TPMS, Power Management upgrades: AM I JUST PARANOID?

[Glensouth]

Never had tpms sensors stolen, or any other thing, in my 20 plus years rving.

[fox@srfox.net]

Originally Posted by TimmyB

OK, admittedly I am new to this RV world. We are so excited by the journey we have begun, but in adding to the safety aspect of our vehicle (suspension, tires, power management), I keep getting this feeling of dread in spending three or four hundred dollars on something and then having it stolen while we were away from the campground! (I feel the same way about my bikes, but I'm working on those solutions.)

Here's where I am: I want to add a TPMS system. I think the EEZ Tire system looks like it fits my needs the best, but the others look decent as well. Do people mess with these? Do they see sensors on your valve stems and say, "Oh, there's a couple hundred bucks worth of sensors just lying there!"? Or, am I just paranoid about things that I shouldn't be?

Same with power management. I think we will be getting a Hughes Autoformer with Surge Protection. At $350, I'd hate to leave this on the pedestal with a flimsy little cable lock, but again, am I overly paranoid? (I do see that Hughes now has a hardwire option, and I would be very interested in that, but not sure how to get the wiring to run into one of my storage areas.)

Help ease my anxiety over the unknown, please!

We have a Progressive on the post and no one has messed with it in 5 years.
I like the external one in case you have to bypass it. (I have had to)
We have the Ezze Tire system and don't have the sensors locked on, same story, never a problem.
I would never leave home without either of them.

[SuperBoar]

My EEZ will pick up the 6 tires on the motorhome (Vegas 24.1) but not the TOAD, so I bought their repeater. All is well now but I need a permanent way to power it. The rear compartment is the recommended location for the receiver/sender and has some 12v lights I could tap into with a switch, but I cannot get the covers off to get to some electrical connections. They are LED and maybe the sealed type since there are no bulbs to replace.
Does anybody know how to open these light fixtures or where an easy 12v source is located inside the rear section of the coach?

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by SuperBoar

My EEZ will pick up the 6 tires on the motorhome (Vegas 24.1) but not the TOAD, so I bought their repeater. All is well now but I need a permanent way to power it. The rear compartment is the recommended location for the receiver/sender and has some 12v lights I could tap into with a switch, but I cannot get the covers off to get to some electrical connections. They are LED and maybe the sealed type since there are no bulbs to replace.
Does anybody know how to open these light fixtures or where an easy 12v source is located inside the rear section of the coach?

There is the 12v plug that's always on in the back right upper cupboard (above the head of the driver's side bed); if you aren't using that for something else, might make it really easy.

[SuperBoar]

Originally Posted by TimmyB

There is the 12v plug that's always on in the back right upper cupboard (above the head of the driver's side bed); if you aren't using that for something else, might make it really easy.

Looked for a cigaret type 12v socket - could not find it. Did find a 120v and coax antenna outlet. Mine is a 2017, perhaps that extravagance got dropped. The only 12v plug in the entire unit is in the dash.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by SuperBoar

Looked for a cigaret type 12v socket - could not find it. Did find a 120v and coax antenna outlet. Mine is a 2017, perhaps that extravagance got dropped. The only 12v plug in the entire unit is in the dash.

Go stand in your bedroom, looking to the back of the rig. There are two upper cupboards above the bed on the BACK wall of the RV, one left and one right. Open the right one. Climb up on the bed so you can stick your head into it. Look to the right. Up against the outside wall should be a 12V cigarette lighter style outlet. I am pretty sure it was there in 17 but I can not guarantee that.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by SuperBoar

Looked for a cigaret type 12v socket - could not find it. Did find a 120v and coax antenna outlet. Mine is a 2017, perhaps that extravagance got dropped. The only 12v plug in the entire unit is in the dash.

I would take a picture for you but I am in Chicago, on my way to Denver, and my rig is back in Michigan.

[Mo_Mike]

Originally Posted by SuperBoar

My EEZ will pick up the 6 tires on the motorhome (Vegas 24.1) but not the TOAD, so I bought their repeater. All is well now but I need a permanent way to power it. The rear compartment is the recommended location for the receiver/sender and has some 12v lights I could tap into with a switch, but I cannot get the covers off to get to some electrical connections. They are LED and maybe the sealed type since there are no bulbs to replace.
Does anybody know how to open these light fixtures or where an easy 12v source is located inside the rear section of the coach?

If the lights are surface mounted the should be a way to "loosen" the fixture and get to the wiring feeding it. I tapped into the feeder wiring (since it is always on) and mounted repeater to the roof of the compartment next to light itself. Easily picks up all four tires for the TOAD.

I just have to rember why there is a green glow it storage compartment from the LED...

[Squerly]

As an update to my previous post and the TPMS that I'm using.

There’s a lot of things to be considered when buying a TPMS, and a lot of us don’t know what those things are until after we’ve bought one and gotten a chance to get familiar with it.

In my case, the TPMS came with basically -0- understandable instructions, so setup was difficult. I didn’t buy the “flow through” stems because I had heard too many people say they didn’t work. Whether they do or not work is still unknown to me, but what I do know is, the kit I purchased requires the cap (sending unit) to be removed to add/remove air.

Simple enough, right? Well, not actually. The caps are secured by a locking nut and you need to use a small (provided) tool to loosen it. So, you loosen the nut, spin it all the way back down the stem, remove the cap and then add air. In my case, I had to remove the locking nut completely to gain the needed distance for the air tool to fit securely enough to add the air.

But let’s not forget that this assumes you have already modified the tire’s beauty ring or that you have removed it completely. So suddenly, checking tire pressure becomes a real pain in the keester. Especially on the rear tires as the beauty ring is secured by two large 1 ¼ nuts. You have one of these in your toolbox, don’t you?

Also, and this is of major importance, if you have a TPMS you should be able to just look at the monitor and see what the pressure is on each tire and then add/remove air if necessary. Well, that’s a reasonable assumption, and one that I made as well. But in my case, the monitor displays the tire pressure that was last monitored when the tires were rolling, and not what the tire pressure actually is now.

This is a major shortcoming in my opinion as my “pre-launch” inspection includes knowing what my tire pressure is “before” I leave and not after I’m already on the road. Especially if I have to go through all the above-mentioned steps to add/remove air.

Another thing to consider is how the tire information is going to be viewed. In my case, the kit came with a small solar powered display. I’m somewhat of a solar nut, so that was a real selling point for me. But the optimal word here is “small”, and that means you can’t see the display when it’s sitting out on the dash where it needs to be to soak up those battery charging protons.

So these are some of the things that I DIDN’T know when I purchased mine, and they are the reasons that I will be looking for a new one.

I hope this helps.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by TimmyB

OK, admittedly I am new to this RV world. We are so excited by the journey we have begun, but in adding to the safety aspect of our vehicle (suspension, tires, power management), I keep getting this feeling of dread in spending three or four hundred dollars on something and then having it stolen while we were away from the campground! (I feel the same way about my bikes, but I'm working on those solutions.)

Here's where I am: I want to add a TPMS system. I think the EEZ Tire system looks like it fits my needs the best, but the others look decent as well. Do people mess with these? Do they see sensors on your valve stems and say, "Oh, there's a couple hundred bucks worth of sensors just lying there!"? Or, am I just paranoid about things that I shouldn't be?

Same with power management. I think we will be getting a Hughes Autoformer with Surge Protection. At $350, I'd hate to leave this on the pedestal with a flimsy little cable lock, but again, am I overly paranoid? (I do see that Hughes now has a hardwire option, and I would be very interested in that, but not sure how to get the wiring to run into one of my storage areas.)

Help ease my anxiety over the unknown, please!

You only need a Hughes transformer if you have low voltage. Get a EMS. Energy management system. It will not only tell you there is a problem, it will turn off the electricity until the problem is fixed. A autotrans followed by an EMS is the way to go. Do not put the EMS in front of the auto trans. EMS will turn off power at 108 and the Auto trans will have nothing to do.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by cavie

You only need a Hughes transformer if you have low voltage. Get a EMS. Energy management system. It will not only tell you there is a problem, it will turn off the electricity until the problem is fixed. A autotrans followed by an EMS is the way to go. Do not put the EMS in front of the auto trans. EMS will turn off power at 108 and the Auto trans will have nothing to do.

Since the Hughes cut-in is 113 volts, why would a EMS ever see 108 volts?

[Long & Winding road]

Squerly - was that the B-Qtech $129 system?

[Squerly]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Squerly - was that the B-Qtech $129 system?

Yes it is.

[Long & Winding road]

Ok, Im glad I held off on my purchase. I really like the idea of the TPMS but I hate to shell out $350 -$450 for a system.

I just check them before we leave for each trip and before the return home.

I also look at them anytime we stop to see (or hear) anything odd. I have a club that I have used before to thump them (also good for thumping criminals or crazy animals).

[pavemike]

Originally Posted by Squerly

As an update to my previous post and the TPMS that I'm using.

There’s a lot of things to be considered when buying a TPMS, and a lot of us don’t know what those things are until after we’ve bought one and gotten a chance to get familiar with it.

In my case, the TPMS came with basically -0- understandable instructions, so setup was difficult. I didn’t buy the “flow through” stems because I had heard too many people say they didn’t work. Whether they do or not work is still unknown to me, but what I do know is, the kit I purchased requires the cap (sending unit) to be removed to add/remove air.

Simple enough, right? Well, not actually. The caps are secured by a locking nut and you need to use a small (provided) tool to loosen it. So, you loosen the nut, spin it all the way back down the stem, remove the cap and then add air. In my case, I had to remove the locking nut completely to gain the needed distance for the air tool to fit securely enough to add the air.

But let’s not forget that this assumes you have already modified the tire’s beauty ring or that you have removed it completely. So suddenly, checking tire pressure becomes a real pain in the keester. Especially on the rear tires as the beauty ring is secured by two large 1 ¼ nuts. You have one of these in your toolbox, don’t you?

Also, and this is of major importance, if you have a TPMS you should be able to just look at the monitor and see what the pressure is on each tire and then add/remove air if necessary. Well, that’s a reasonable assumption, and one that I made as well. But in my case, the monitor displays the tire pressure that was last monitored when the tires were rolling, and not what the tire pressure actually is now.

This is a major shortcoming in my opinion as my “pre-launch” inspection includes knowing what my tire pressure is “before” I leave and not after I’m already on the road. Especially if I have to go through all the above-mentioned steps to add/remove air.

Another thing to consider is how the tire information is going to be viewed. In my case, the kit came with a small solar powered display. I’m somewhat of a solar nut, so that was a real selling point for me. But the optimal word here is “small”, and that means you can’t see the display when it’s sitting out on the dash where it needs to be to soak up those battery charging protons.

So these are some of the things that I DIDN’T know when I purchased mine, and they are the reasons that I will be looking for a new one.

I hope this helps.

I ordered mine from TechnoRV. They send you their own simple instructions for all products they sell. And, excellent customer support if needed.

https://www.technorv.com/tst-tire-pr...oring-systems/

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by Long & Winding road

Ok, Im glad I held off on my purchase. I really like the idea of the TPMS but I hate to shell out $350 -$450 for a system.

I just check them before we leave for each trip and before the return home.

I also look at them anytime we stop to see (or hear) anything odd. I have a club that I have used before to thump them (also good for thumping criminals or crazy animals).

My EezTire system was 299 plus 16 for shipping. I find that to be a bargain for the piece of mind that it gives me, constantly monitoring and reporting not only the pressure but the temperature of each of my six tires. I would love to say that I'll check them each time, but I know my history when I say things like that! There is SO much to keep track of with a vehicle of this size already; this is one of those very important things that I am happy to spend $300 on and let a system take care of for me EACH AND EVERY MINUTE.

[gmc]

While I feel the TPMS is valuable even just with the RV, the tipping point for me was when we started towing... If something happened to the Jeep’s tires, by the time I felt it, it would be wayyyy to late.
Now having it, makes it easier on checking in prep for trip, and on road.

My rig came with extensions on the dual rears, which make putting on/taking off sensors easy to add air or get out of sight. On long trips (parked) I’ve removed them as they stop transmitting then and save battery. They also can’t walk away...

For the EMS, I opted for external ‘Surge Guard” brand - having been close (few feet) from a whole house surge protector that gave its life in a power surge (with one load bang) I really had no desire to have that under my bed (where all the power components are on my rig)
I do typically chain it to power pole. Never had an issue.

Both of these are high on my list as ‘required’ equipment.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by gmc

While I feel the TPMS is valuable even just with the RV, the tipping point for me was when we started towing... If something happened to the Jeep’s tires, by the time I felt it, it would be wayyyy to late.
Now having it, makes it easier on checking in prep for trip, and on road.

My rig came with extensions on the dual rears, which make putting on/taking off sensors easy to add air or get out of sight. On long trips (parked) I’ve removed them as they stop transmitting then and save battery. They also can’t walk away...

For the EMS, I opted for external ‘Surge Guard” brand - having been close (few feet) from a whole house surge protector that gave its life in a power surge (with one load bang) I really had no desire to have that under my bed (where all the power components are on my rig)
I do typically chain it to power pole. Never had an issue.

Both of these are high on my list as ‘required’ equipment.

I bought the install kit for the Hughes Autoformer. Ended up taking it back. I too want it out where I can see it and I also lock it every time but I'm going to get a more serious lock next month.

[EA37TS]

I use an external Surge Guard and lock it to my power cord using one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/Technology-Re...gateway&sr=8-3

Been working fine and without issue for over 3 years now.

For TPMS I just purchased the Tire Minder TM77 to replace an older system with non-replaceable batteries. I plan on installing the Tire Minder this weekend, to include sensors on the Jeep.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Beau388

Since the Hughes cut-in is 113 volts, why would a EMS ever see 108 volts?

It won't if it's behind the Auto trans. If it in front it will read the park voltage.

If the EMS sees 108 it is gonna shut things off! Auto trans will have nothing to read.

auto trans can not increase the incoming voltage.