Your RV is your home away from home or a mobile home. It is also a full time home for many. To be in home means you would need all things that make your living convenient. You would need a good heater to make it warm, give you a nice warm shower during chilly weather. You would want a refrigerator for your kitchen needs, a microwave, Air conditioner and all other appliances that would make the life better and easier. rv utilities cost is something that is among the top costs of a rv living and thus you should have a closer look at its spending all the time. Read on to find out average rv electric usage.
While these amenities in a rv are good they also need fuel to power them up. Most of these appliances will run on electric power and when it comes to electricity you will either be getting it directly from hogs when in campground or use the battery or generator.
What are the electricity Needs of RV
Using electricity is a responsible task as no matter where you are (at home or in a rv) you need to be careful with its usage. Electricity is a utility that you get for a cost and it is up to you how you use it. Most of rv appliances would need lot of electricity and using them extensively would mean your electricity bill will shoot up and thus you need to be extra vigilant about rv electricity usage.
Generally in a rv you would find 2 electrical systems running, one is 12V and the other one is 120V. A 12V is dc battery that you can use for running some of the appliance but not all. A battery can be charged when you are connected to electrical system. A 120V is the generator or the direct electrical hog connection. You can also use an inverter and get 120V from your 12V battery but in this case you need to be careful about the discharge of your battery.
RV generally have 50amp or 30 amp power cords. At most campgrounds you would normally find both of these but few may only have 30amp. In such cases you could use an adapter that would not cost more than 40$. When you are camping at campgrounds you get access to electrical hook ups but its not free and you have to pay for the usage.
Do rv parks charge for electricity
When you are not camping at a campground you are left at your own to manage the electrical needs. You have many options but they would need your special attention and careful planning. At a campground the electrical usage worry is resolved but it obviously increases your utility bill. At a campground you would be charged for electricity as per local area rates that are charged for commercial usage and not like home or residential.
RV electric usage depends on the type of appliances you have in you camper, it is also heavily dependent on your usage. If you use the electrical appliances heavily then it would normally shoot your cost. Not all places have same electricity billings and thus it will also depend on the place that you choose for camping. All in all paying some attention to these aspects can save you money on this utility bill.
Average rv electric usage at campground
At a campground a full camper would be metered and you would be charged depending on your rv size, its number of appliances and your usage. An average electricity cost with an average usage should not exceed $100 but you have happen to less care about your usage and the area that you chose is costly for electricity then it would obviously go beyond $200 and even more. So you need to figure out how much you can spend on this and then decide. Do some basic research on the local electricity cost and control your rv lifestyle if you wish to spend less on the electrical utility fees.
A motorhome that uses say 2 Ac’s, 1 tv, microwave, refrigerator in a average priced electricity area would cost around $120. Same may exceed $150 during chilly winter days as your heating needs would increase. Thus it also depends on whether, a 60F temperature would be little costly as compared to a 90F climate. The opposite is also true, if you are at a campsite that has high temperature your Ac will definitely make you poorer.
A god thing you could do is note down the meter reading when you check in at a campground and keep monitoring it once in while. This would also help you in a full confirmation that you were payed for what you used. Some people complain about being charged higher for electricity at campground, a mistake can happen when the bills are sent to you. Thus you can take this small step and keep yourself out of this issue.
How many kwh per day
A common question that new rvers ask is how many kwh does a rv use per day. This again is subjective to all the factors discussed above. You usage, part of the country matters. Apart from this the type of appliances you have in your rv are the deciding factors. The month of the year is also a deciding parameter for this. If you ate into electrical engineering you can also sue ohms law W= A*V to find out the exact usage.
New comers usually spend lot without noticing and end up paying more on electricity. A new comer with lot of heat usage, Ac can end up with 40-45kwh per day usage and that would mean paying a bill of $200 monthly. average rv electric bill for a experienced camper however should not be tat high as he would e well versed with all electrical things and their usages and how to reduce the usage.
A bill of around $60-$80 would be ideal for a small sized family camping at not so highly charged locality and that would mean a 15Kwh to 20 kwh daily spending at a normal rate of 12cents per kwh. There are people who even pay bills that are much less but that obviously means they have lifestyle that needs much less electricity.
A Months average electricity Consumption by RV
For those who are looking for a answer to the question “how much electricity is consumed by a rv in one month” it going to be a simple math from the above points. A 20 Kwh per day usage would mean a 600 kwh per month. A rate of around 12 cents per kwh takes it to around $75. This calculation is a basic normal calculation and will vary on many other factors.
Tips for Saving on Electricity in RV
Saving on electricity is a thing not all tend to do strictly. But, everyone should do this not only because it saves your own pocket but also its a national resource that everyone should take care of. Saving on electricity is directly proportional to your monthly money saving. And this can be done by following some checks regularly.
1. Check meter reading regularly and verify while you do the payment at end of the months. Mistakes can happen and it is always better to re-verify things.
2. Check your 12V battery. If it is getting heated too much then that means it has problems. Such battery can suck in your extra electricity.
3. Minimize the usage of hot water while in rv. It is going to cost you if you go for those long showers all the time.
