"Smart" TPMS systems

[tnrvers]

Looking at installing a TPMS system on both the MH and toad, looking at the TireMinder Smart TPMS - Smartphone Based Tire Pressure Monitor for RVs with 10 Transmitters (TPMS-APP-10).

I looked back at other TPMS treads and for information on smartphone systems and didn't find any. As with anything now days, looking at product reviews, yields about 15-20 percent negative and the remaining percentage positive.

Those of you that are using smartphone monitoring systems, or have knowledge of them, can you please share your experiences. Some of the things I'm looking at at are, reliability, accuracy, easy to use, did you rebalance the toad tire after placing the sensors on the valve stems, metal vs rubber stems and any other information you may want to share about the system you use or have used.

Thanking you advance for your input.

Tom and Barb
2000 Fleetwood Boulder 39Z

[FloridaSon]

Good question - following

[xrated]

Originally Posted by tnrvers

Looking at installing a TPMS system on both the MH and toad, looking at the TireMinder Smart TPMS - Smartphone Based Tire Pressure Monitor for RVs with 10 Transmitters (TPMS-APP-10).

I looked back at other TPMS treads and for information on smartphone systems and didn't find any. As with anything now days, looking at product reviews, yields about 15-20 percent negative and the remaining percentage positive.

Those of you that are using smartphone monitoring systems, or have knowledge of them, can you please share your experiences. Some of the things I'm looking at at are, reliability, accuracy, easy to use, did you rebalance the toad tire after placing the sensors on the valve stems, metal vs rubber stems and any other information you may want to share about the system you use or have used.

Thanking you advance for your input.

Tom and Barb
2000 Fleetwood Boulder 39Z

My experience with the TireMinder Smart TPMS was not good. I loved the fact that I didn't need to add a "monitor" to the dash of the truck or windshield, but that is where the love affair stopped! Over the 3+ years that we had ours, I probably had at least 50 false alarms from it. I never once lost communications with the sensors or the the booster or the radio to BT adapter, yet I still had false alarm after false alarms from it. Everything from "slow leak" to "no tire pressure" indicators. And before you ask, yes, I changed tire sensor batteries in all six sensor on the trailer every spring as part of my de-winterization checklist. We still had it in place when we took a trip out west last Sept (5000+ miles) and I had so many false alarms that I finally just shut it down and turned it off. It gets tiring after a while, repeatedly pulling over, checking a tire and finding out the pressure is the same as all the other tires....within a few psi numbers.

I didn't even try to sell it used anywhere, I simply removed the tire sensors, disconnected the booster and threw everything in the trash can. I wasn't going to try and sell my junk to someone else, no matter what the cost.

I then purchased a TST 507 system with 4 sensors and purchased an additional two more for the trailer's triple axles. I have used it since last year and have had ZERO issues with it. It does have the separate monitor instead of the phone for monitoring, but I've learned to live with that, and it has been rock solid. So that is/has been my experience with the TireMinder Smart TPMS system, and based on my experience with it for over three years, I certainly WOULD NOT recommend it to anyone.

[PhilAndTee]

I would be leary of using a smartphone app for realtime data. I don't have experience with a smartphone TPMS app, but if they act anything like my backup camera, I wouldn't use one. I have had numerous occasions with my backup camera (wifi. Smartphone app) showing a car behind me that I see next to me when I turn my head. It alternates from real time to very laggy. It would suck to have a tire ripping itself apart and then moments later get a low pressure warning.

[tnrvers]

xrated

WOW, what an experience and thanks for sharing it. You must be a very patient person to put up with that for three years. From your time line, it looks as if it all started four years ago. Were you able to get any feedback from TireMinder on your problems? I would think that at that time, the "Smart" phone systems were new to the industry and bad experiences such as yours would have got special attention from them. I know it doesn't matter to you now, just wandering about their response.

PhilAndTee

You are correct with issues about wireless smartphone monitors or even a normal wireless monitor. Don't know if you have tried, but often bad performance has been corrected with the addition of a booster compatible with your sending/senor system. Don't know if you have investigated that as a possible improvement or even if it will work for you, but maybe its a shot.

Any others have experiences with the use of smartphone TPMS systems. Would appreciate hearing from you.

Thank You
Tom and Barb
2000 Fleetwood Boulder 39Z

[PhilAndTee]

I haven't tried to fix it. I guess I don't really need it, I can see well enough with the mirrors. I just like to see what's directly behind me. Could be all those years driving with a rear view mirror, haha.

[xrated]

Originally Posted by tnrvers

xrated

WOW, what an experience and thanks for sharing it. You must be a very patient person to put up with that for three years. From your time line, it looks as if it all started four years ago. Were you able to get any feedback from TireMinder on your problems? I would think that at that time, the "Smart" phone systems were new to the industry and bad experiences such as yours would have got special attention from them. I know it doesn't matter to you now, just wandering about their response.

PhilAndTee

You are correct with issues about wireless smartphone monitors or even a normal wireless monitor. Don't know if you have tried, but often bad performance has been corrected with the addition of a booster compatible with your sending/senor system. Don't know if you have investigated that as a possible improvement or even if it will work for you, but maybe its a shot.

Any others have experiences with the use of smartphone TPMS systems. Would appreciate hearing from you.

Thank You
Tom and Barb
2000 Fleetwood Boulder 39Z

Tireminder sent me a couple of new sensors at one time, and seemed to take care of it for a little while, then a different sensor started acting up, then another one, but nothing consistent. So they would work OK for a while, then one would start giving me issues. In 2020, we hardly used the trailer because of Covid, but last year we were out 8 or 9 times and the trip out west of 5000+ miles. By then, the system was out of warranty and I basically said the heck with this. I had been researching for a replacement and it seems that hands down the TST 507 was the go to device, so that's what I bought.

[NXR]

Separate TPMS display or a phone app for the display?

Do you really want a critical safety feature dependent on a phone being charged or on some phone update breaking the TPMS functionality? I do not but perhaps you are willing to take that small risk.

Another consideration is HOW the sensors communicate with the smartphone. Do they use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Because that's the two choices.

Ever accidentally put your phone in Airplane Mode? I have. That will break the TPMS function. I'd suspect the app will warn you of that condition but you need to be paying attention for those notifications.

The TST 507 TPMS uses an unlicensed radio frequency of 433.92 MHz in an ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) band. That will give it more range and ability to penetrate obstructions than 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

I just want a stable system for my TPMS.

Ray

[traveldawg]

I've had a few systems including TST but none smartphone based. I tend to want my phone for other things rather than a monitor.

Right now I am using a TireMinder I-10. The primary reason for this is that it displays ALL the tires at the same time; it doesn't 'scroll' like so many other systems which means you are constantly looking at it if you want to see each tire pressure (or temp). And the color display is outstanding; something my older TST sorely lacked.

[dblong]

I use the VESAFE TPMS with 10 sensors and haven't had one issue with it.

[weird]

Zero issues. Half the price. Better display IMO.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f52/guta...ml#post6159830

[bddadles]

I had a tire minder for a few years and did not like the touchyness (is that a real word) that others have mentioned. And I have no idea why being smart phone monitored is a big deal. When I'm adjusting tire pressures I just put the monitor in my pocket as I go from tire to tire. I changed to a TST 507 with 10 sensors and have been happy with it.

[scotttkd]

I think you are going to find that most folks have a favorite, and a reason for it. I tried out the TST after reading a thousand posts of recommendation on this and other forums only to have disastrous results and wound up going to the Tireminder. After getting it dialed in to accommodate the tire pressure increase as you drive and the subsequent high pressure warnings (It's a range of over and under from the point you set, not actual inputs) it is working fine for me.

[xrated]

Originally Posted by NXR

Separate TPMS display or a phone app for the display?

Do you really want a critical safety feature dependent on a phone being charged or on some phone update breaking the TPMS functionality? I do not but perhaps you are willing to take that small risk.

Another consideration is HOW the sensors communicate with the smartphone. Do they use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Because that's the two choices.

Ever accidentally put your phone in Airplane Mode? I have. That will break the TPMS function. I'd suspect the app will warn you of that condition but you need to be paying attention for those notifications.

The TST 507 TPMS uses an unlicensed radio frequency of 433.92 MHz in an ISM (Industrial, Scientific, Medical) band. That will give it more range and ability to penetrate obstructions than 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

I just want a stable system for my TPMS.

Ray

The TireMinder Smart TPMS......Sensors to booster....radio frequency transmission. Booster to a radio freq/BT converter (inside the cab of the truck's back window). BT converter to your phone, which is likely no more than maybe 6' away from the BT converter in the back window. That part of the system was flawless and that was on a 45' long triple axle Toy Hauler behind a CrewCab Dually with an 8' bed. The issue for me was simple false alarms from the sensors....pretty much all of them at one time or another.

Solution: TST 507 with a booster and 6 sensors for the trailer tires.