SpitFire6 Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 Hi, Now that Trye Pressure Monitoring Systems are costing around £25.00 I purchased a kit. I originally purchased the type that replaces the valve caps with the four transmitters. The units are totally wireless. The colour fag packet sized display charges from available light. I have never had to connect the supplied USB cable to charge it. I can now see the tyre pressure of each of the four tyres while in the car. The temperature of the sensor is also displayed. You can set upper & lower pressure setpoints to alert you via the unit chirping. Temperature aswell. Now you can: Watch the tyre pressure increase as you drive. Watch the temperature influence the tyre pressure. Notice that the sun shining on your tyres increases the pressure by a couple of PSI. (Or Bar) Notice how sunlight increases the temperature of your tyres in C or F. Get paranoid when all your tyres show different readings. The sensors are accurate as confirmed by a calibrated gauge. After 8 months the CR1632 cells were flat. P.O.P to change. Not surprised as the whole system was £25. Spent a fiver on new quality cells. Happy days. I was worried that some scum kids would steal the valve caps but has not happened. Maybe the locking nuts (kak quality) included in the kit prevented this. I have now purchased the internal sensor types that looks a work of art in aluminium. The valve stems and caps alone must be worth 25 quid. Will have these fitted with quality cells when I have the wheels painted and tyres dismounted. Everybody should fit them! Cheers, Iain. Best thing I have bought this year. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 sounds a good idea my experience with alloy valve stems is use a plastic valve cap as the metal one corrode on to despair and wreck the stem trying to remove them , maybe things have improved you are supposed to check tyre pressures at least weekly many recent cars have dumped this idea and use disparity in ABS ring signals but by the time its worked out the tyre is often wrecked as its a long time before you get the warning up. pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gully Posted October 14, 2019 Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 The whole metal valve cap and metal stem corrosion is still going strong! Had to use a cutter in my Dremmel to remove the valve caps on my Mercedes. Mind you, if I'd checked the tyre pressures weekly probably wouldn't have been an issue! Gully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2019 Hi, learnt early on to use corrosion block on alloy valve caps. Stupid to fit them without. Galvanic corrosion and all that. Using tyre RPM to determine tyre pressure seems a novel but problematic solution. Cost I guess & misguided programmer. TPMS is superior IMHO. For 25 quid I see no better way to get an accurate, reliable and fast update on tyre pressure & temperature. Cheers, Iain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 a good must have thats useful ...for christmas wish list Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 15 hours ago, Spitfire6 said: Everybody should fit them! Cheers, Iain. Best thing I have bought this year. No thanks, Iain, I have enough grey hairs. They don't call them worry gauges for nothing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 47 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: No thanks, Iain, I have enough grey hairs. They don't call them worry gauges for nothing. Oh dear, there must be a major problem the front nearside tyre is 0.1°C hotter than the rear offside one, plus there is a pressure difference of 0.01 psi! I can live without knowing that, so can the car. When checking tyre pressures are we certain that we inflate them to exactly the same pressure, I don't have a pressure gauge certified to be correct to 1/10th of a psi. I don't have any hair that isn't already grey, including my beard! I will have to think of something else for my Xmas list. 📝 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 now look what youve started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I love it! Another gauge 😀 Iain, what manufacturer do recommend? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 56 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: now look what youve started Whatever happened to Grecian 2000? It used to be all the rage. Never tried it myself...! If you ever saw what happens to tyres during every day driving - distortion, flex, and extremes of temperature - you'll be happy to live in ignorance and just keep them inflated and with good tread, like I do. You can buy advanced valve caps that will vent excess pressure if the air in the tyres expands too much due to heat, but then it has to be replaced when they cool down again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 fill em with nitrogen that doesnt change with temperature https://www.atseuromaster.co.uk/consumer/tyres/tyre-services/nitrogen-inflation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 43 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: Whatever happened to Grecian 2000? It used to be all the rage. Never tried it myself...! . Are you its not "grease the 2000" ?? Tony. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I have the "Tyre Pal" System fitted to the Motorhome. The Readout sits on top of the dash and battery is maintained by a small Solar Panel. At close to 4t on the road I feel it is worthwhile. Saved me when I had a front brake partly seize, This raised the Tyre Temp and the warning "bleat" alerted me to the issue. Normally The Failure of the tyre would have been the first indication, OR, the brake fade due to overheating. Probably paid for itself on that first and so far only occasion. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 8 hours ago, Chris A said: Oh dear, there must be a major problem the front nearside tyre is 0.1°C hotter than the rear offside one, plus there is a pressure difference of 0.01 psi! I can live without knowing that, so can the car. When checking tyre pressures are we certain that we inflate them to exactly the same pressure, I don't have a pressure gauge certified to be correct to 1/10th of a psi. I don't have any hair that isn't already grey, including my beard! I will have to think of something else for my Xmas list. 📝 3PSI change from start to end of the journey. My rears always need topping up. Temperature changes are a lot more. Best you set the high and low setpoints and only act on the bleating! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, dougbgt6 said: I love it! Another gauge 😀 Iain, what manufacturer do recommend? Doug Hi Doug, Look on https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=200000168&initiative_id=AS_20191015091947&SearchText=tpms&switch_new_app=y Internal & external TPMS available. I have never had a problem with Aliexpress & I use PayPal so I never have any potential problems. PS. Mine are both unbranded! Edited October 15, 2019 by Spitfire6 PS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 5 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: fill em with nitrogen that doesnt change with temperature https://www.atseuromaster.co.uk/consumer/tyres/tyre-services/nitrogen-inflation I will stick with the 70% free stuff. 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unkel Kunkel Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 I have Tyre pal type systems fitted to three vehicles now. I see them as a reassuring early warning system. This followed an rather unsettling incident in fairly busy traffic on the M6 a few years ago: The major part of the near side rear tyre was last seen as it overtook me, it veering across threes lanes and bouncing off the central reservation barrier as I slowed onto the hard shoulder. This was not a result of not checking tyres In fact, the car had been at a well known tyre fitting chain only the previous day so only 50 -60:miles earlier.Two new front tyres had been fitted and the rear tyres were checked and given the all clear(they were fairly new) On reflection, whilst joining the M6 traveling N off the M56 , some 5miles or so earlier, there had been a faint sound - a faint metallic brief tinkle as if I had run over a small piece of debris -maybe piece of tin can or something - certainly nothing at all remarkable or that unusual. Otherwise, nothing untoward until just before the tyre departure when there was suddenly a vague vibration from the rear of the vehicle and blurring of the rear view mirror which made me instinctively lift my foot off and slow down and change lanes.Whilst starting to do this the tyre remnant sped past, making the cause very obvious . I am sold on the idea that a tyre monitoring device would, I think of alerted me early on to to pressure loss and also the rapid heat heat build up before the incident. Fortunately though,no-one came to any harm, so it was just a nuisance. Remarkably, the wheel was completely undamaged. I was impressed how stable the car( Freelander 2 ) was - suddenly running on three and a bit tyres . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 That is seriously impressive.... and so neat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted October 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 Hi, Fuel economy would be good with tyres like that! Nobody hurt or equipment damage. Minus the tyre. Good. Here are some pics of the second to be fitted kit that is internal TPMS. Worth 25 quid for the caps! 😁. I am concerned that the cells are not serviceable. If the power lasts a few years then no problem. I guess if the cells do expire at least I have nice valve stems. Maybe the cells are charged as the wheel rotates? The external sensors have easy to replace cells. Mine lasted about 8 months. What do I expect for 25 quid? New 1632 button cells cost around 5 quid for 4.. Cheers, Iain. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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