CAMC Metered ELECTRIC Campsite. How it Works and How Much Did We Spend?

[@Coffeevaners]

Very very interesting Graham. So we who don't use site toilets, showers and pot washes are effectively paying more for using less. SO a family of 6 on the same size pitch pays less to send everybody to the block to shower and pot wash than a single person who decides to say shower in their caravan and washes up in their caravan sink. Emmm that doesn't add up does it.

[@Jay-cr1xv]

Couldn't agree with this more. It almost feels like those who choose not to use the facilities block are punished for using their own on board facilities.

[@anthonytaaffe3138]

Great video Graham. I feel the club are pricing a lot of us out of the hobby, it all seem like they declared war on members a couple of years ago with deposits, 1o' clock arrival nazis and two price rises in one year. We are using club sites less and less owing to superior private sites at lower cost. I feel metered electric will be the last straw for us!

[@CaravanVlogger]

Thanks for watching 👍🏻

[@davidlindley485]

Excellent Video Graham. Your comment as to how the Club are spending our money made me once again question our status as members and who actually own the CAMC.. On the question of electricity charges it must surely push people back to using gas as the main source of power especially when using the safe fill bottles etc.

[@tonyvbnhuuhcgiijoplyoucans7406]

Thin end of the wedge! Safefill here we come!!

[@thebigtow]

Ha ha... i thought exactly the same and saw this coming... and went and bought a safefill!

[@colinrimmer789]

Time to future proof my Caravan. I’ll need to do the maths for a solar panel install etc. In the cooler months I’ll be using my Safefill for heating water and caravan. Very informative Vlog Graham, perhaps the Club should co opt members onto a User Group. I nominate ICV anyone Second that?

[@HitchUpAndTow]

We will only find out how well it works, when it doesn't. Thanks for the review.

[@robswiseways5697]

Informative vlog Graham👍. We stayed on a private site early 2023 with a meter card and that worked out cheap enough. We’ve also stayed on a couple of CL’s where 10 / 12 units of electric were included in the price per night and anything over was 50p per unit (2023 prices). Didn’t mind that. Whatever happens, we will continue to use our own onboard shower and washing up facilities. Can’t change our ways 😂😂. Cheers, Rob & Gail 😀

[@chrisreeves403]

Metered seems a fair method, but £34/ night for pitch without electric. The club are pricing themselves out.

[@rossvjohnson]

Interesting Graham. Agree with you with regards the pricing, yes the site is commercial, but the user isn’t. The system seems quite good and can hopefully be improved upon as the roll out. One thing you may or may not be able to answer, you said that company deal with various sites. Can you keep your remaining balance on there and use at a different site, or is it specific to that site? It would certainly work well if you could preload an amount and use it at any site you went to and top up when needed.

[@philipwilliams3674]

Currently staying at Pont Kemeys Private site in Usk, East Wales. Metered fully serviced pitch @ £27 per night. We pre loaded a card that’s given to you and you show it to the meter on your post to add power. The screen shows your balance and beeps when £2 left and then constant when £1 left. Easy to get refund of unused credit as you pay for your stay on leaving. So far it does make you think about how you use the power in your van, ie boiling the kettle (full) when using the toilet block, come back and boil it again! Not now half full kettle boiled once! This is fine in the summer 25* today so no heating, but winter use another question.

[@RonPanter]

Thoughtful video. What bothers me another company coming in to make a profit with our fees but no easy way to correct problems when they happen.

[@rhinogooner]

We have used a CL that gives you the option to go off grid or have the EHU turned on. At the end of the stay you got a bill. He owner did tell us that someone was using quite a lot and he warned them that they might have a high bill but they were fine with it. It showed the owner was being thoughtful. I prefer this to the prepaid card method as you don’t get a refund on unused credit on the card. But your site I like the fact you can reclaim unused credit.

[@scotiajinker8392]

I’m heading home to Hamilton from Norfolk, we stopped at knaresborough site because it has a restaurant & it would save a bit of hassle, £49 for 1 night & the bloody restaurant is shut for food tonight 🤬🤬🤬

[@markhooper5824]

Interesting mate.👍

[@darrenrussell9720]

Thanks for this, excellent VLOG (again!) looks OK in principal, though as you said the CAMC track record is poor. You are also correct re stress testing and ease of access to start/stop your elec usage. Do you need to log out once you depart the site and if you forget too does the post remain live, so the next person can use your account? Biggest concern would be if the website goes down for any reason (failure/update/hacking attack) are we all left without any electricity? Anyway, keep up the excellent work!

[@CaravanVlogger]

Thanks again. You’ll be pleased to know I only do an excellent vlog every 2 years 😆 No you don’t need to log out, just unplug the electric. ⚡️ Got a refund the next day too

[@lesbrewster2375]

Strange, what goes around comes around, when we started in 1985 you had to pay extra for an electric pitch, which was handy as we didn’t have mains fitted.

[@tanksontour]

This will stop awning warmers, unsure how the pod points on the site are going to be kept 100% secure and away from hacking? And the point about mobile signal is a valid point, we’ve been to Longleat like yourself, absolute black spot for mobile signal. I’d like to see the checking in process be able to set your electric on arrival and departure, also a two tiered system for arrival - 1 pay for pitch and associated services entirely….. or - 2 pay for pitch and metered electric. I really can’t be bothered about paying for extras, I just want to pay and go! Andy. As an aside, this will just be the start, water WILL be next!

[@garymayhew26]

Hi Graham, great review, not convinced yet about metered electricity,but it could grow on me if the prices are right, also what stops someone plugging into your plug number when you go out for day.

[@CaravanVlogger]

Thanks for watching. Once your cable is unplugged, you have to login and re enable it..

[@chrisfox3161]

Just having lights, a kettle and the occasional microwave use generally costs us £7 a night on a standard EHU. Metered sites suit us. The bill is around £1. We're not subsidising the heating and hot water in somebody else's all electric caravan. How would you feel if the neighbours popped around demanding you pay their electricity bill?

[@Jay-cr1xv]

Shame those of us who do not use the facilities block do not get a discounted rate.

[@adrianjones5678]

£35 ppm doesn’t seem a reduced fee to me

Does the website send you low credit balance alerts (via email or SMS)? I can see it being super annoying to be cut off in the middle of doing something important and having to top the account up. Alternatively can it auto top up the balance from a saved card so if just keeps adding say a £10 top up as needed?

[@CaravanVlogger]

I dont think so, you'd need to check your balance. If must have saved my card details as it refunded me (upon my request) to the card i used to top up.. I didnt see an "auto top up" option

@@CaravanVlogger I guess we can only hope they add these types of features. Contrary to your view, I’m glad to see them outsource it. We know CAMC are utterly useless, at least there is a chance the company they’ve outsourced to are able to provide a good service and user experience!

[@paulreimers6805]

Graham you didn't mention if you used your aircon? My wife has it on all night if its over 20c ..

[@CaravanVlogger]

No, we didn’t use it, but I think it would be about 26p an hour when cooling

[@paulfuller7409]

That’s going too stop winter caravanning. Site price is expensive anyway So it’s not for me. Meterd sites 😢

[@paulfuller7409]

If you consider winter vanners have heat on 1kw. Then that’s going to to be expensive without all the other add ons like kettle fridge lights bat charging water heater. I cannot imagine standing in a wash area at nought degrees doing washing up In mid December ☹️

[@theonlywoody2shoes]

No problem with using a 3rd party to manage any solution, BUT there must be the ability to override any issues by the local site warden staff if problems arise. Can you imagine it’s plunged below zero, and you can’t get any power to work. Limited solar so you have low 12v, so your Truma/Alde system won’t run on gas - and how long is a full 6Kg bottle (plus what ever is left in the running bottle) going to last in those temperatures before stuff (including the occupants) begin to freeze, and that’s before anything malicious is aimed at the club - I’m a retired pentester (ethical hacker) and I’d be interested to see what a security evaluation of their system uncovers, especially with access to the remote kit in the power bollards. At over £35 per night (or more for fully serviced pitches) the caravan hobby is becoming very expensive here in the U.K. It will be interesting to see if the private non-club sites also go down this route? We are members of both major clubs, but we are finding private sites offering better facilities with lower costs in many locations more recently.

[@MarkD986]

it was going to happen at some point when people take airfyers and awning heaters. some people take the mick

[@gazdon6793]

Metered sites don't interest us unless of course everyone goes down that route. Regarding the app what happens if you can't get a signal or it crashes as these things seem to do. I think there should be a token system which surely would be easier to manage. Gaz

[@lammyfromlammypie.1996]

Excellent review Graham 👍 all the best Mark and Sue xx

[@stephenfishwick2923]

It's getting to the point where it's cheaper to take the van to france, Than stay in the uk. £32 per night in france with a beach 2 pools bar snack bar and 10 amp electric included. In the uk just a pitch and electric £50 per night. And no guilt trip about electric usage with the french holiday its a win win situation all round.

[@paulrobinson6501]

We search out metered sites and the very rare non electric options always. The problem with the clubs and private sites in this country are a total rip off. We paid £8 per night and metered electric for Jan, Feb & March this year and a 60 pence electric bill for our 10 week stay. The site had shower block, washing up area, swimming pool, bar, restaurant and full supermarket. These sites are common in Europe, so why not here?

[@brianknowles1727]

What about people that haven't got smart phones 📱 or tablets , site fee prices will keep going up to pay for pods for when we can no longer tow a caravan.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

The business rate electric problem is not as straight forward as you’d think. Take the scenario of a hotel, you stay there by the night, yes, you are an end user just as you are in a caravan but again (as your room electricity is in your room fee) you are paying business rates

[@derekjacob2101]

Personally I do not want a metered connection. Feels like we are, from previous ccmc comments, being pushed down a net zero zealot route. I don’t use a lot of elec but I’m also happy paying a standard cost; we should be able to dip out at point of booking

[@tomfreeman650]

Don't net zero has anything to do with it ,The C&M Club seem to be running a max profit low overheads club ,35 to £50 a night with no power is scandalous, will be cheaper to book a hotel

[@nealeTH]

I agree that CAMC need to take ownership when there is any issue. At Burford I had terrible problems with their premium WiFi and all they did was give me a call centre number to call BT who refused to acknowledge any problem (the sites MESH network clearly had some dud bits creating areas with no connection). The site said they have problems but nothing they can do. All they did was refund me. Which is not great on a site with poor mobile reception.

[@arnie111999]

So this is massively variable and I’m afraid you’ll struggle to make conclusions - variables include - personal preference of temperature, outside temperature, where you buy your gas from, how much you’re not using at home while you stay away and if those make your head spin - the size of and quality of insulation in your van (was that on your check list when deciding which to buy?) we knew we would use the van in colder months so that was on our list and why the Hobby (amongst many other things) came high on the list - don’t even start on preferring to use your own shower and the cost of heating that water. The variables are humongous and trial and error trial error is inevitable I’m afraid - good on you for throwing it out there but I think any useful global conclusions are likely impossible- thanks again for an entertaining video.

[@busterboy7505]

You could see that this charge was going to happen, I bet they will charge for showing and washing your pots and pans, 👍.

[@iangiles7038]

Hi it’s good that you pay for the electric you use but how about people who don’t use the internet and like my brother who is a member who can’t use apps because his phone doesn’t them

[@smc5155]

Great video but….£34 a night with no power……absolute rip off 😮

[@Cranza2021]

Hi I have been a member for over 30 years now So let’s talk about electricity on the site Going back you could book an electric pitch or a none electric pitch their was a considerable difference Then they made all pitches electric now they want to charge for electric which we are paying for already ???? As far as EVs are concerned they should have a plug in somewhere near the warden’s office and shouldn’t be allowed to charge on the pitch Anyone who uses a full electric must live 50 miles from the site

I tow with an EV and previously a PHEV. All CAMC clubsites charge the £9/day. It’s an absolute steal for the 2-3 days to slow charge an EV. But a massive ripoff for the 6-7 hours to charge a PHEV. When we had a PHEV we would pay £9 but treat it as “24hrs of our choosing” so charge the car 3-4 times over 2-3 days. CCC have no additional charge for any type of car to plug in. The bigger issue is, the CAMC have partnered with a company to start putting 7Kw EV chargers on some sites. But you have to pre pay for an amount to KWh. So you either undercook it and have less than 100% charge when you plan to leave (unacceptable) or overcook it and pay for more KWh than you need just to assure you reach 100% (unacceptable). I’ve tried to engage the club on this issue but they just send a pre made email back about EV charging policy and ignore the issue 🤦‍♂️ Maybe the great and might Caravanvlogger can raise the issue with them!?

[@CaravanVlogger]

Thanks for watching. CAMC pay even less attention to me than anyone else 🥴😆

[@nealeTH]

I tow with an EV, all Caravan club sites charge £9 a night. I am happy to pay for what I use, but it is only fair that everyone else does too. It frustrates me that you get people with massive set up, electric heating on in awning 24/7, electric water heating 24/7, lights TV, aircon etc which takes a lot more than an EV but do not pay extra. Trickle charge an EV through a normal socket is similar to an electric fan heater and water heater. I am all for lower pitch costs and metered electric.

[@tomfreeman650]

I for one will lapse my membership from C&M club if they go to metered power ,i use my van in winter and 34 pound a night plus metered power is to much

[@davidklyne5134]

I wonder if the negative comments about the metering system have come from those who are less tech savvy? I also wonder if the Club are going cold on the idea of metering as they haven't even set up the second site, Ashridge Farm, yet? I have not seen much about the system in the magazine or on their forum recently.

[@MrG.42]

We left the club this year, after 18 years with them. They have priced themselves out of our budget!

[@victorkent768]

Good vlog. But if they have not changed the infrastructure how are they measuring what you use... And there's 3 of you on that pole!! Sounds like BS to me...I'm telling you Graham off gridding is the way ahead😁

[@tomfreeman650]

I think this will end with the C&M Club losing more money ,especially during the winter

[@CaravanVlogger]

It’s an interesting dilemma for them. The price of electric last year I’m not sure they could afford to stay open. We stayed on a metered site and on a night that was -4 (extreme I know) we were burning through £15 a day electric. They can’t easily limit people’s usage.

[@simonbailey2399]

Seems like a good deal when you consider you can pay £4.90 extra per night for a service pitch

[@neilmick6778]

Might aswell stay in a hotel if its gonna cost you £50 a night

[@mijngis]

£30 plus per night, with no electric…no thank you