Charging Leisure Batteries via EV points.

[marchie]

IIRC, CAMH introduced a Rule in time for the 2021 Lockdown Release indicating that EV Charging on EHU was forbidden because of the strain on the individual bollard and because the cost of the electric would exceed the inbuilt fee [obviously including a charge towards the initial bollard installation and its maintenance] for the pitch

Steve

 

[wildebus]

Roll on the metered electricity. Will make MH with solar cheaper per night or are they going to keep the same price as now and charge extra for electric.

And you could just book an non electric pitch anyway, couldn't you?
some screenshots when choosing 3 random C&CC sites ....




It really isn't hard to find non EHU pitches

 

[GeoffL]

All depends on if there is a per night charge for electric provision and then a per kWh charge during the stay.

When you say "same price as now and charge extra for electric.", a pitch fee currently states if it provide EHU or not, so it can't just stay the same and charge extra for electric if the fee already includes EHU. No one will stand paying something like £8 or whatever it is currently usually per night for EHU provision and then pay for metered use on top.

Yet I know a couple of campsites that are effectively planning to do just that. The first currently charges a fixed fee with or without 6A EHU while the second currently charges £5 for 5A. The first is considering fitting meters and increasing to a 16A service, the second plans to add a couple of quid per person to "cover inflation" and, following several comments that 5A just isn't enough, install metered 16A outlets. IMO, both are better than the massive hike in pitch fees that some are claiming necessary because of the increase in energy costs.

 

[hayhiker]

I'm right there with you ...

Perception of what motorhomes/campervans mean to folks outside the hobby isn't exactly great at the moment after being further stirred up just post Covid with inconsiderate people acting inconsiderately ...

I can only see it being made worse by being seen parked (legitimately or not) in or near a EV charging point .

Yes the argument about them lying unused for large periods is valid BUT so are parking spaces in carparks ...
And that seems to irritate none motorhomers enough .

Generally I can't see much of a need for the use of EV charge points ....

Summer our solar copes easily
Winter we move around plenty for the B2B to do its work ...
And IF we're really low on power we find a nice reasonably priced CL/CS and do a utility night (water/waste/toilet/electric )in a nice location .

I do not have a motorhome as a"hobby"like many others I live in mine full time, at the moment I don't have a problem with solar plenty of sun in the south of Spain

I'm right there with you ...

Perception of what motorhomes/campervans mean to folks outside the hobby isn't exactly great at the moment after being further stirred up just post Covid with inconsiderate people acting inconsiderately ...

I can only see it being made worse by being seen parked (legitimately or not) in or near a EV charging point .

Yes the argument about them lying unused for large periods is valid BUT so are parking spaces in carparks ...
And that seems to irritate none motorhomers enough .

Generally I can't see much of a need for the use of EV charge points ....

Summer our solar copes easily
Winter we move around plenty for the B2B to do its work ...
And IF we're really low on power we find a nice reasonably priced CL/CS and do a utility night (water/waste/toilet/electric )in a nice location .

 

[wildebus]

Yet I know a couple of campsites that are effectively planning to do just that. The first currently charges a fixed fee with or without 6A EHU while the second currently charges £5 for 5A. The first is considering fitting meters and increasing to a 16A service, the second plans to add a couple of quid per person to "cover inflation" and, following several comments that 5A just isn't enough, install metered 16A outlets. IMO, both are better than the massive hike in pitch fees that some are claiming necessary because of the increase in energy costs.

guess you will have to vote with your feet/wheels then, or accept it. I wouldn't, I would pick a pitch without EHU. simples

 

[GeoffL]

guess you will have to vote with your feet/wheels then, or accept it. I wouldn't, I would pick a pitch without EHU. simples

The thing is that people have voted. Both sites are considering the changes because their customers asked for it. They'd rather have metered electricity at 16A than an inconveniently restricted supply FOC or at nominal cost. They'd rather have a better supply and not have to turn off everything else before turning on the kettle (e.g.) In both cases, the cost for two people in a caravan or motorhome is still cheaper per night than many similar sites.

 

[wildebus]

The thing is that people have voted. Both sites are considering the changes because their customers asked for it. They'd rather have metered electricity at 16A than an inconveniently restricted supply FOC or at nominal cost. They'd rather have a better supply and not have to turn off everything else before turning on the kettle (e.g.) In both cases, the cost for two people in a caravan or motorhome is still cheaper per night than many similar sites.

you're missing my point. But it doesn't matter. I will continue to usually select a pitch WITHOUT EHU unless I want a full service option.

 

[trevskoda]

I have never in 10 years been on any campsite, always have enough juice to power lights tv and toilet flush, not forgetting kids charging their phones.
I have looked at a few vans for folks before they buy, all had no solar and only one small 75ah battery, they all looked at me with a lost face when i ask how did they charge up, all said cable at campsite, many vans here only go to a site on the twelfth fortnight hols, mainly portrush or newcastle de[ending on what foot you kick with, vans are then stored to next year, daft to me at the price of them.

 

[Trotter]

A simplistic answer ( I like simples) to this conundrum.

Change the EV point title to EHU points. After all the whole reason they are there is to supply electricity.

 

[Geek]

Just like everything. Each supplier has its own charging rates and some charge 50p per hour plus the KW charge and that too is set by the supplier.

Now I have used Tesco chargers as they charge 28p per KW or part thereof, the cheapest I got charged was 2p. But in Scotland, I charged overnight and was charged £1.88 to a full charge.

I have 540AH, so that is around 7300KW, so the most I’ll ever be charged is £2.05

If you are referring to your battery bank, at 540AH, assuming it is a 12v bank, which charges at about 14v, to charge it you'll need 14x540 watt hours.

That's 7560 watt hours, or 7.56 KWh. At typical EV charger prices that would cost about £6.to go from empty to full. (It's the equivalent of one litre of LPG)

If you have lithium batteries, that may only take two or three hours, but if they are AGM you'll be on that charger at least overnight.

At least the furious EV owners won't be able to wake you up by revving their engines.

If you only paid £1.20, that suggests you didn't get very much power.

 

[tonybvi]

A simplistic answer ( I like simples) to this conundrum.

Change the EV point title to EHU points. After all the whole reason they are there is to supply electricity.

Well therein lies the rub! They are called Electric Vehicle charging points, not Electric Vehicle and Recreational Vehicle charging points!

 

[wildebus]

Well therein lies the rub! They are called Electric Vehicle charging points, not Electric Vehicle and Recreational Vehicle charging points!

When you go to a campsite, you probably dump the contents of your toilet cassette into a "elsan" dump point but I bet you don't actually have an "elsan" toilet.

 

[Bruce Lauderdale]

I'm right there with you ...

Perception of what motorhomes/campervans mean to folks outside the hobby isn't exactly great at the moment after being further stirred up just post Covid with inconsiderate people acting inconsiderately ...

I can only see it being made worse by being seen parked (legitimately or not) in or near a EV charging point .

Yes the argument about them lying unused for large periods is valid BUT so are parking spaces in carparks ...
And that seems to irritate none motorhomers enough .

Generally I can't see much of a need for the use of EV charge points ....

Summer our solar copes easily
Winter we move around plenty for the B2B to do its work ...
And IF we're really low on power we find a nice reasonably priced CL/CS and do a utility night (water/waste/toilet/electric )in a nice location

MisterIceman,

I get what you’re saying as a motorhomer, but as a full time vanlifer or motorhomer, it is really something we have to deal with regularly especially in winter but also sometimes in early spring and late autumn.

It was never meant for part time summer explorers or campers. It was designed for full time living and considered to be a valuable tool to me and other full time dwellers.

Best regards,
Bruce

 

[Admin]

If you are referring to your battery bank, at 540AH, assuming it is a 12v bank, which charges at about 14v, to charge it you'll need 14x540 watt hours.

That's 7560 watt hours, or 7.56 KWh. At typical EV charger prices that would cost about £6.to go from empty to full. (It's the equivalent of one litre of LPG)

If you have lithium batteries, that may only take two or three hours, but if they are AGM you'll be on that charger at least overnight.

At least the furious EV owners won't be able to wake you up by revving their engines.

If you only paid £1.20, that suggests you didn't get very much power.

Bruce has 540Ah of LFP batteries. The correct calculation to work out the Watt hour capacity of the bank is 540 x 12.8v = 6,912 Wh.

Bruce recharged his van at Tesco who charge 28p per kWh. The total cost to recharge the battery bank would be 6.912 kWh x £0.28 = £1.94.

 

[wildebus]

How big is the problem with Motorhomes 'hogging' the EV points?

Must say that I have never seen in person a Motorhome plugged into an EV point ever, so from my perspective I would say it is a non-problem.
I have noticed that if you go to the typical car park outside of regular (say 8AM to 6PM), the EV points are very very rarely being used by ANYONE, let alone by RVers, so even if I did see a Motorhome plugged in at that time, my main reaction would be one of jealousy not annoyance.
I saw the video of Darran using the lead and discussing it, and as well as the lead, I noticed the carpark he was at was virtually deserted of cars in any space, so it would make me wonder that the only people who would have any objections there would be those with a problem bigger than someone using a service they themselves had no need of.

Have to say the biggest problem I have is the revelation that the most convenient chargers seemed to be at Tescos I avoid Tescos even more than I avoid obessed jobsworths Not quite a deal-breaker but close

 

[Trotter]

Well therein lies the rub! They are called Electric Vehicle charging points, not Electric Vehicle and Recreational Vehicle charging points!

For the life of me, I’m unable to see why changing the name of the of EV point to electricity supply point would be so difficult.
The supplier is in the business of selling electricity. Why should his shareholders care who they sell it to?

 

[trevskoda]

Next will be a cable to plug into street lights, legally that is.

 

[wildebus]

Next will be a cable to plug into street lights, legally that is.

I would not be surprised that when a street surface gets redone in the future, cabling is put in to support a charge point or two in each lamp post for on-street park 'n' charge. It would make a lot of sense for those people who will only be allowed to buy EV cars new and are limited to street parking.

 

[marchie]

I would not be surprised that when a street surface gets redone in the future, cabling is put in to support a charge point or two in each lamp post for on-street park 'n' charge. It would make a lot of sense for those people who will only be allowed to buy EV cars new and are limited to street parking.

Not in sunny Fife, David, where there are 6200+ listed properties [unless you know a Councillor who will get you permission to mount your meter cupboard on the outside wall of your property ...]. If you don't have off street parking, it's tough luck, or you'll have to wait for one of 6 charging points and pay over the odds for charging [because electricity is really cheap at present]

Steve

 

[nabsim]

I would not be surprised that when a street surface gets redone in the future, cabling is put in to support a charge point or two in each lamp post for on-street park 'n' charge. It would make a lot of sense for those people who will only be allowed to buy EV cars new and are limited to street parking.

It has been discussed I believe but I can’t see it working. Most streets I know once you park the street fills up so if on a charger you would have nowhere to move to when full if you were inclined to go out to move the car. Those in flats and houses with on street parking mostly don’t have an option to charge without using ev charge points. It the reason I went hybrid instead of full ev.