Best way to economise on EHU costs

[Nonna]

Currently on site with 77p kWh electric.
I have gas but am trying to save that for any real cold snap. It's a FloGas system & filling stations are thin on the ground around here.
My first week cost £150 but I've been getting that down gradually. Heating is on timer for 4 hours @ 19° in the evening.

I've been told it's probably the water heater eating the electric (Truma Combi on Eco 40°). Would it be wise/ok to turn water heater off overnight? All suggestions welcome (not just about water heater) but not the obvious - to move. I've paid up for month & have a really good deal on the pitch. Plus not many sites open all year here.

Thanks in anticipation

 

[cyberyacht]

Once a water tank comes up to temperature the thermostat will cut in and only re-engage when it cools its not on all the time. 20litres takes about 20 mins to come up to temperature.

My Truma 6e, even on the high setting takes about 40 mins to heat 10L. When turned off it doesn't retain its heat very well either so if I only have it on when required, I'm always heating it from or or less cold.

 

[ROADRUNNER700]

Currently on site with 77p kWh electric.
I have gas but am trying to save that for any real cold snap. It's a FloGas system & filling stations are thin on the ground around here.
My first week cost £150 but I've been getting that down gradually. Heating is on timer for 4 hours @ 19° in the evening.

I've been told it's probably the water heater eating the electric (Truma Combi on Eco 40°). Would it be wise/ok to turn water heater off overnight? All suggestions welcome (not just about water heater) but not the obvious - to move. I've paid up for month & have a really good deal on the pitch. Plus not many sites open all year here.

Thanks in anticipation

hi nonna yes use gas in day time then turn gas fridge off at 10pm do not go sleep with gas fridge on at any time at night turn on again 8am next day try not to for get? if you run out of gas you have to use some elec till you fill your gas up again i have 2 re full 1bottle is 11kg & 6kg gas low & 2nd is gas it bottle in my master camper van as for hot water heater try turn off all day & night not use it at all as they use lot of gas keeping water hot even if you not useing any hot water if you need hot water for washing up pot pans or washing your hands boil the kettle should be low watts around 700, 800 900 watts caravan kettle from caravan shop around £15.00 ,£25.00 tip for buying kettle you may no this all ready look under bottom of kettle it will tell you how much watts of power it will use every time you use it you need the low watts of power not not 1800 watts not 2.000 watts or 3.000 watts is a no no for hot water as i do in winter time at the end of the week you will save cash in the end use campsite showers not your hot water heater at all if possible
i hope this will help you as i do this every winter when i stop on winter camp sites some times 2wks or 3wks at a time around the east coast this dose work done this for many years this will help other camper vans & motorhomes as well to save cash in the end good look carry on camping

 

[Guigsy]

A low watt kettle won't save energy. It'll just reduce peak amp draw.

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

Surely a 900w kettle will take twice as long to boil the water than an 1800w kettle, thus using and costing the same?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Nonna]

hi nonna yes use gas in day time then turn gas fridge off at 10pm do not go sleep with gas fridge on at any time at night turn on again 8am next day try not to for get?

Many thanks for the advice on the gas, Roadrunner.
The hot water is off now. Heating warms it enough to wash up. I always use the site's shower. My kettle is 700w & I usually only part fill it.
Thanks to everyone's tips consumption is coming down slightly.
I kept the fridge on electric across Storm Ciaran & today is still blowy so I haven't changed over yet.

 

[Vanman]

Many thanks for the advice on the gas, Roadrunner.
The hot water is off now. Heating warms it enough to wash up. I always use the site's shower. My kettle is 700w & I usually only part fill it.
Thanks to everyone's tips consumption is coming down slightly.
I kept the fridge on electric across Storm Ciaran & today is still blowy so I haven't changed over yet.

Yikes. Everything I've got in my van doesn't add up to 700w. You don't have a hair dryer too by any chance, and maybe a microwave/air fryer?

 

[Nonna]

Yikes. Everything I've got in my van doesn't add up to 700w. You don't have a hair dryer too by any chance, and maybe a microwave/air fryer?

No hair dryer or air fryer. I have a 700w microwave but only normally used for a couple of minutes per day - 10 maximum.

 

[Vanman]

No hair dryer or air fryer. I have a 700w microwave but only normally used for a couple of minutes per day - 10 maximum.

If I were you I would make a list of everything that uses leccy, Voltage (12v/240v) Amps and watts and minutes per day. That will give you a better idea of where it's all going.

 

[autorouter]

No hair dryer or air fryer. I have a 700w microwave but only normally used for a couple of minutes per day - 10 maximum.

There is the other possibility that the meter is measuring the wrong mains socket, and you are being charged for someone else's use. Can you see the meter? If you unplug the EHU does the meter reading stay the same?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[MobyDick57]

Just a thought, did you close your dashboard air vents (ie turn ventilation to internal) BEFORE you turned your engine off?

 

[MobyDick57]

Especially with 85mph winds?

 

[Nonna]

If I were you I would make a list of everything that uses leccy, Voltage (12v/240v) Amps and watts and minutes per day. That will give you a better idea of where it's all going.

I've made a start on that, Vanman.
This morning I've also put both heating &fridge/freezer onto gas. Hopefully I have enough for a few days to be able to make comparisons.

There is the other possibility that the meter is measuring the wrong mains socket, and you are being charged for someone else's use. Can you see the meter? If you unplug the EHU does the meter reading stay the same?

I've changed pitch (same site) & seems it would be the same if not for changes I've made.
It's definitely fridge/freezer & heating. I switched to gas this morning but currently heating off & fridge back on electric as I'm waiting for farmer to come & help with the Gaslow system. One of my bottles is almost out & the other is back to front so I can't read the gauge I must have been a real s*d in a former life & getting payback

Especially with 85mph winds?

Yep.

Especially with 85mph winds?

Mind you I couldn't get the exterior windshield cover on or I'd have done a Mary Poppins. That definitely helps keep the heat in.
My son is taking the van to try to get some LPG today & I hope to get him to help put it on when back on pitch.

 

[Tude]

Currently on site with 77p kWh electric.
I have gas but am trying to save that for any real cold snap. It's a FloGas system & filling stations are thin on the ground around here.
My first week cost £150 but I've been getting that down gradually. Heating is on timer for 4 hours @ 19° in the evening.

I've been told it's probably the water heater eating the electric (Truma Combi on Eco 40°). Would it be wise/ok to turn water heater off overnight? All suggestions welcome (not just about water heater) but not the obvious - to move. I've paid up for month & have a really good deal on the pitch. Plus not many sites open all year here.

Thanks in anticipation

Tall fridge freezer will use over 4kwh a day cheaper on gas

 

[Petroleumblownapart]

Very many thanks everyone for all the info.
Hot water is off for the night.
I'll switch the fridge freezer to gas in the morning - if I'm still on four wheels. 85mph gusts forecast during the night. Oh joy

Do the math that's all I suggest. Compare price per kWh of electricity with the cost of gas per kWh.
1kg of gas propane or butane is approximately 52500 bthu (given that butane is more calorific than propane but burnt slightly faster to compensate... 1kw of gas uses 3413 bthu. Bear in mind that heat input loss on gas is higher than heat input loss on electricity by probably 30% due to flue heat losses.
You can now compare in fact rather than in hearsay or guesstimates.
The heat lost through insulation of the hot water store helps to reduce the room heating input required as that mostly passes as extra warmth the interior of the moho.
Gas heating flue losses greatly increase the actual loss from input versus electric.... Just sayin the REAL FACTS!... Yes I do know... I spent years as a qualified LPG and mains gas installer!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ashy]

On my last Motorhome the hot water thermostat was faulty resulting in a constant 800w draw. The water never felt overly hot, perhaps yours has the same issue?