Metered Supply

[Luke]

I'm looking at switching to a metered supply for electricity at an MDL marina - due to the high rate they charge for unmetered supplies. Has anyone else done this - and do you know if you have to take one of their metered leads or can provide your own? (The cost of them providing a meterered lead seems exhorbitant as well!!)

 

[steve_cronin]

My experience at Port Hamble for 7 years prior to 2001 was that you could either buy your lead outright or rent one from them. I bought because I started to win at around 2.5 years. However should their electrical safety inspector declare your lead "unsafe" then you will need to replace it there and then or go back to the unmetred price. As I remember the unit price wasn't particularly cheap. Tell one of those little girls who hangs around supermarket entrances trying to sell you a new power provider what MDL are charging you and she just won't believe it! I still have my lead ( sorry I need it for other uses0 and the only trouble we had with it was an earth leakage fault. They tried to get me to buy another but replacing the somewhat "budget" socket with a quality one cured the problem permanently.

Steve Cronin

 

[Chris_Robb]

Last year I wintered at Chichedter - Premier Marinas, They have a metered supply at 14p per unit. Running a dehumidifier my first 2 months cost me £75. So unless the meterd units are much lower, watch out - or at least put a time switch on it!

 

[Skyva_2]

Did I see in last YM that Oflec (or Offohm / Offamp or whoever) has decreed that marinas will soon have to charge standard supplier rates for the electric? They can still charge what they like for the connection/cables.

Keith

 

[Luke]

Yes you did see something saying that they would have to charge for electricity at cost - which made me think it would be a viable option.

Does anyone know where I can get hold of a cable with one of the meters built in?

 

[JeremyF]

I seem to remember that they are allowed to charge according to the price they pay the electricity company, plus a return on the investment for their marina installation.

A few marina's include unmetered electricity in their deal. Campers is one such place. Having seen the bill for leaving a 500w heater on board last year at Port Solent, I'm pleased that there are no more nasty surprises in marina bills once I fell off my chair at the Campers annual charge

<font color=blue>Jeremy Flynn/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif
Dawn Chorus</font color=blue>

 

[steve_cronin]

They won't let you use it unless it is calibrated by them - admittedly (soon) at cost AND checked by their electrician.

Steve Cronin