What is a TPMS sensor?
A tire pressure monitoring sensor (TPMS sensor) is an essential piece of equipment for any camper. Camper tires are one of the most important pieces of equipment, and it’s ideal if they work at 100% efficiency.
Leaky tires or unbalanced pressure can affect overall driving, but the damage is often too small to see with the naked eye. That’s where a TPMS sensor comes in.
Why use a TPMS sensor?
These tiny TPMS sensors for RVs can be attached to all of your vehicle’s tires and keep you informed with real-time information about your RV’s tire pressure. Just like RV tires, there are many different models, and each has its own unique features and benefits. But whether you choose something simple or something fancy, everyone who owns an RV should have a good TPMS sensor as part of their equipment.
Below, we’ll explore some of the key benefits a TPMS sensor can provide, as well as some of the different types and some top products you may want to keep an eye out for.
Advantages of TPMS sensor for motorhomes
There are several reasons why you should invest in a good tire pressure monitoring system. The main reason is that it makes you safer on the road, but there are some additional benefits that make it a worthwhile piece of equipment.
Prevent RV tire blowouts
A blown RV tire is an RV owner’s biggest fear. When you’re traveling at high speeds on the highway, it can be incredibly dangerous if one of your tires blows out. You could start to sway or even roll over. A flat tire can be deadly for you, your passengers, and other drivers on the road. That’s why you need to do everything in your power to prevent it.
A TPMS sensor provides an early warning signal to let you know when your tires are damaged. Some models can even let you know in real time if you’ve developed a sudden leak. This alert system gives you some advance warning so you can stop and get to safety.
This device can also reduce the risk of flat tires. If you check your tires regularly and know when to replace them, you’ll likely never have to deal with a blown tire. Peace of mind alone is a great benefit!
Improve fuel efficiency
Sometimes tires don’t explode dramatically, but slowly lose air pressure over time. At first glance, this may not seem like a big deal. But underinflated tires make your RV’s ride more difficult. The harder your engine works, the more fuel it consumes. So if your tires are leaking, you’re losing some of your valuable fuel efficiency.
Anyone who owns an RV can tell you that it’s not cheap to fill up the gas tank of an RV or tow vehicle. So you will lose money if you don’t fix a problem with your tires. Although a TPMS sensor costs some money up front, it can save you money in the end.
If you own an RV, you probably travel a lot. This inevitably has an impact on the environment, but you can reduce your emissions if you have well-inflated tires. When your tires are properly inflated, your vehicle rides smoother and reduces drag.
The lighter your engine powers the RV, the fewer emissions it produces. While this is a small change, it is still a benefit that a tire pressure monitoring system can provide.
Longer life for RV tires
RV tires have to withstand a lot. They carry a lot of weight, and some of them have to withstand long trips. Rough road conditions can also wear them out, especially if you prefer camping in rural areas.
It can be expensive to replace your RV’s tires on a regular basis, so it’s good if you can extend the life of these parts. Fortunately, TPMS sensors are very useful! By paying attention to the information your TPMS sensors provide, you’ll know when your tires are worn, when they need to be replaced, and when they should be replaced altogether.
Go easy on your RV tires
If your tires are overinflated, the center of the tread will wear out faster. If the air pressure is too low, the tire’s sidewalls spread out on the road and weaken. Therefore, to get the most out of your tires, you must inflate each tire to the proper level. This ensures that wear is distributed evenly across all tires.
Direct vs. indirect TPMS sensors
Now that you know a little about the benefits of a tire pressure monitoring system, let’s break down the differences between the two main types: direct and indirect sensors.
Direct
Direct TPMS sensors are much more common. These are usually the ones that are offered for sale.
As the name implies, these sensors are attached directly to the tire and can provide information about tire pressure as it rises or falls. The information can be displayed on a separate control panel or app.
Indirect
This type of monitoring system is less common, but those that are used are often pre-installed in RVs. Instead of checking the tire itself, these systems monitor how fast each tire is spinning.
If one tire is spinning faster or slower than the others, an indirect TPMS system can alert the driver that there is likely a pressure problem.
Best RV TPMS Sensors
Finally, let’s look at some of the best TPMS sensors for RVs on the market today. Again, most of the aftermarket units available are direct sensors, but your RV may have an indirect system pre-installed. Check your RV owner’s manual for information on this.
EEZTire-TPMS6ATC Real-Time/24×7 Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
This system is one of the best total solutions. Customers can choose from a huge range of different options, such as the number of tire sensors, anti-theft functions, and different mixtures and boosters.
When this system is active, tire pressure is checked every six seconds to ensure nothing can creep in. Each model comes with a three-year warranty.
TireMinder i10 RV TPMS with 6 transmitters
The next model has a long range. It can transmit tire information up to 200 feet, so you can spread the sensors across multiple vehicles.
If you’re looking for a system that allows you to monitor multiple wheels, regardless of how far apart they are, this is a good option. It’s also quite small and compact.
Tymate Tire Pressure Monitoring System
This TPMS sensor is solar powered, so you don’t have to worry about batteries or plugging it in. There are five different alarms included in this system. It can warn you when the pressure is too high or too low, the temperature is rising or the air is escaping quickly.
The Tymate also notifies you when its charge is running low. It’s a wonderful all-purpose solution.
GUTA Tire Pressure Monitoring System for Motorhomes
Finally, we have the GUTA RV TPMS sensor system. This package is ideal for large RVs because it has eight different tire sensors.
This allows you to monitor all of the RV’s tires, as well as the tow vehicle and any cars that you might be hooking up in the back. This system has a variety of different alerts and information displays so you are always aware of the condition of your tires.
Track the maintenance of your motorhome
Keep track of all your RV maintenance and repairs with an online tool like RV LIFE Maintenance. Not only can you keep all your documents in one place, but you’ll also be reminded of maintenance due in a timely manner to avoid costly repairs and potentially serious accidents.
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