Concerned about the quality of the power at the pedestal? In the matter of RV electrical protection, you have three options:

1. Check manually with a multimeter.
2. Check automatically using an advanced surge protector.
3. Believe that all people and wiring are basically good at heart.

Which Is Better: A Multimeter or Surge Protector?

Between the first two options, you might assume, given that I am a borderline Scrooge AND a bit of a data freak, that I would award the blue ribbon to the multimeter: for about $50, you can measure just about any feature of electricity you might want to learn about, plus several you don’t. Plus, you’ll get specific, detailed numbers. In comparison, a surge protector costs about $200 and hides most of its thinking, communicating mostly via LEDs and error codes.

But truthfully, first place on the podium goes to an advanced surge protector every time. It’s for a simple reason: A multimeter informs; a surge protector protects. As a bonus, a surge protector monitors your power hookup continuously, whereas a multimeter can only read data in real time. Who’s to say the line voltage won’t drop from an acceptable 112 to a troubling 102 once everyone turns on their air conditioners?