This may be a little out there, but since purchasing my 4X4 i have found that tyre pressure is critical to its handling.
Additionally, I noticed a slight pull to the right at 100kph a few months back and stupidly ignored it.
The massive bang accompanied with a steering difficulty (nothing dangerious) prompted me to pull over.
I must praise the Isuzu steering set up.
The vehicle was totally controllable with a blown front tyre (even though it was very heavy).
The end result was several hundred dollars of new wheel and tyres.
I fitted a TPMS (cheap one off ebay) and its been great.
Its interesting watching the tyre pressures changing with temp and driving.
Anyhoo, I digress.
I recently purchased an additional 6 sensor TPMS placing the additional two sensor on the caravan wheels.
This is where my difficulties start.
The wheels are approx 20 feet from the unit, but it has difficulty in picking them up.
I get the occasional connection, but its sporadic and inconsistent.
the car wheels work great, but the caravan wheels are struggling.
Has anyone else found this?
What did you do (if anything) to fix it?
Being able to monitor tyre pressue and temp is a godsend.
I have already picked up one slow leak and a puncture before they became an issue.
And id hate to blow a tyre on the caravan, simply because I didnt notice a change.
Roger Roger said
09:28 AM Apr 20, 2023
I purchased an Oricom System with a repeater unit at back of tow vehicle which gives continuous coverage, As a truck based motorhome with trailer took a while to set alarm setting up, now working as required.
Mike Harding said
09:46 AM Apr 20, 2023
Valkie wrote:
The wheels are approx 20 feet from the unit, but it has difficulty in picking them up.
I get the occasional connection, but its sporadic and inconsistent.
What did you do (if anything) to fix it?
Basically, you're stuffed.
The wheel transmitters are not producing sufficient RF energy for the receiver to pick them up.
I'm clutching at straws but you could try:
Moving the receiver to different locations over as great an area as possible, change locations about 150mm each time.
Tape a piece of aluminium foil to the base of the receiver covering the full area of the box.
Move the receiver to a location as high as possible.
Take a piece of thin electrical wire about 2m long and wrap about four closely spaced (adjacent) turns around the receiver box then place the remaining 1m or so of wire in a straight line across the car, along the dashboard maybe?
After the above, give up and have a beer :)
Craig1 said
09:51 AM Apr 20, 2023
Sounds like an update if the tin foil doesnt work. Safety Dave supplies a booster for that reason, but doubtful if it would work with existing?
kgarnett said
09:54 AM Apr 20, 2023
You need a TPMS repeater which may be available for your system.
watsea said
10:14 AM Apr 20, 2023
A few questions about repeaters:
.How are they powered? Hard wired to a 12V source? Plugged to a 12V outlet if available? Own internal battery that needs recharging or replacement?
. I am assuming that the repeaters are not hard wired to the main TPMS display panel, is that correct?
. Estimate of size?
. Does repeater go in the vehicle or as a weather/water proof item that mounts under the vehicle somewhere?
I have tried some less expensive TPMS units that have been dash mounted only, and though the van's tyre pressure signals have transmitted ok while at rest or starting on journey, the van's signals are lost after a period of time, say after 30 minutes.
Valkie said
10:22 AM Apr 20, 2023
Hey, sounds like a plan.
Ill give them a go.
The unit I have isnt an expensive one, (being a cheapskate)
But the old one I had was even cheaper and worked perfectly for the car.
Perhaps manufacturing an antenna(what you are suggesting) could be a simple fix.
Valkie said
10:25 AM Apr 20, 2023
Yeah, mine is a cheapie, no repeater.
I may have to bite the bullet if the antenna idea doesn't work and purchase a more expensive fix.
I guess a couple of hundred is cheap insurance because just fixing that one wheel cost me over $600.00
Whenarewethere said
12:01 PM Apr 20, 2023
I have TPMS, saved us 4 tyres. We don't tow so can't help on the repeater.
Even though the batteries last a long time. It would be worthwhile checking their voltage as signal is reduced with tied batteries which I noticed on our car. Or cheap or old batteries that may have come with the unit to start with.
Mike Harding said
01:26 PM Apr 20, 2023
Valkie wrote:
Perhaps manufacturing an antenna(what you are suggesting) could be a simple fix.
If you're game to open the box, locate the internal antenna connection on the PCB and solder 1m of wire to that then lay the wire across the dashboard I'll almost guarantee it will work.
The existing antenna will probably be a loop of track about 25mm diameter on the PCB.
Craig1 said
01:58 PM Apr 20, 2023
S Dave is 12v powered, lucky I have an outlet in rear of vehicle.
Valkie said
03:18 PM Apr 20, 2023
Mike Harding wrote:
Valkie wrote:
Perhaps manufacturing an antenna(what you are suggesting) could be a simple fix.
If you're game to open the box, locate the internal antenna connection on the PCB and solder 1m of wire to that then lay the wire across the dashboard I'll almost guarantee it will work.
The existing antenna will probably be a loop of track about 25mm diameter on the PCB.
Probably an even better idea.
Ill strip it down and see what I can play with.
Cheers
watsea said
07:03 PM Apr 23, 2023
Mike Harding wrote:
Valkie wrote:
Perhaps manufacturing an antenna(what you are suggesting) could be a simple fix.
If you're game to open the box, locate the internal antenna connection on the PCB and solder 1m of wire to that then lay the wire across the dashboard I'll almost guarantee it will work.
The existing antenna will probably be a loop of track about 25mm diameter on the PCB.
Valkie said he was going to give Mike's suggestion a try and I think that I might have a go also. Nothing to loose for me.
Would there be any advantage in running some of the added antenna up along an A pillar near the windscreen?
I am still interested in receiving any comments regarding repeaters.
Mike Harding said
09:00 PM Apr 23, 2023
watsea wrote:
Would there be any advantage in running some of the added antenna up along an A pillar near the windscreen?
Probably not. The PCB loop antenna in these sorts of products is so inadequate, but cheap!, that almost anything is an improvement. I mentioned one metre of wire but it may be that 6" would do, try it and see.
Due to transmission lobes it is probably worthwhile to run the wire across the car rather than in-line with it?
StewG said
03:52 PM Apr 25, 2023
I have a Safety Dave unit, and like Valkie had difficulty in getting the caravan senders to register on the monitor (sitting on the dashboard). When I reported this to Safety Dave, he sent a transponder/repeater unit to me to put in the back of the tug. It worked well. I then made it a permanent home on the A-bar of the caravan connected to 12 volts from the car to the van. This also worked well for a year or three. It now does not work at all and I suspect that the repeater is faulty because the van senders work if I put them on the tug. I've never had a problem with the car senders, only the van senders because they are further away from the monitor.
I might give the "lengthen antenna" trick a go. Thanks for that tip, Mike.
jegog said
09:06 PM Apr 25, 2023
Looking at the specs of some of the systems advertised I see that the receiver range can vary between systems. Some have only 5 meters while others have 20 meters. Or maybe it was 20 feet and I assumed it was meters. But their receiver sensitivity varies.
Hi Guys;
This may be a little out there, but since purchasing my 4X4 i have found that tyre pressure is critical to its handling.
Additionally, I noticed a slight pull to the right at 100kph a few months back and stupidly ignored it.
The massive bang accompanied with a steering difficulty (nothing dangerious) prompted me to pull over.
I must praise the Isuzu steering set up.
The vehicle was totally controllable with a blown front tyre (even though it was very heavy).
The end result was several hundred dollars of new wheel and tyres.
I fitted a TPMS (cheap one off ebay) and its been great.
Its interesting watching the tyre pressures changing with temp and driving.
Anyhoo, I digress.
I recently purchased an additional 6 sensor TPMS placing the additional two sensor on the caravan wheels.
This is where my difficulties start.
The wheels are approx 20 feet from the unit, but it has difficulty in picking them up.
I get the occasional connection, but its sporadic and inconsistent.
the car wheels work great, but the caravan wheels are struggling.
Has anyone else found this?
What did you do (if anything) to fix it?
Being able to monitor tyre pressue and temp is a godsend.
I have already picked up one slow leak and a puncture before they became an issue.
And id hate to blow a tyre on the caravan, simply because I didnt notice a change.
Basically, you're stuffed.
The wheel transmitters are not producing sufficient RF energy for the receiver to pick them up.
I'm clutching at straws but you could try:
Moving the receiver to different locations over as great an area as possible, change locations about 150mm each time.
Tape a piece of aluminium foil to the base of the receiver covering the full area of the box.
Move the receiver to a location as high as possible.
Take a piece of thin electrical wire about 2m long and wrap about four closely spaced (adjacent) turns around the receiver box then place the remaining 1m or so of wire in a straight line across the car, along the dashboard maybe?
After the above, give up and have a beer :)
.How are they powered? Hard wired to a 12V source? Plugged to a 12V outlet if available? Own internal battery that needs recharging or replacement?
. I am assuming that the repeaters are not hard wired to the main TPMS display panel, is that correct?
. Estimate of size?
. Does repeater go in the vehicle or as a weather/water proof item that mounts under the vehicle somewhere?
I have tried some less expensive TPMS units that have been dash mounted only, and though the van's tyre pressure signals have transmitted ok while at rest or starting on journey, the van's signals are lost after a period of time, say after 30 minutes.
Hey, sounds like a plan.
Ill give them a go.
The unit I have isnt an expensive one, (being a cheapskate)
But the old one I had was even cheaper and worked perfectly for the car.
Perhaps manufacturing an antenna(what you are suggesting) could be a simple fix.
Yeah, mine is a cheapie, no repeater.
I may have to bite the bullet if the antenna idea doesn't work and purchase a more expensive fix.
I guess a couple of hundred is cheap insurance because just fixing that one wheel cost me over $600.00
I have TPMS, saved us 4 tyres. We don't tow so can't help on the repeater.
Even though the batteries last a long time. It would be worthwhile checking their voltage as signal is reduced with tied batteries which I noticed on our car. Or cheap or old batteries that may have come with the unit to start with.
If you're game to open the box, locate the internal antenna connection on the PCB and solder 1m of wire to that then lay the wire across the dashboard I'll almost guarantee it will work.
The existing antenna will probably be a loop of track about 25mm diameter on the PCB.
Probably an even better idea.
Ill strip it down and see what I can play with.
Cheers
Valkie said he was going to give Mike's suggestion a try and I think that I might have a go also. Nothing to loose for me.
Would there be any advantage in running some of the added antenna up along an A pillar near the windscreen?
I am still interested in receiving any comments regarding repeaters.
Probably not. The PCB loop antenna in these sorts of products is so inadequate, but cheap!, that almost anything is an improvement. I mentioned one metre of wire but it may be that 6" would do, try it and see.
Due to transmission lobes it is probably worthwhile to run the wire across the car rather than in-line with it?
I might give the "lengthen antenna" trick a go. Thanks for that tip, Mike.