Average daily electrical usage

[EMDF9A]

I know the answer to this question will be "Well.. that depends" So I want to take a few variables out and get a better picture.

On an average month full timing with standard household RV systems, how much electricity in kwhs does a Class A use... Fridge, TV, Computer, Lights, Pumps, Fans, AC (assuming that you are not boondocking in the AZ desert in the summer) Microwave, small appliances etc.

Also those folks hooked up to 50 amp shore power, what is the average charge per kwh in your part of the country?

David

[Mr_D]

Depends a lot on the insulation of the rig, the position of trees or other shade and so much other stuff it'd be hard to say. Lots of wind? No wind? All electric heat or AquaHot running on diesel part of the time?
Do you take long showers, have a washer/dryer? Have a DW that uses a hair dryer and curling iron, leave your computer on all the time?

[EMDF9A]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Depends, on

Yeah, I knew someone was going to answer that way!

[Nomad Mike]

In your home you get a report every month called an electric bill. It tells you how many kWh's you have consumed. There is no such device hooked up to my RV. Add to that when I might be on batteries, solar, gen set, shoreline or my alternator while driving.

It is not only variable depending on the rig, passengers (1, 2 or a family), boondocking, etc but it is difficult to measure.

I've looked for a kill-a-watt device for 12v, and have not been too enthusiastic about the custom products I have found. I also have not seen one for 50w shore line.

My surge protector does tell me how many amps I'm drawing at that moment, but it does not accumulate it and it does not show other sources.

Best source for this info would probably be stationary RV's that get a bill for electricity and never supplement with a gen set, or solar.

Look up Technomadia, they have done a lot of research on power use and have some neat electronics that tell them a lot about usage.

[pasdad1]

You can install a system from one of these three companies, and it will tell you real-time consumption in KWh as well as $$$$. It will also display accumulated data for any time period, i.e. Today, yesterday, this week, last week, this month, last month,etc


I monitor a vacation house and my own S&B home for electrical usage. Haven't put one in the RV yet, but installation would be the same!



http://efergy.com/us/products/elite-...r#.VaS8skr3aK0



http://www.theenergydetective.com/prohome



http://www.brultech.com/home/products/ECM1240/

[TLGPE]

The OP's original question was about regional rates per KWH.


My only experience with that is in my current location in North Carolina, where the rate is $0.11 per KWH. I'm sure that this is a cheap rate, and I have heard of rates as high as $0.15.


A lot of parks just charge three to five bucks per day for 50 amp connection, regardless of usage.


As others have said, "it depends"-----on where you are.


Tom

[Gary RVRoamer]

The rate in the park I'm in this month is $0.15/KWH. That's western NC.

My coach has a 120vac ammeter on the shore line. It is presently showing a pretty much steady 3-4 amp draw on shore power (no a/c running at all). 4A x 120v = 480 watts/hour, or roughly 11 KWH/day. Running the a/c's would easily double that, since each a/c uses 1.2 KW per hour of runtime. On a hot day, I would expect to at least triple the usage.

[rebelcarm]

In Brownsville Texas this past winter in my Monaco it cost about $80.00 per month. Rain most days with some use of roof air.

[KT4Wextra]

The electrical rates for a RV user aren't set by the electrical company, they are set by each individual RV park owner since they are buying service from the electric utility company, so they could vary and would vary for any given area.

[EMDF9A]

The purpose of my original post was in fact for planning purposes. I currently reside in Seattle, WA and our city owned electric utility charges $0.0914 per kwh. My average bill is about $100 a month for an electric heatedelectric kitchen non air conditioned 1100 sf condo.

In checking out state parks near my family's old farm in North Eastern MN I noted the average cost of shore power was $0.16 per kwh.

Knowing that the RV will use less electricity overall because of gas appliances, square footage and the ability to move from areas that are too cold or too hot, but that there is also a battery/generator and solar system on the RV I figured the best way to compare electrical costs was for people hooked up to shore power. I also intend on converting all lights 12 & 120v to LEDs as well as the TVs. I also wanted to get some idea if replacing the fridge with a household unit from the get go would be a wise choice... Or just wait for the current one to fail?

Some of you may think I am over thinking this, but thats just my nature. I like to have information and make informed choices before acting on a plan. Yes the plan is to FT RV but it is to be able to sustain that lifestyle so looking at controllable and variable costs such as electricity are important to me

Thanks again everyone for helping me.

David

[IC2]

Between May 23 and July 8th or 9th, our 5er 'used' about 460kwh. Since it's parked at a CG that unfortunately has the NY State taxes plus fees and a National Grid commercial rate, it was at a ridiculous .21 kwh or about $97. I questioned the CG owner about both the rate and the usage as we haven't been there as much as last year when we paid about $60 for the same time period but with a different 5er. I'll be running a spread sheet, reading the meter every time we are there from now on. While not there, the only appliance running other then the converter/charger is the 1200 series Norcold reefer. At least one other 'seasonal' has complained so possibly the CG owner will attempt some 'help' from National Grid

[timetogo]

Figure $200 a month. If its less, go out to dinner.

[normandlegra]

Originally Posted by rebelcarm

In Brownsville Texas this past winter in my Monaco it cost about $80.00 per month. Rain most days with some use of roof air.

In winter 2011-2012, we were snowbirding for 6 months and we parked at 3 different resorts for a one month period: one month in south TX, Mustang Island in a Aransas resort from the 20 th of dec to the 20th of Jan. and we paid close to $100.
The month of feb., westayed in another resort in Yuma, AZ, we paid just over $70. and finally in a Apache Junction resort still in AZ it was the same $70.
p.s. we used electric hot water, both a.c,'s, elctric heating and most of the time induction and micro-wave for cooking, except the use of the BBQ (my wife is scary about using propane)

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by EMDF9A

Yeah, I knew someone was going to answer that way!

Instead of "it depends" I'll say this. Your electrical consumption will run from energy providers minimum billing amount to $300/month. Those are the low and high estimates.
If you never run the A/C your bill may run around $100/month if you are paying 13 cents per KW., which seems to be the average cost in snowbird destinations.