TPMS - Gold Standard? - Page 2

DesertRatt · 07-17-2021, 05:24 PM

This one is starting to look interesting to me. When i get home from this trip, I'll probably give it s try.

https://www.tireminder.com/products/...ireminder-a1as

Wyatt · 07-17-2021, 10:23 PM

TireMinder now says you can see all tires simultaneously, and in color. For whatever that’s worth…

https://www.tireminder.com/products/...eminder-tm-88c

BobC · 07-18-2021, 08:13 AM

I like the idea that the Tireminder can be switched between vehicles without re-programming. My 2005 E350 van doesn't have built in sensors so it would be nice to be able to switch between it and my MH.

SeeTheUSA · 07-18-2021, 08:36 AM

After reviewing what was available, I bought the TireTraker system. That was about 8 or 9 years ago. I upgraded the head unit when it was introduced. It works great, I like the peace of mind knowing the tire info on both my motorhome and toad.

https://www.tiretraker.com/

**creativepart** · 07-18-2021, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wyatt

TireMinder now says you can see all tires simultaneously, and in color. For whatever that’s worth…

https://www.tireminder.com/products/...eminder-tm-88c

Wyatt, looking at the page you sent us to I see only one tire pressure shown at a time.

Also, it is rechargeable not a plug in model.

Morich · 07-18-2021, 12:15 PM

We use a TST system meant for trucks at first and evolved into RV and there is a point to consider on batteries as there are different ideas there.
first is to consider if you want built in batteries or replaceable.
Advantages of each as the sealed battery is far less prone to getting wet so a five year battery that doesn't get wet is the way I went. Part of the decision was from my brother using the replaceable which seemed right as much cheaper than sending in for replacement. Cheaper, yes, but too cheap as anything that we can unscrew to replace a battery also tends to get leaks when we drive in water and that does ruin the entire sender at times, so that we still have to replace it rather than go straight to replace when the battery is run down.

And that battery lifespan is one to take a careful look at when shopping as there are lots of marketing "tools to make fools".

Look at when the sender battery is used to judge how it fits what you want. Most of us may not use the RV and TPMS very long each year if we consider the battery is only used when the RV is rolling. so does a five year battery that only gets driven/used for a something closer to a week each year last way long enough?
Do a close look at how much time you were actually driving the Rv last year to see what I mean. Since the sender only sends on changes, it doesn't use battery except when driving and then only when the levels change, they send out a short blip of digital code and go back to sleep once they have reported that change.
I might guess that we actually drove less than one hundred hours in total last year so took very little off the five year span. Not an exact one for one situation but certainly long enough lifespan for me.
But that battery life is one big thing to sort when shopping and looking for extra added gizmos to add to the question.
Do you want one which reports to your phone if it has to maintain a bluetooth connection full time while driving, so that the battery goes flat like your phone?
There are often good reasons for staying simple and color screens are not one of the simple ideas!

**creativepart** · 07-18-2021, 01:56 PM

The EEZ Tire TPMS uses changeable batteries in the valve sensors. Mine last 18 to 24 months but when one dies I replace all 6 at the same time. The #1632 are available everywhere and changing them takes 20 min max for all six.

EEZ Tire says they last 4-years, but I haven't found that to be the case.

Morich · 07-18-2021, 02:27 PM

As is the case with about all we do in RV, it takes some thought to figure out what might work best for each of us. If we stay in the dry places, the batteries which need changed occasionally can do fine but if it is frequently driven in rain or standing water, the sender that is sealed can be a lot better.
I often come back around to shopping for simple as more tend to work longer, rather than add things to make the item more complex.
I traded my last car because they could not figure out what was wrong with the electronics gizmos. One of the little nagging points was that it often rolled the driver's side window down when I hit the remote to lock the doors!
Really a fun PITA to have to watch and if it decided to put the window down, I had to walk back, roll the window up and manually lock again! The window movement was someway involved with the transmission control module!

wyocamper · 07-18-2021, 03:49 PM

I've driven in some pretty good rain storms as well as over and back across a low water creek crossing and I've never had moisture cause a problem with my EEZ tire sensors.

backtrack15 · 07-18-2021, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyocamper

I've driven in some pretty good rain storms as well as over and back across a low water creek crossing and I've never had moisture cause a problem with my EEZ tire sensors.

I've had them for a few years now and I haven't had an issue either. I do replace the batteries each year, but that is cheap and very easy (especially since I don't use the rotating security covers). The o-rings still look good.

peggwn · 07-18-2021, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertRatt

I don't want anyone to think I'm insulting their choice!

In the last 5 years or so, by far most of the electronics I've bought have been JUNK designed by amateurs and sold with fake reviews on popular retail websites. JUNK to me means, it doesn't meet the claims, isn't nearly as nice as the pictures, comes with minimal incomprehensible jibberish instructions written by non English speakers, and fails to function or breaks within 6 months.

I understand everyone's reply that it's really "just an alarm" system. I get it. But alarms have to work at the right time reliably. And, when i see bad engineering, and silly out of date ideas (LCD, for example) it makes me wonder what shortcuts they took in the more important parts.

Sometimes, in small markets, there's just isn't a high quality offering available. Maybe TPMS is just too small for a high quality product to compete in? That's what it looks like to me. If that's the case, I'll get the one that seems best and just live with it. I mean bo offense to anyone for their choice!

I'm with you as to the lack of sophistication for TPMSs. Even on our cars, there is a display showing simultaneously the current pressure of all four tires in position around a simple outline of the vehicle. Surely that same technology could be expanded to include temp and then installed in our RVs. And, they should not be that expensive if adapted from passenger auto applications since millions are now (or could be) already in use. Let us know what you find and decide to use.

DesertRatt · 07-20-2021, 07:18 AM

@peggwn

When i searched out the semi conductor side of all this, i discovered many available sophisticated chips for implementing TPMS. This implies that it is not costly to create very sophisticated solutions...... if there was a market. OEM auto makers putting it in mass quantity of cars can do it very cheaply.

I find that until i have a bit in my hands and can really evaluate it, the "advertised" claims mean very little.

tinglett · 07-20-2021, 09:45 AM

I'd really like to see the full set of numbers quickly. I find that to be the most annoying part. And really, I can switch on the unit, go hitch up, and then have a look. But I still need to wait for the dang display to show them to me one by one.

For driving I really only need the alarm. If I want a nice user interface, I'd really want it integrated into the vehicle display. If only Android Auto/Apple CarPlay was decent this would already exist. Do newer model pickups integrate TPMS for trailers? Seems like an obvious thing to do even 15 years ago.

backtrack15 · 07-20-2021, 10:13 AM

The newer pickups do have ways to add the trailer TPMS to the vehicle displays. In 2017, Ford used a separate umbilical from the truck for a wired trailer rear-view camera and for a Ford TPMS unit on the trailer. This put the camera view and the trailer tires within the truck displays. Wireless would have been much better. I assume somebody (Ford, Ram, GM) has gone wireless by now or will do so very soon.

DesertRatt · 07-20-2021, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinglett

I'd really like to see the full set of numbers quickly. I find that to be the most annoying part. And really, I can switch on the unit, go hitch up, and then have a look. But I still need to wait for the dang display to show them to me one by one.

For driving I really only need the alarm. If I want a nice user interface, I'd really want it integrated into the vehicle display. If only Android Auto/Apple CarPlay was decent this would already exist. Do newer model pickups integrate TPMS for trailers? Seems like an obvious thing to do even 15 years ago.

I've been very disappointed in both Android Auto and Car Play. It doesn't feel like either one is getting the attention needed to make it a first class application. I switched last year to Apple phones and i have been surprised at how poor Siri performs. Apple Maps are terrible too. Considering how much everyone talks about the car as a computing platform, these apps have a long way to go. TPMS would be so easy to incorporate.

wyocamper · 07-20-2021, 05:40 PM

I have my EEZTire mounted on the driver side window so I can see it at a glance if I want to. It works on 12v but the batteries last for months on a single charge. I think that any display large enough to show all 10 tires at once and still be legible would have be too large to be practical. It would be too big and heavy to mount on the window, and big enough that I wouldn't want it on top of my dash either. If I had an in-dash 7" or 10" display and could toggle the screen to the TPMS that would be a viable option. Don't know if that's an option, but if so probably only on higher end coaches. The display on my in-dash radio could work, if it was mounted in way that made is somewhat useful.

Fotoguzzi · 07-21-2021, 07:23 AM

I'm gonna give the cheap China version a try, it displays all 6 of my tires at the same time. But yeah the instructions are so small I had to use a magnifying glass to read them and hen it was not too clear. Don't have them mounted yet as my rig is up at the lake.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/384149864471

I've had pretty good luck with cheap China security cameras so feel it worth a try. I monitor my sculpture at the lake from home on a cheap REOLink camera system.

danhannah · 07-21-2021, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fotoguzzi

I'm gonna give the cheap China version a try, it displays all 6 of my tires at the same time.

I did, and I like it a lot. You'll have to write your own user manual, and throw away the one they provide!

There are lots of TPMS units that show all 6 wheels at once. All over Amazon at around $150.

And, as I say, the one I got is in color, and works great.

I agree with the OP that the big TPMS guys are kind of resting on their laurels with older tech.

TonyOIB · 07-21-2021, 05:57 PM

I also was on the fence for a long time. I hated to spend big bucks for something seemingly so obscure. Luckily I noticed Amazon was giving a large discount when you sign up for a business Am Ex card so I jumped on a Tire Minder. Little did I know that on my second trip with it , my 2021 Cherokees brake pedal wasn’t releasing while being towed. My phone alarm sounded due to my rising tire temps so I stopped immediately and found my brake calipers at 370 +degrees using my infrared thermometer. Had I not stopped I can’t imagine what could have happened! I also like not having to check 10 tire pressures before any trips. They seem very well made, accurate to 1 lb so far and they definitely work! So IMHO, you know you need one, you know your gonna get one…don’t wait!

MadMaxWinny · 07-21-2021, 06:23 PM

I feel your pain. Everything looks like it came in a kit from Radio Shack. I went with the TST with the color screen, and I'm very happy with it. It will run on a USB cable, but honestly, I'm still running it on the original factory charge. I also opted for the shorter sensors without the ability to fill through the middle. No clearance issues.