the charger/transformer. That is why I said to add a little for the mains use of the charger.

I was merely agreeing that the pumps and fans were indeed 12v.