Tracks and greedy power costs

Maybe I am just getting cheaper by the day, but I decided to look up Roebling's power cost. $25 a day for 30 amp hookup. I realize that power is also another source of income for the tracks, but how much is too much? I have the same complaint with NJMP (I think it's the same cost), VIR, and Barber. Summit is the only track I know of that has reasonable rates, $20 up front and you get $10 back when you return the lock/key. I am looking at $250 for the year just in power alone for the WERA rounds, that's not counting the track days I do. Part of me wants to sell my current 2400 genny and buy a EU6500 or some shit. Obviously more money, but it's almost more about the principle at this point. I can use the genny for years and probably sell it for a few hundred less than I paid for it, not to mention I could always let friends use it to power their warmers (as there's no way I could use all 6500 watts) for a small fuel donation (which would make operating it almost free for me).

Since my current one runs two sets of warmers just fine, I'm also considering taking a chance with the Harbor Freight generator that is a EU2000 clone. Two of those with the parallel kit and tax would be just under 900, and would run my toy hauler just fine (and use my current genny for warmers only). Surely I can't be the only one tired of these fees?!

 

So wait, you're going to invest in power supplement, and then charge your buddies to use it, all the while bitching about someone else doing the same to you???

Seems valid.

 

Mongo hit it.

Installation and maintenance on track power is not cheap. Adding more once paddock pavement is down (or gravel is hard packed) isn't cheap, either.
And people break everything.

I remember being at Barber and hunting for a pedestal with a non-broke 50A connection, or at Road America looking for a working outlet on the hot pit wall. Pretty much every other track has the same issues.

Staying ahead of maintenance is expensive, and outdoor stuff take s a beating from both weather and people.

 

How much is power at an rv park?

 

Dude, camping for a weekend at Barber with power is insane. I don't remember the exact numbers right off hand, but if you get there Friday and plan on staying all weekend, it is outrageous. By the time you pay the gate fee (for both of you), plus camping, plus power, you've probably dropped at least $200. And that is for each spot.

I know electricity isn't cheap, but I keep my whole house at 62-63deg in the summer, plus using the dishwasher (with heated dryer) every couple of days, plus washing and drying clothes every couple/few days, plus all the normal lights, fridge, microwave, TVs, PS4, cable boxes, computers, fans, so on and so forth...PLUS I have a 50amp hookup that the RV is plugged into all the time. My bill is never over $150 for an entire month ($5 per day average, and that is at the most).

Tracks will charge 4-5x that much per day...for every single spot. I know they have to pay their electricity bill, but you can't tell me they aren't making a huge profit off what they charge for power.

I heard VIR is ridiculous also, I think I heard they even charge some kind of fee for Pit bikes? If so, that is insane. At least they can somewhat justify the cost for power because they have to pay the power bill, but what does it cost them for me to have a Pit bike?

 

I just came here to highlight how ridiculous this is.

 

They have a facility with amenities that people want to make use of. It wasn't built for free, why shouldn't they charge what they can get?

You don't work for free, do you?

 

VIR charges for pit bikes now to pay the additional insurance premiums they pay now that someone has sued them when they got hurt riding theirs after hours, acting stupid.

 

We pay anywhere between $7.00/night for water and power, up to $40/night. Cheapest rv park we've ever found was near a casino.

 

Is what it is.....you're paying for the premium and the convenience etc. Be happy that they allow you to bring your own genny. Imagine how you'd feel if the tracks started banning personal generator usage and you were forced to use the track provided outlets for a fee.

I'll give you a little parallel comparison. A bottle of this costs $1000 when you get table service at a nightclub in Vegas, compared to just buying at the store on your own (not that you can take it in with you anyway).....how's that for markup?

http://www.shopwinedirect.com/don-j...kJglVCLkGiV0MxCvIkGDlPh7Kx_BcAKrOsaAhJH8P8HAQ

 

Just out of curiousity does the track have any liability at all if you are paying for power for the weekend and a surge from said power fries every appliance in your RV? Thought I remembered a thread years ago from someone this happened to maybe at Roebling?

 

$50 / day at Tally.

 

I quit buying power at tracks first of last year. I use my generators and have not had a reason to look back. Nola is the only one I will buy power at and that's because they offer a RV water hookup and have a RV dump station. There's is pricey at $40 a day but with water thrown in and the dump station it's worth it to me there.

At Talladega two weeks ago I used 8 gal of gas between my EU3000 running camper and my EU2000 running warmers. Granted it was not hot and AC was not needed. Even at Barber last July in dead of summer I might have used 15 gals of gas with AC running a lot.

I go in with 20 gals of gas and always have some or most left. Looked at buying a EU7000 recently and may still get one once I see if it'll fit in garage where the 2000 and 3000 currently sit during transport. I'm gonna sell the 3000 at that point. Will keep the 2000.

Another use for a big generator is home use when our power goes out which seems like all the time.

 

Apparently it's cheap where you are, or you have the most efficient house and HVAC ever.