Community Forums

FLJOE · 04-05-2018, 06:21 AM

We were in a winter site in SW Florida upon taking delivery. It was a metered site and the last two months there we had a $200 electric bill and last month a $180.

Weather wasn't real warm yet but there were a few days each month running 3 airs. There were even a few morning that I would run either HPs or furnace for 30 minutes or so to take chill off.

Is this normal, or even close to it? Another 2015 Ventana camper in the same CG was nearly as high as me. He asked about my tank heaters being on. Haven't found a switch for them if I have them.

Any ideas?

RSchleder · 04-05-2018, 06:25 AM

Seems to me you really need to know how many KILOWATT hours you used and how much the park charges per k-hour for electricity. Without this info, it's impossible to know if your using excessive electricity or if your being over charged for it.

FLJOE · 04-05-2018, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Seems to me you really need to know how many KILOWATT hours you used and how much the park charges per k-hour for electricity. Without this info, it's impossible to know if your using excessive electricity or if your being over charged for it.

I will try to keep track next month. We are traveling now but will be in another park for almost 4 weeks that meters electric.

Based on what they were charging per KW hour (.14) I used somewhere between 11,000 and 14,000 each of those two months. This is just an estimate because there are off-peak times when the KW charge can go down slightly.

wa8yxm · 04-05-2018, 07:34 AM

When I talk about how much it costs me to full time....

When I had a Sticks and Bricks (About 30x30 single story with basement) the Electric and gas (Combined heating/cooling) year around ran just a bit over 200 dollars.> The house was well insulated.

Motor homes and Trailers not as well insulated.

So now I pay 95/month in the summer and about 200/month winter for campsites... Water & sewer used to cost me about 50/month, Electric and Wi-Fi included.. So far this winter I've used SIX gallons of propane.

So I'd say your electric bill.. Is close.. Flordia is not a low-cost power state.

FLJOE · 04-05-2018, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

When I talk about how much it costs me to full time....

When I had a Sticks and Bricks (About 30x30 single story with basement) the Electric and gas (Combined heating/cooling) year around ran just a bit over 200 dollars.> The house was well insulated.

Motor homes and Trailers not as well insulated.

So now I pay 95/month in the summer and about 200/month winter for campsites... Water & sewer used to cost me about 50/month, Electric and Wi-Fi included.. So far this winter I've used SIX gallons of propane.

So I'd say your electric bill.. Is close.. Flordia is not a low-cost power state.

I don't disagree with anything you said, but.....

Our sticknbrick we just sold in November was located about 15 miles from the CG we wintered in with the new coach. The previous two years our electric bill for our house ran between $150 and $180 per month. The house was 1,400 square feet, stucco, in-ground heated pool, and all electric. I understand it was obviously insulated better, but that pool heat pump and filter sucked a lot of juice.

But again, I have no record of KW hours used at the sticknbrick. Just hoping someone with a newer coach like mine (all electric, 3 airs) has some experience with metered electric.

Ricci · 04-05-2018, 07:52 AM

Hi Flajoe - check your math. I believe you used about 1400 KW per month. Sounds about right.

Tom

ptw · 04-05-2018, 08:02 AM

These are some rough numbers. Each AC is about 1.8 KW. If you are running 3 ACs you will be using about 5.4 KW which will cost about $0.75 an hour. Cooler outdoor temps the units will cycle and use less.

If your electric water heater (Oasis) is on, it pulls 3 KW. It cycles on and off, but operates at a rate of $0.42 an hour if you are paying $0.14 per KW.

This adds up quickly.

JRW-NAW · 04-05-2018, 09:16 AM

We just spent 30 days at an RV resort in Phoenix. We used 295KW. Cost was $50.

We used the AC parts of maybe 5 days and did not use the heat pumps. Used the gas furnace every morning. Used the convection oven 3 times. Watched maybe 10 hours of TV total for the month. Ran the water heater on electric and have the residential frig.

Everyone's electric usage is different. Differences in the configuration of the coach will also make a difference. We do not have: Oasis, dishwasher (except me and I run more on beer

), washer, dryer or electric induction cook top.

Water heating and beer cooling are probably our major electric usages!

Safe travels.

"007" · 04-05-2018, 07:46 PM

You mentioned tank heaters if you have that option switch for them maybe in bathroom or display area.
You do not really need them, I never did in 1* Temps the heater took care of all heat.

JFXG · 04-05-2018, 10:33 PM

Yeah, my first thought was there is no way you could have pulled 11000 kWh.

We Fulltime (6 years). We only have 2 roof units to your 3, but we use them pretty regularly for heat or cool. We regularly use right about 1000 kWh. That’s what you have to check, your usage. What you pay depends on where you are. You get up into New England in some areas and .22-.24 / kWh is not unusual.

On the subject of usage— check to be sure everything is off that should be. Your block heater will draw heavy, but you’ll never notice it.

FLJOE · 04-06-2018, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricci

Hi Flajoe - check your math. I believe you used about 1400 KW per month. Sounds about right.

Tom

Thanks Tom, you are correct I had an extra zero in there.

burfurd · 04-06-2018, 07:18 AM

The charge sounds excessive to me. I am in SW Florida and the airs (2) stay on day and night unless a cool front comes through but then I am using them as heat pumps. My bill has never been over $60 per month but I am dealing directly with the electric company, not through an RV park.

burfurd

FLJOE · 04-06-2018, 07:24 AM

Thanks Paul and everyone for your answers and ideas. I'm going to have to dig some manuals out and see if I can figure out the holding tank situation. Even though if equipped I have to believe they would be controlled by a thermostat. I also will check on engine block heater.

Paul's figures lead me to believe my usage may not be that far off. I just want to make sure we are not wasting any by having something on with this new coach we are not aware of.

In the first part of May some friends of ours are allowing us to camp on a river lot they own up in Tennessee. They have full hookups and I certainly want to keep my electric usage down while staying there.

If not running the air and leaving the coach for a day, why couldn't I unplug and let everything run off my battery bank (8 batteries). When plugging back in 8 hours later would recharging the bank negate any power savings at the pedestal?