BA electric points

[Guest]

If, by chance , I come across a BA mooring with electric hookup, I understand that I need to pre-purchase an elctric card.

Are these cards to the value of £1 each or can you use them like a phone top up card and put say £10 on? Have to ask as the BA site doesn't make it crystal clear.

[NorfolkNog]

Clarity and the BA don’t always go hand in hand!!!

Only used them once but I believe the cards are one pound each fixed value. You insert the card in the pillar which ‘primes’ it with a quids worth of credit. You can only use the card once. When you leave, any remaining credit is left on the pillar. There is a meter to see the remaining credit. If you are crafty you can look for posts with credit left on. I believe a quids worth lasts ages. It’s a bit of a con because if you only use 10p and move on you’ve lost the remaining credit.

I think this is the case but someone will correct me if I am wrong!

[VetChugger]

It might sound like a confused way of operating but it does work! Overall, I suspect I'm actually in front in terms of finding existing credit on posts. Obviously this is just luck and I will, no doubt, find myself using more cards.

Trevor

www.normanboats.co.uk

[mbird]

Don't forget too, that the posts tend to have a 16A and a 32A outlet. The 16A is often in use, but the 32A one can be used with an adaptor. Also worth bringing a splitter incase you have friendly neighbours that don't mind sharing!

[Guest]

Thanks guys for the info. IMO, I think £1 for electric is good value as mostly we're moored up from around 2.00pm until 10.00am the next day. If it's cold, we can use the elctric 2kw fan heater instead of the blown warm air for warmth, run the telly, switch the fridge to mains and use the elctric kettle. Just wish I'd specced the Truma gas fired hot water heater with the optional mains fed immersion, then we'd be totally self sufficient on 240v.

Mark - yes, we have a 32A adaptor to cover most eventualities .

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Setfair,

The cards are indeed £1 in value it is doubtful that you would exceed that value overnight, you may if sharing using a splitter. We have splitters and 32 amp to 16 amp converters as part of our boat kit together with a number of extensions.

If all the 16 amp sockets are used then use the 32 amp or your splitter after offering to put an additional £1 on the meter, I have never had a refusal to share the power.

You can get the cards from a number of outlets including Barns Brinkcraft, Brooms Reception and failing that get them direct from the Broads Authority by mail order.

A word of warning the cards can be a bit of a pain to give you credit on some posts, you may have to push in the card very slowly and then pull it back a bit. If you find that some of your cards do not work at all, BA will swap them out for you (no matter where you got them from).

Regards

Alan

[Guest]

I'm thinking of getting ten cards as a "just in case". Do the cards have an expiry date on them or could I use them in Easter 2013?

As an aside, do these electric points raise any revenue for the BA? I'd be interested to know from BA how much they charge per Kw hour - I wonder how long my 2kw mains heater would last on a £1 card?

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Setfair,

I think BA are the only people not to make a profit out of electric post or hook ups. At the Waverly River Centre the last time I was there I was charged an aditional £10 for a hook up, If you moor at the Oulton Broad Yacht Station is is £7.60 I think all in, Beccles is slightly more with their new electric posts installed last year. We have charged our batteries had the tv on and used a 2kw heater at times through the evening and still had power on the meter in the morning to use the electric toaster.

The BA post were really put there to charge up electric boats or is that just my assumption?

Regards

Alan

[boycee]

Hi Ranworthbreeze

Just to let you know that the mooring & Electric costs for Oulton Broad & Beccles Yacht Station are identical-ie £7.60 per night stern on mooring & £3.80 per night mains Electric hook-up. There is now a Loyaly card available which they stamp for you each time you stay at either location & when you have all 10 spaces on the card stamped you get the eleventh night at either location free

You are right about your the B As original plan for the Electric posts,which has now changed significantly

Regards

Boycee

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Boycee,

I only paid £7.60 at Oulton Broad last time and they fixed me up on one of their posts, I guess it must have been an oversight. I found the setup at Oulton Broad very laid back and slightly old fashioned compared with Beccles. The showers were communal, but there was a bath. By all accounts you paid in the morning for any bath or showers you had on the visit.

We had our card stamped at both locations and left it on the boat for the next owner to use.

The BA posts are great and have been increased to take in other locations.

Regards

Alan

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Rod,

They can be a pain, I ended up with 16 of them over a long time that would not work at all, we stored them in an envelope and the magnetic stips were not damaged but who knows, so I contacted the Broads Authority and they sent me replacements.

I am now good to go for a while.

Regards

Alan