What we cover
RV Power Geek covers RV electrical and power systems only: shore power, converters and chargers, inverters, batteries, solar, surge protection and electrical management systems, generators, wiring, adapters, cords, and electrical troubleshooting. We are not a general RV lifestyle publication and we do not review anything outside the power system.
What we do not do
We do not bench test. We do not install equipment in a test coach and measure it. Any page on this site that said otherwise would be lying to you, so we write we researched, we compared, we verified, and we cross-referenced. Language like we tested or we installed appears only where a named person on our team actually did it, and we say who.
We also do not invent trust metrics. There are no research-hour counts, no review-volume totals, and no aggregate star ratings manufactured on this site. If you see a number here, it is either from a cited source or counted from something real.
Evidence hierarchy
Sources are ranked. When they conflict, the higher one wins and we note the conflict.
- Manufacturer manual for the exact model
- Manufacturer published specifications
- Official installation documentation
- Certification and safety listing records
- Amazon Creators API or an authorized retailer, for price and availability
- Credible independent testing by a third party
- Owner and forum reports, used for sentiment and failure patterns, never for specifications
- Our own calculation, shown with the math
Claim labelling
Four different kinds of statement get confused constantly in RV electrical content, so we mark them:
- Manufacturer requirement the maker requires it for that model, and ignoring it can void warranty or cause damage.
- Code requirement a published electrical or safety standard requires it.
- Common RV practice widely done and generally sound, but not mandated.
- Our recommendation our editorial judgment, which you are free to disagree with.
Where our recommendation conflicts with a manufacturer requirement, follow the manufacturer.
Exact model rule
Specifications apply to the exact brand, model, and part number listed. We never carry a figure from one model to a sibling model, even within the same product family. Lithium compatibility, charge profiles, and certification scope are stated only where the manufacturer states them for that specific unit. This is the single most common source of bad RV electrical advice online.
Safety figures
Wire gauge, fuse sizing, breaker sizing, voltage limits, and charge current are safety items. Every one of these figures on this site carries a source. We will leave a gap in an article rather than publish an uncited number that somebody might wire a coach to.
Scoring rubric
When we publish a numerical score, it is weighted as follows, and the score on the page links back to this section.
| Criterion | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical performance and spec fit | 25% | Does it deliver its rated output in the application it is sold for |
| Safety and protection | 25% | Protection features, safety listings, failure behaviour |
| Build quality and reliability | 20% | Construction, thermal management, documented failure patterns |
| Installation and compatibility | 15% | Fitment, wiring demands, compatibility with common RV systems |
| Value | 10% | Capability per dollar against direct alternatives |
| Warranty and support | 5% | Warranty term, coverage scope, support reputation |
Scores are optional. Where a number would be false precision, we give a qualitative verdict instead. A rating never appears on this site without a link to this rubric.
Amazon data
Price, availability, product title, and product images come from Amazon's Creators API and are cached. When that data is unavailable, the page still works: you get the editorial content and the independently verified specifications, and the price line falls back to a prompt to check the current price at Amazon.
Amazon customer star ratings are displayed only when the API actually returns them for that item. We do not scrape them, we do not copy them by hand, and we never use an Amazon rating as this site's own rating. Editorial scores and Amazon data are kept strictly separate.
Corrections
If a figure here is wrong, we want to know and we will fix it. Tell us which page and which claim, and include the source you are working from.