I am really sorry if this topic has already been covered numerous times. I did do a topic search.
We just joined ACSI as we are planning an extended holiday in September. In the blurb, it states that the campsite will offer up to 6 amps of electricity, with a consumption to a maximum of 4 kWh per day.
1. How much does this actually cover? We will be 2 seniors in a small 2 berth caravan, but I take an induction hob with me, a TV, Computer, charging of phones etc, maybe a fan and a hairdryer. I dont imagine we will need the heating on. A small fridge and a mobicool which we might have on freezer setting.
2. Do the campsites monitor the electricity usage rigidly?
3. What are the pitches like?
Thank you for any help offered.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We've never had a problem with electricity on ACSI card pitches - obviously we don't use all the electric appliances at the same time. If we're using the hob we don't boil a kettle. I turn the kettle off when using the hairdyer, but we've never been charged for any more.
French campsites rarely monitor use of electricity. I think the main problem is on winter sites, where central heating can run up quite big electric bills, even in a caravan. So if you're staying over into the winter you may have to pay extra for electricity. Generally you have a free choice of pitches - you're invited to have a look around and choose a pitch - so you can find one which suits your preferences.
There are no 'standard' ACSI pitches. On some sites they are big, some are huge, others are small, some are an odd shape, all have hook-ups, some have water and drainage on the pitch, others the tap is a distance away. European campsites vary so much - there really is no 'standard' - but we've only once or twice in many years had a site we wouldn't go back to.
A few campsites do restrict the choice of pitches for ACSI discount users, usually 'lakeside' or 'comfort' pitches are not available at discount price. But these are fairly uncommon, and the book does state the restriction in the description of the site.
As stated in earlier posts, electricity unit charging is usually a feature of winter time pitching and is mostly an issue for people who use heating. I have experienced it on winter time pitching in Spain and the method was usually to take a reading at the start and end of your trip and then average it out to a daily figure. It depends where you are going in France (mountains) and your luck with the weather but it would be unusual for a daily average of 4kw to be exceeded in September, assuming that to be the method used.
I noted your use of an induction hob. Most induction hobs will theoretically be on the cusp of tripping a 6amp supply and many will definitely do so - check yours out before relying totally on it for your cooking. You may be lucky - I was in France last year and a Dutch neighbour was happily baffled that his powerful induction hob didn't trip the 6amp supply.
Regards, Steve
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
You should not experience any problems providing you are sensible on how you use your appliances. Hairdryer, kettle, heater and induction hob all on at the same time, will probably blow the National Grid.
As an rough rule of thumb multiply the wattage of your appliance by 4 and then divide by 100 to give you and indication of ampères used
1200 watts x4/100 = 4.8 amps ( actual value 5amps)
3000 watts x4/100 = 12.0 ( actual value 12.5 amps)
Quote: Originally posted by steveheather on 11/2/2020
As stated in earlier posts, electricity unit charging is usually a feature of winter time pitching and is mostly an issue for people who use heating. I have experienced it on winter time pitching in Spain and the method was usually to take a reading at the start and end of your trip and then average it out to a daily figure. It depends where you are going in France (mountains) and your luck with the weather but it would be unusual for a daily average of 4kw to be exceeded in September, assuming that to be the method used.
I noted your use of an induction hob. Most induction hobs will theoretically be on the cusp of tripping a 6amp supply and many will definitely do so - check yours out before relying totally on it for your cooking. You may be lucky - I was in France last year and a Dutch neighbour was happily baffled that his powerful induction hob didn't trip the 6amp supply.
Regards, Steve
Thank you for your reassurance. I dont think we will need heating.
We have been using the induction hob for a few years of camping/caravanning and never had any problem. Tend to use it in conjunction with my cadac/weber q, even with only 6 amp electricity.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Yep, obviously depends on the campsite, but when we use ACSI the electric post has provided 16amp, with no check on consumption, so it's all about pot luck.
As for the pitch itself, when using ACSI, the pitch has been the same size as none ACSI users, maybe some campsites have pitch's designated for ACSI users, but I somehow doubt it.
We have found several campsites in Germany and Austria which meter the electricity, even in summer. You usually find this out because you can't connect the hook-up yourself - it's in a locked box and the staff have to come and connect you and then disconnect you when you leave. The ACSI allowance (in the book) is 4kwh per day - anything over this can be charged extra. In the summer the fridge is likely to be the biggest user. Also be careful of electric kettles. A camping kettle is usually rated at about 1.5 kw and can take quite a while to boil. An ordinary kitchen kettle is usually 3kw.
If the electricity is metered I always
take my hairdryer and straighteners to the toilet block and use a cabine to do my hair.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Just to touch on the induction hob issue, even on the `5` setting on mine, which I find too high for any cooking it only uses 1kw which equates to about 4 amps. My usual setting uses only 400 watts, and if I am cookin things slowly, (porridge or paella for example) I use the lowest setting which is just 200w, less than 1 amp.
Just an aside on the last topic in your post, we have used ACSI for about 10 years (3 or 4 trips a year, 5 or 6 sites per trip ) and I can only remember one campsite that did not give us free rein to choose whichever pitch we wanted.
Quote: Originally posted by badger54 on 17/2/2020
Just an aside on the last topic in your post, we have used ACSI for about 10 years (3 or 4 trips a year, 5 or 6 sites per trip ) and I can only remember one campsite that did not give us free rein to choose whichever pitch we wanted.
So far as I can remember, the only place we had a restriction was at Beaulieu Sur Dordogne, where we weren't able to choose a riverside pitch. Otherwise, I can't remember anywhere that imposed this kind of restriction.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
Quote: Originally posted by JoannaLesley on 18/2/2020
Quote: Originally posted by badger54 on 17/2/2020
Just an aside on the last topic in your post, we have used ACSI for about 10 years (3 or 4 trips a year, 5 or 6 sites per trip ) and I can only remember one campsite that did not give us free rein to choose whichever pitch we wanted.
So far as I can remember, the only place we had a restriction was at Beaulieu Sur Dordogne, where we weren't able to choose a riverside pitch. Otherwise, I can't remember anywhere that imposed this kind of restriction.
[/QUOTE
That is the one site that restricted our choice too.