Marina Electricity

[DKnight]

What is the legal side of supplying shorepower in a marina.
Where my boat is kept we each have an allocated meter, which we get charged rental on, and then we get charged per unit used (although this information is not shown on our invoice.
Is this standard practice or another method of marina owners lining thier pockets?

 

[StugeronSteve]

Same system, but my invoice does show the meter readings.

 

[Colvic Watson]

Marina's are not permitted by law to charge a premium on the electricity you use - what they are charged must be what they charge you. They are permitted to insist on a flat monthly fee on top.

 

[Stork_III]

£1.50/ month, regardless of usage, with special adapter provided by Marina for 4 pin sockets on pontoon.

 

[brianhumber]

Re: Marina Electricity -Premier

Premier have sent me a letter saying from April standing charge is dropped, metered units only will be charged

 

[RocquaineBay]

I beleve this is covered under whats called, 'The Maximum Retail Price' or MRP.
I think it came into effect in January 2003 and only applies to vessels used soley for residential purposes. The electricity is therefore classed as 'domestic fuel' and no extra charge is permitted to be made on the unit price, as supplied. e.g. if it cost 4.7 pence per unit as supplied, the marina can only ask for the same amount from you. However, the provider (your marina) is allowed to make a service charge, and this is where you get your testicles squeezed! What the market will bear, the market will pay.
Mike

 

[VicMallows]

I wonder how (if at all) this applies to electrical hookup on an overnight visitor basis? (typically about £2.50).

Have just worked out that if I can contrive to use 16A (3.68kW) continously for a full 24hour period, I will have used £4.15 worth at the 4.7p (sounds cheap) rate suggested. Trouble is I think the boat would be on the point of melting /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Vic

 

[paulburton44]

I have to buy cards for £2.50
£2.50 gives you 10 units of electric (10kw/hour) 25p a unit ???

Is this legal ????

I suppose the marina does have to buy, supply and maintain the metering equipment ???

 

[VicMallows]

There was a great system at the marina I was at a good few years ago..... coin-in-the-slot meters that used old style 10p (2/-d) pieces when they had long gone out of use. (the office kept a stock to exchange for valid currency). There were so few meters that many boats would piggy-back adapters. It was most frustrating to put in a coin to just run a small light, and have the power run out a few minutes later. Since you weren't going to keep doing that, you went without power until someone else decided to feed it!.

Same Marina now has up-to-date installation and doesn't charge at all for normal useage ... though annual fees are now double, so suppose you can't have it all ways.

Vic

 

[aidancoughlan]

I have a boat in a Marina in North Dublin (not cheap either), and just got an Invoice for $50 euro for 1 months electricity!!.
My electricity bill for a whole house (fridge/freezer, diswasher, microwave, cooker, tv, video,lighting and electric storage central heating) is less than this! ....all I have on board the boat is a dehumidifier, which as far as I understand costs peanuts to run, and I used an electric drill today for an hour.
No meter, just a charge. When I questioned it, it instantly turned into an Invoice for 2 months as a special favour!!. I'ts such a rip-off I'm tempted to remove the dehumidifier and do without electricity.

There was a post recently about a cheap portable 650W generator at ALDI ($99 euro in a local store)- does anyone know if this would run a 650W power drill ok?

 

[Anonymous]

[ QUOTE ]
There was a post recently about a cheap portable 650W generator at ALDI ($99 euro in a local store)- does anyone know if this would run a 650W power drill ok?

[/ QUOTE ]If there is a particular tool that you need to be able to run then the only safe way is to ask to test it out or ask Aldi to confirm that it will be fit for the purpose. We could speculate until the cows come home and yes, it will probably be OK, but we couldn't be certain.

But have you considered the consequences of not having the dehumidifier and battery charger float-charging the battery? Then the use of a kettle, etc., onboard? I know it sounds like a lot and is nearly as much as I pay as a liveaboard with full heating, etc., but is it, nevertheless, better to have it than not to have it? I'd pay up, I think, and I'm not one to pay out when I don't need to!

 

[Guest]

Our yard has dual system ....
Old system still used by many : shed at top of pontoon with £1 coin meter and a row of sockets to plug into.

New system and about 60% of sockets taken up ... where you buy a meter from the yard for £110 and they give you along with the meter a key to unlock your socket. You are then charged per unit on top ....

I stick to £1 coins !! and pay for what I need ...... about £20 a year !!

 

[rex]

Electricity use of your electric drill is peanuts but a dehumidifier could use 200 units a month set high, certainly not peanuts (approx £15). However if the supply is not metered it wouldn't affect your monthly charge. If the supply is flat rate don't forget some people could leave a 2kw electric heater on using 1500 units (approx £100) a month as well so there wouldn't be a lot of profit for the marina! A metered supply plus monthly charge to cover the installation/maintenance cost is the fairest to all users, maybe if enough people ask they may change to it.