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[Bigron]

I mean the type that fit in place of the dust caps and show red or green, depending if all is well or not.
NOT the posh jobs that Nige has, my pension would shrivel and die! My arthritic knee joints don't like bending to remove the caps at the garage compressor on a regular basis, so a quick walk around the car daily would be better.
Anyway, the question is, are they any good?

Ron.

[pauls]

152510898591 type this number into ebay 

[Bigron]

Bought 'em, promised for Thursday!
Thanks pauls. 

Ron.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Im hoping to have one of my arthritic knees replaced in the next couple of months. I could keep the old one for you if you want to refurb it. 

[Bigron]

No thanks, Albs; I've got two dodgy ones of my own! 

Ron.

[bootie]

Don't want to burst your bubble and apologies for not seeing this sooner so I could warn you.

I bought a set (2 in fact) for the wife's Zafira so she too could just have a walk round visual.
The first set allowed both rear tyres to deflate overnight, the second set only one front tyre, consequently binned both sets as I had no confidence in them.
I hope your experience of them is better than mine but at least you will be pre warned. I suggest once fitted that you keep a close eye for at least a couple of days, just in case.

HTH

All the best
Jon

[aaronjb]

But hey, at least the caps warned you the tyres were flat, eh?

[robson]

I purchased a set this morning looks like they will be returned 

[Bigron]

That was my worry, Jon, and why I asked the question if anyone had experience of them, because as I see it, to register pressure the cap has to depress the core of the valve, yes? And if so, air is retained in the tyre now by the cap alone and if the cap is loose or not up to the job - flat tyre!
At £3.09, if I have to throw them away I can still afford to eat.....just!

Ron.

[robson]

Ron we will keep in contact and make a joint fuss if they are no good.

[Bigron]

Mine are marked as despatched, promised for Thursday. Time will tell.....

Ron.

[ronnyd]

That was my worry, Jon, and why I asked the question if anyone had experience of them, because as I see it, to register pressure the cap has to depress the core of the valve, yes? And if so, air is retained in the tyre now by the cap alone and if the cap is loose or not up to the job - flat tyre!
At £3.09, if I have to throw them away I can still afford to eat.....just!

Ron.

Get your Doctor to give you a chitty for the local food bank Ron lad.

[Bigron]

He advised me to go bin-diving round the back of the local Tesco's! 

Ron.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Test them on your spare. 

[omega2018]

i had a set (but went in the bin few years back) .  they do work, unless you catch the cap on a kerb (instant flat) . 

however as has been said they depress the valve permanently while fitted.  after a few months you will start to find when you take the cap off the valve stays depressed and all the air comes out until you hastily re-fit the cap.  then you have to work out how to pump the tyre up and get the cap back on fast enough to keep it near the correct pressure .

[aaronjb]

I had that once when a valve core fell out .. pulled the car out of the tight single garage it was in and realised the tyre was flat, then spent the next eternity pumping it up with a foot pump (no compressor in those days!), pulled the pump back off and psssshhhhh, argh!

[Bigron]

Ugh - so I've bought a pile of poo! Ok, so we learn.....

Ron.

[Bigron]

Just a further thought; doesn't the same apply to Nige's super-expensive posh ones?

Ron.

[Entwood]

Just a further thought; doesn't the same apply to Nige's super-expensive posh ones?

Ron.

Yes, but they have a posh seal to hold the air in .. and the valve has never stuck in ... yet ... (new ones come with a fancy dust shield as well, mine being older don't have that .. )

[Bigron]

Thanks Nige: when I win the Lottery I'll go for the new version.
What are the odds on my winning if I don't do the Lottery? 

Ron.

[omega2018]

What are the odds on my winning if I don't do the Lottery? 

Ron.

funnily enough they are almost exactly the same as if you do do the lottery, give or take 0.0000071%

[omega2018]

Just a further thought; doesn't the same apply to Nige's super-expensive posh ones?

Ron.

Yes, but they have a posh seal to hold the air in .. and the valve has never stuck in ... yet ... (new ones come with a fancy dust shield as well, mine being older don't have that .. )

the cheapo ones had a good seal, that never failed (apart from the encounter with a kerb but even then the seal stayed fine it was the cap top that broke and let air out).  the only problem with them was the fact that they keep the valve core depressed 24/7 so yes i would expect the problem to apply to any that do the same, regardless of poshness.

[Entwood]

By sheer coincidence .. or bought on by you lot talking about them ... went out this morning and the monitor showed a sensor low battery warning. Bit of research and two were reporting low batteries, so decided to change all six. Not bad considering they've been on about 3 years and the book says they will last about 2 years.

However, point of the post, to change the batteries the sensors have to be removed from the tyres, and on all six the sensor came off without the valve sticking in at all. In fact when the sensors were replaced after fitting the new batteries there was absolutely no change to the reported pressure of any of the six tyres.

[Bigron]

That's good to hear, Nige, but it might be all academic after Monday's MOT!

Ron.

[robson]

I got mine today will probably put them on my trailer and continue to check car tyres as before.

[Bigron]

Mine arrived today as well and now I'm hesitant to fit them! 

Ron.

[omega2018]

just looking through my records i think mine lasted around 4 years before the valve problems showed up.  so if you change your tyres (and valves) less than that they might be fine. however I would carry an electric pump, spare valves and a valve remover tool with you just in case . 

in fact just the electric pump may suffice, i remember at least once stopping to check my tyre pressure, finding the valve stuck open, losing a lot of air, pumping it back up and very quickly putting the fancy valve cap back on to stop it all coming out.  only good as a get-me-home measure as now you are relying only on the cap to tell you the real pressure. getting the cap back on quickly while air is gushing out was difficult i think which is why i binned them in the end.

[Bigron]

If having the valve sticking open is a potential problem, would it be too stupid to suggest giving it a squirt of PTFE dry lubricant? 

Ron.

[robson]

Is it worth all this hassle? I don't think so but perhaps we have learnt a lesson

[ronnyd]

Sounds like you,re concerned enough about your MOT next week. Leave ,em off till your fears are confirmed or alleviated.

[Entwood]

Is it worth all this hassle? I don't think so but perhaps we have learnt a lesson

Using what Ron refers to as "the posh expensive ones" is no hassle whatsoever, and gives great "peace of mind", especially when the tin tent is on the back for 600 odd miles, as well as reminding you that winter pressures are markedly different to summer ones ....... I would certainly miss the system now 

[robson]

What is the cost of this superior system?

[Bigron]

If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it! 

Ron.

[Marks DTM Calib]

80-100 from memory for the external type (internal are similar but there is a fitting cost)

[Entwood]

What is the cost of this superior system?

This is the 4 sensor system ..

https://www.tyrepal.co.uk/product/tc215b-monitor-with-4-external-sensors/

I have the six sensor one ..

https://www.tyrepal.co.uk/product/tc215b-monitor-with-6-external-sensors/

[omega2018]

hmm, about the same cost as the value of my omega...

how about http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253103572610

[tunnie]

Holy pointless tech batman, what's wrong with checking tyre pressures every so often?

[Bigron]

For me, here's why - I have arthritic knees so I cannot kneel down for long and if I bend down, my back aches like mad.
Good enough reasons? 

Ron.

[tunnie]

For me, here's why - I have arthritic knees so I cannot kneel down for long and if I bend down, my back aches like mad.
Good enough reasons? 

Ron.

I'd say so, worth while then. 

But I'd be concerned they would be easily nicked, especially with some of the ridiculous prices they go for 

If I was to invest for the 3.2, I'd go for ones inside the tyre, then no little git can nick them.

[Bigron]

Inside the tyre? How?!!!
Would there be much point in stealing the transducers as they would be fairly useless on their own and the receiver would be inside the vehicle?

Ron.

P.S. Just been watching The last Night of the Proms; the worthy end to such a magnificent music festival - the best in the world!

[tunnie]

Inside the tyre? How?!!!
Would there be much point in stealing the transducers as they would be fairly useless on their own and the receiver would be inside the vehicle?

Ron.

P.S. Just been watching The last Night of the Proms; the worthy end to such a magnificent music festival - the best in the world!

It's been mentioned here, there is a fitting cost as the tyre needs to be removed. So the sensor sits inside the hub, similar wireless system based on pressure.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/99153/tyre-pressure-monitoring-systems-2017-group-test

You can't apply logic to petty crime, bet you they would be nicked if left on 24/7

[Doctor Gollum]

Inside the tyre? How?!!!
Would there be much point in stealing the transducers as they would be fairly useless on their own and the receiver would be inside the vehicle?

Ron.

P.S. Just been watching The last Night of the Proms; the worthy end to such a magnificent music festival - the best in the world!

It's been mentioned here, there is a fitting cost as the tyre needs to be removed. So the sensor sits inside the wheel rim, similar wireless system based on pressure.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/99153/tyre-pressure-monitoring-systems-2017-group-test

You can't apply logic to petty crime, bet you they would be nicked if left on 24/7

Fixed

[Entwood]

Holy pointless tech batman, what's wrong with checking tyre pressures every so often?

....  and just how do you check a caravan tyre whilst travelling at 60 mph ??

Whole purpose of these devices is to give dynamic warning in real time. They might be more than you think your car is worth, but they are substantially less than the total worth of my car + caravan, and infinitely less than my life is worth.

You may think they are "worthless tech", you are fully entitled to that opinion .. just as I think all deseasel engines in anything but boats, trains and trucks should be banned, as deaseasel is "worthless tech that kills" ... 

edited for smelling pistakes