Choosing The Right Levelling Instrument

From spirit levels to smart levelling instruments

When Savvy Technical Solutions Trading introduced the original SavvyLevel®, there were no comparable instruments that reported a caravan or motorhome’s level directly to a smartphone or tablet. For most travellers, the alternative was a conventional spirit level–requiring them to repeatedly check the level as the vehicle was adjusted.

Manufacturers have since recognised the value of remote levelling, and buyers can now choose from products including Possum, Oricom, ELAM, B-Qtech, OBEST, the newly released Projecta instrument and the SavvyLevel® S5. At the time of writing, prices range from approximately $150 to $350, with the newly released SavvyLevel® S5 currently on sale for $320. But price alone does not reveal which instrument will make levelling faster, easier or more precise. To choose wisely, we need to examine what each instrument actually measures, the guidance it provides and how reliably it performs under real-world conditions. [1-5,8,9]

Quick comparison: what matters in practice 

Summary of manufacturer information and Savvy Technical Solutions testing available at 3 August 2026. See sources and  substantiation notes.

Remote reporting is only the beginning 

Viewing the level of your caravan or motorhome on a smartphone is certainly more convenient  than repeatedly walking back to a spirit level. Some electronic instruments also report the height  adjustment required. The more meaningful comparison, therefore, is how useful and  dependable that information remains throughout the entire levelling process: while locating a  suitable position, immediately after stopping, while making the correction and when confirming  the final result. 

Before stopping, a useful instrument can help the driver locate a reasonably level area–and may  even identify a position that requires no further correction. This is a demanding measurement  because acceleration, braking, vibration and uneven ground can cause a conventional tilt  sensor to produce unstable or misleading readings. To provide useful guidance while moving,  an instrument must respond quickly, distinguish genuine vehicle tilt from movement-induced  errors and present a stable display without distracting jitter. 

This is particularly important when towing a caravan. The tow vehicle moves independently of  the caravan, so the driver cannot reliably judge the caravan’s level by feel; the necessary cues  must come from the information displayed on the smart device. A physical tilt of two degrees  may represent a substantial height difference across the vehicle–potentially around 150 mm,  depending on its dimensions–yet an image that also tilts by only two degrees makes the change  difficult to perceive on a small screen. With tenfold magnification, that same two-degree physical  tilt is displayed as a clearly visible 20-degree movement. 

Magnification is only valuable, however, when the underlying measurement is sufficiently  accurate, responsive and repeatable. Otherwise, it simply magnifies sensor noise, jitter and  error. Once the vehicle has stopped, the instrument must calculate the required height  correction accurately, show small changes clearly as the correction is made and produce the  same result under changing environmental conditions. 

A motorhome presents an additional challenge. It requires all the capabilities needed for a  caravan, but the instrument must also calculate the corrections required at three of the four  wheels so that pitch and roll can be corrected together. The quality of the measurement, the  stability and clarity of the display, real-world repeatability and the support behind the product are  therefore more meaningful points of comparison than remote reporting–or a claimed height  correction–alone.

Can it guide you while the vehicle is moving? 

Finding the most level part of a campsite before stopping can substantially reduce the correction  required later–and may sometimes eliminate it altogether. However, obtaining a dependable tilt  measurement from a moving vehicle is considerably more difficult than taking one while  stationary.

Acceleration, braking, turning, vibration and uneven ground all produce forces that a  conventional tilt sensor can mistake for a change in level. A display may therefore move, jump  or lag without accurately representing the vehicle’s true pitch and roll. Simply describing a  reading as “real time” does not necessarily mean that it remains stable or dependable while the  vehicle is moving. 

SavvyLevel® S5 addresses this problem using proprietary, high-speed gyro-sensor fusion. By  combining information from its motion sensors and rejecting acceleration-induced errors, it can  provide stable and responsive pitch-and-roll information while the vehicle is moving. This also  makes its 10× magnification mode practical: a physical change of one degree can be  represented by a clearly visible ten-degree movement on the screen without merely magnifying  sensor noise and jitter. 

Among the instruments reviewed, SavvyLevel® S5 is the only one that combines 10× visual  magnification with proprietary gyro-sensor fusion specifically designed for stable, on-the-move  operation. For the customer, the benefit is straightforward: the ability to assess possible  positions from the driver’s seat, select the most level practical location and potentially avoid  repeated cycles of stopping, checking and repositioning.

Resolution is not accuracy 

A levelling instrument may display readings in 0.1° increments or magnify movement tenfold  without actually measuring tilt to an accuracy of 0.1°. Resolution describes the smallest change  the display can show; magnification determines how prominently that change is presented;  accuracy describes how closely the reading represents the vehicle’s true angle. Magnifying an  inaccurate or unstable measurement simply makes its errors easier to see. 

The difference can be substantial. Across a four-metre measurement span, an angular error of  two degrees represents approximately 140 mm of calculated height, whereas an error of 0.1° represents approximately 7 mm. Projecta’s instrument illustrates why these specifications must  not be confused: although it provides 10× visual magnification, its stated measurement  accuracy is two degrees, with no published claim of temperature stability. The display may  therefore show small movements very clearly without necessarily knowing the vehicle’s true  angle to the same precision.[3] 

Temperature stability is equally important. Electronic tilt sensors naturally change as their  temperature changes, and an instrument installed in a caravan or motorhome may experience a  cold morning followed by considerable heat later in the day. If this drift is not properly corrected,  the displayed level–and therefore the calculated height correction–can change even though the  vehicle has not moved.

In comparative testing conducted by Savvy Technical Solutions, the Oricom, Possum and eLam units tested exhibited material changes in their reported level as temperature changed while the  reference angle remained fixed. This is why a claim of 0.1° resolution, or even accuracy  measured at one temperature, does not by itself demonstrate dependable performance under  real-world conditions.[10] 

Every SavvyLevel® S5 is individually thermally calibrated, with advanced correction algorithms  applied across changing temperatures. Combined with its high-speed noise suppression, this  delivers true 0.1° measurement accuracy rather than merely a 0.1° display increment. Its 10×  magnification is therefore supported by an accurate and stable underlying measurement,  allowing the customer to make a precise correction and obtain a repeatable result whether the  instrument is cold, warm or exposed to changing conditions.[1,10]

Why motorhomes demand true accuracy 

Accurate angle measurement becomes even more important when levelling a motorhome. A  caravan is normally levelled side-to-side at its wheels and then front-to-back using the jockey  wheel. A motorhome has no equivalent single front adjustment: pitch and roll must be corrected  together at its four wheel positions. 

SavvyLevel® S5 uses the motorhome’s wheelbase and track width to convert its measured pitch  and roll into the height corrections required at up to three of the four wheels. The highest wheel  is retained as the zero-height reference, and the app calculates how much the remaining wheel  

positions must be raised to bring the motorhome onto a level plane. The customer is therefore  given practical instructions for each wheel rather than being left to interpret angles or repeatedly  try different combinations of ramps and blocks. 

This is not merely a theoretical difference between specifications. Across a four-metre  motorhome wheelbase, Projecta’s stated two-degree measurement accuracy can represent  approximately 140 mm of error in the calculated front-to-rear correction–even before  temperature-induced drift is considered. Tenfold magnification may make the displayed  movement easier to see, but it cannot recover accuracy that was never present in the  underlying measurement. If the sensor’s reference changes with temperature, the calculated  wheel heights can change while the motorhome remains completely stationary. Without gyro sensor fusion, acceleration, braking, turning and vibration can also corrupt the information used  while selecting the initial position. The result is a chain of uncertainty: the driver may choose a  site using unstable information and then place ramps or blocks according to inaccurate wheel height corrections. A customer could follow every instruction precisely and still be directed to  raise the wrong wheel–or raise the correct wheel by the wrong amount. SavvyLevel® S5’s gyro  stability, true 0.1° accuracy and individual thermal calibration are therefore not isolated technical  extras; together, they are what make dependable three-wheel motorhome correction possible. [3,10]

The competing instruments reviewed may be described as suitable for motorhomes, but their  published information does not identify an equivalent calculation of the individual corrections  required at three motorhome wheels. SavvyLevel® S5 combines this capability with true 0.1° accuracy and temperature-stabilised measurement, providing the precision needed to make  three-wheel height guidance genuinely useful.

Reliable remote reporting requires dependable range 

Remote reporting is of little benefit if the connection becomes unreliable once the levelling  instrument is installed inside the caravan or motorhome. SavvyLevel® S5 uses a high-power  +15 dBm Bluetooth Low Energy 5.2 radio, providing excellent practical range from the installed  instrument to the smartphone–whether the user is sitting in the tow vehicle or moving around  the motorhome.[1,6] 

Many stand-alone levelling instruments rely on small replaceable or rechargeable batteries,  requiring a compromise between transmitter power, reporting frequency, connection range and  battery life. SavvyLevel® S5 is powered continuously from either USB-C or the RV’s 12- or 24- volt battery supply. It can therefore combine strong radio output, rapid updates and dependable  connectivity without shortening the life of a small internal battery. 

This does not mean that another battery-powered instrument could never contain Bluetooth 5.x  or produce a brief high-power transmission. It means that strong transmission, frequent  reporting and long battery life must ultimately be balanced. Or, to borrow from Star Trek: “You  cannot change the laws of physics, Captain.” 

Australian made, locally supported and warranted for ten years 

Australian made is worth considering, although it is not exclusive to SavvyLevel®. Some other  instruments also claim Australian made, while several brands provide some form of Australian based customer support. The more important questions are who actually understands the  technology, who will help if a problem arises, and how long the manufacturer is prepared to  stand behind the product.[1-4] 

SavvyLevel® S5 is designed, made and supported in Australia by Savvy Technical Solutions– the company responsible for its electronics, firmware, signal-processing technology and  applications. This gives customers access to people who understand not only how the product  is used, but how it works. 

The strength of that commitment is made measurable by the ten-year warranty. At the time of  writing, Projecta specifies five years for its PMLVL levelling sensor, while Oricom specifies  twelve months for its RV leveller. The other products reviewed do not prominently publish an  equivalent long-term express manufacturer’s warranty.[1-3]

A warranty does not make an instrument more accurate, but it reveals how long its  manufacturer is prepared to accept responsibility for it. SavvyLevel®’s ten-year warranty is twice  the published Projecta period and ten times the Oricom period. For the customer, that means  the SavvyLevel® S5 is intended to be a long-term travelling instrument–not a disposable  electronic accessory.

Useful features beyond basic levelling 

Some competing instruments extend beyond simply displaying an angle. Oricom provides  calculated height guidance and can be switched off to conserve its AA batteries, while Possum  automatically enters low-power standby when its app is closed. These are worthwhile features,  but they primarily support levelling or preserve the instrument’s own battery. The reviewed  published information did not identify another product offering the same combination of hitch height recording, RV supply-voltage reporting, a removable cradle and operation across  caravans, motorhomes and 4WDs. [1–5,8,9] 

For caravanners, SavvyLevel® S5 can record the preferred hitching or unhitching position–the  height of the A-frame when it is released from the tow vehicle. At the end of the stay, the  displayed reference helps return the hitch to the appropriate height before the tow vehicle is  brought back for recoupling, reducing repeated adjustment and guesswork. When the S5 is  connected to the RV’s 12- or 24-volt supply, the app also reports that voltage in real time,  providing a convenient indication of unexpected voltage drop or a possible charging problem. [1] 

The S5 slides out of its permanently mounted cradle once the retaining clip is removed, making  it easy to take out for security or servicing while leaving the cradle in place. The same  instrument can also be used in a motorhome, van or 4WD as an inclinometer. When lower power mode is enabled in the app, the S5 enters it automatically whenever the app is closed  and no Bluetooth connection is active, so there is no need to reach the installed unit to switch it  off. Because the S5 has no internal battery, there is also no battery to replace. Individually,  these may seem like small conveniences; together, they make SavvyLevel® S5 a more versatile  and useful part of the vehicle rather than an instrument used only for a few minutes when  arriving at a campsite. [1]

Designed as an expandable system–not an isolated instrument 

Most of the levelling products reviewed are presented as self-contained instruments designed to  perform a specific task: measure the vehicle’s tilt and report levelling information to an app or  display. SavvyLevel® S5 was designed differently. It provides the measurement and  communication foundation for an expandable, user-configurable system in which owners can  choose the functions and accessories appropriate to their vehicle. Planned accessories,  including integration with an external airbag/mechanical levelling system [11], can build upon the  S5’s existing precision measurement, vehicle configuration and control architecture rather than  requiring an entirely separate instrument. 

All configuration parameters are stored locally within the SavvyLevel® S5, without requiring  internet access, a user account or third-party cloud storage. At the time of writing, the current  app retrieves some information directly from the instrument, while other settings–including  vehicle dimensions–must presently be entered again when setting up a new phone. A planned  future app update [11] will make fuller use of the information already stored within the S5,  allowing a compatible phone or tablet to retrieve and populate settings such as vehicle  dimensions, smoothing preferences, the last selected 10× mode, and portrait or landscape  orientation etc. At the time of writing, this expanded convenience remains a future app  capability; however, both current and future operation remain entirely independent of internet  and cloud services. 

The practical difference is longevity. A conventional standalone leveller remains essentially the  product originally purchased, whereas the S5 has been designed as a platform that can gain  additional capabilities as compatible apps and accessories become available. Customers can  begin with advanced caravan or motorhome levelling and later choose to extend the system  according to their needs. The reviewed published information did not identify an equivalent  combination of device-resident configuration, cloud-independent operation and planned  accessory expandability among the other levelling products considered.

Look beyond the purchase price 

The levelling instruments compared here range in price from approximately $150 to $350. At its  current sale price of $320, SavvyLevel® S5 is not the cheapest, but it remains within the normal  market price range. The difference is that the S5 provides much more than a remotely viewed  electronic spirit level.

Its true 0.1-degree accuracy, individual temperature calibration, stable 10× magnification,  proprietary gyro-sensor fusion and high-speed signal processing work together to provide  dependable information both while moving and when stationary. It calculates precise wheel height corrections for caravans and motorhomes, provides extended-range Bluetooth  connectivity, can also serve as a 4WD inclinometer and is backed by Australian technical  support and a ten-year warranty. These capabilities arose from extensive physics-based  research and development activities registered under the Australian Government’s R&D Tax  Incentive.[1,7] 

Some users may notice that a calculated wheel correction changes by perhaps 10 mm when  someone walks through the vehicle. This is not measurement error–the vehicle itself is moving  slightly as its suspension, tyres, floor and stabilisers respond to the person’s weight. It is much  like stepping onto bathroom scales: the reading moves while you are moving, but a reliable  scale settles to the same correct weight when you stand still. 

That is where accuracy and repeatability become important. Accuracy means the settled  reading is centred on the true level position. Repeatability means that after a person walks  through the vehicle, or another small disturbance occurs, the reading returns to that same  predictable centre. A display that appears perfectly still because it cannot detect small changes  is not necessarily more reliable. Small variations around the correct point are far less important  than a steady-looking result centred on the wrong one. 

The customer benefit is confidence: confidence that the selected position is reasonable, that the  instructed correction is accurate, that the result will be repeatable and that knowledgeable  Australian support will remain available. Over the life of an RV–and with the protection of a ten year warranty–the modest difference in purchase price becomes very small. For those who want  levelling to be quick, predictable and correct, the benefits of SavvyLevel® S5 clearly outweigh its  cost. 

So, which levelling instrument is right for you? 

If you require only a general indication of whether your vehicle is level, a simpler, lower-cost  instrument may be sufficient. However, if you want dependable guidance both while selecting a  site and during final adjustment–supported by temperature-stable accuracy, repeatable  measurements, calculated wheel and hitch-height corrections, reliable connectivity and long term Australian support–the SavvyLevel® S5 is the more complete choice. 

Choosing the S5 is not simply about acquiring a longer list of features; it is about having  confidence that the measurement is reliable and that the correction shown can be acted upon.  When its removable cradle, vehicle-battery monitoring, locally stored configuration, future  expandability and 10-year warranty are also considered, the modest difference in purchase  price becomes small compared with the benefits delivered over many years. For owners who  expect more than an approximate indication of level, SavvyLevel® S5 is the right levelling  instrument.

Product specifications, prices and warranty statements can change. Public sources below were accessed on 3  August 2026.

[1] SavvyLevel®. SavvyLevel® S5 Caravan and RV Leveller. Product features, price, Australian manufacture and 10- year warranty.

[2] Oricom. RVSL01 Caravan/RV Smart Leveller; see also the official RVSL01 user guide for stated +/-0.6 degree  accuracy, radio range and warranty. 

[3] Projecta. PMLVL Levelling Sensor. Degree display, Intelli-RV/Intelli-Grid integration and 5-year warranty. 

[4] Adventurous BD. POSSUM Caravan Levelling Assistant. Australian manufacture, BLE operation and temperature compensation claim. 

[5] eLam Level. eLam Level V1. Published BLE, accuracy, power and returns information. 

[6] Bluetooth SIG. Introducing the Bluetooth LE Primer. Technical background confirming that Bluetooth LE first  appeared in Bluetooth Core 4.0. 

[7] Australian Government, Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Research and Development Tax  Incentive. Program background; registration does not imply government product endorsement.

[8] B-Qtech marketplace product information. Wireless RV Leveling System. App, Bluetooth and rechargeable-power  claims; manufacturer-level specifications were not identified. 

[9] OBEST marketplace product information. Wireless RV Leveling System with Dedicated Display. Dedicated  display, wireless and rechargeable-power claims; manufacturer-level specifications were not identified. 

[10] Savvy Technical Solutions. Comparative temperature-stability and repeatability testing records, covering the  specific Oricom, Possum and eLam units tested in 2026. 

[11] Savvy Technical Solutions. SavvyLevel® S5 system architecture and accessory-development roadmap. Internal  product-development documentation.