autoformers for dummies (me)

Hi Gdetrailer,

The campground always has the option to install meters. If they don't then on a thirty amp service I'm paying for 3600 watts. So long as I don't exceed that I'm not inconveniencing anyone, nor stealing anything.

I don't think campground owners understand the difference between the 30 amp and 50 amp too well. One of the local campgrounds charges an extra $2 per day for 50 amp. 3600 watts vs 12000 watts. I think they'er nuts to shoot themselves in the foot that way, but no one is "forcing" that on them.

BTW privilege????, I'm the customer? They offer me service for which I pay for. They should deliver.

Gdetrailer wrote:


See the area I outlined in bold.

Folks that say autoformers are "stealing" or "cheating" the campgrounds power ARE technically correct.

Since a autoformer is not lossless there is 48W MORE power being drawn from the input than what you get from the output..

Put it this way, IF the campground had a power meter on your site YOU would be paying for 1248W but only getting 1200W worth of energy to use..

Now multiply that 48W x the amount of camping spots and it will be pretty apparent that the campground WILL have even a larger loss in costs..

For instance say the campground has 500 spots and EVERYONE decided to use a autoformer, the campground will pay for an additional 24Kw of power per hr use.. for 24 hrs that would be 576 Kwhrs per day the campground would have to pay for!!

My home electric cost me about $.07 per Kwhr (some places pay $.11 per Kwhr) at a residential rate.. That would be a $40.32 per day loss for the campground..

HOWEVER, with electric power you do need to understand that BUSINESSES do not pay residential rates.. They pay at COMMERCIAL RATES which ARE MUCH HIGHER.. Typically commercial power will cost about DOUBLE RESIDENTIAL RATES!

That would mean that my example would now be about $80 PER DAY the campground would pay..

It is for that reason some campgrounds have rules about autoformers..

Put yourself into the shoes of a business owner.. You would not be happy with having your business costs go up.. You would have to take action somewhere to trim costs OR RAISE CAMPING RATES..

Use only what you need.. Don't waste power, water, ect by abusing privileges..