PP Ez Install

[blueblood]

If your thinking of buying and installing Pressure Pro sensors, you may find my process of some value or maybe not 

 

[Ned]

I'm sure Bernie will correct me if I'm wrong, but your method programmed the initial pressure for all tires at 10psi.  That means you won't get an alarm until the pressure drops to <9psi, not good for a 90+psi RV tire or even a 30psi car tire.  You have to install the sensors on the correct tire to set the initial pressure to the right value or the alarms won't work.

 

[BernieD]

Ned

Actually, Blueblood's procedure will work if the sensors stay off a tire for over one minute since the sensors reset when that happens and are then replaced on the tires. I am somewhat concerned with the procedure tho in that the sensors, once set, will attempt to send low pressure warning signals and burn up the batteries a lot faster. I would strongly recommend uninstalling the sensors if they aren't mounted on the tires, which defeats what Blueblood was attempting.

If two people are available to do the install, I would suggest using the method we used to install your sensors. First, all the sensors were screwed onto the valve stems for just one turn, enough to hold them on. This permits them to acclimatize. Next, one person watches the monitor and pushes the buttons while the other person tightens each sensor as called for by the person pushing the buttons on the monitor ;D You don't have to go back and forth into the RV that way, tho the normal one person way gives you much better exercise However, if there are movement restrictions involved, I would suggest using a helper.

 

[Ned]

Bernie,

Thanks for the additional information.  I forgot that the sensors would recalibrate after being off the tire for a minute.  But the additional battery use would be a concern to me too.  The two person method works really well as we showed

 

[blueblood]

Ned

I am somewhat concerned with the procedure tho in that the sensors, once set, will attempt to send low pressure warning signals and burn up the batteries a lot faster. I would strongly recommend uninstalling the sensors if they aren't mounted on the tires, which defeats what Blueblood was attempting.

Bernie - the sensors shut off after 5 minutes on no use that is why using an egg crate to store sensors when not going on road for some time is used - no battery power us used and thus batttery life extended. What am I missing ????

 

[BernieD]

Bernie - the sensors shut off after 5 minutes on no use that is why using an egg crate to store sensors when not going on road for some time is used - no battery power us used and thus battery life extended. What am I missing ????

Blueblood

Nothing that I know. You are right, the sensors shut down when not used. The only time I take mine off is when we are 4 wheeling to prevent terrain damage. Otherwise I leave them on the vehicles. The car tires are balanced with them on and run smoother.

 

[blueblood]

Bernie - the sensors shut off after 5 minutes on no use that is why using an egg crate to store sensors when not going on road for some time is used - no battery power us used and thus battery life extended. What am I missing ????

Blueblood

Nothing that I know. You are right, the sensors shut down when not used. The only time I take mine off is when we are 4 wheeling to prevent terrain damage. Otherwise I leave them on the vehicles. The car tires are balanced with them on and run smoother.

I thought they had to have the pressure off as well. That is reason for storing in egg crate. I'll check this out with them.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Some time ago there was an explanation on the Pressure Pro web site about how the sensors preserved battery life. As I recall, one of the features was that they ceased or reduced transmitting if they sat still for some length of time.  I don't know if that feature, would would seem to require some sort of motion detection, is still part of the design or not.  The explanation about battery life is no longer on he web site and it merely gives a 3 year estimate as tpical battery life.  But if the sensor goes dormant while in an egg crate, why not also if sitting on a motionless tire?  The obvious difference is a zero pressure state while stored in an egg crate, but I don't know if that is relevent or not.  However, it is simpler/easier for the sensor to detect zero pressure than including motion detection in the design. Maybe they simplified it?

 

[BernieD]

Bernie - the sensors shut off after 5 minutes on no use that is why using an egg crate to store sensors when not going on road for some time is used - no battery power us used and thus batttery life extended. What am I missing ????

Blueblood

Rethinking the issue, since the sensors in the egg crates have no pressure, they would all be in a low pressure warning state and broadcasting a low pressure warning. Therefore they would not shut off after 5 minutes but would continue broadcasting until you brought them up to pressure.

 

[blueblood]

I sent my letter to Doug McMeen at Advantage PressurePro and he verifies its a good process. His exact words were "you have nailed an easy installation method" I also verified that once pressure is removed from the sensors for 5 minutes the sensor goes quiet and no battery life is consumed.

Doug had two cautions in using my method both of which apply in normal method. One the valve and valve stem must be in good condition on RV tire/s; if not the solid red tire would lite at that position and three dashes will show and two, the valve stem may be in a position that monitor may not easily pick up signal and would need to move vehicle to change orientation. Neither problem showed up in my installation/s.

I did purchase the remote antenna kit as an owner of an exact duplicate model as mine had problems with his toad reception. However, I did NOT install antenna and it works very well. In fact, I have seperated toad from motorhome and moved back several feet and the signal was still good.

 

[BernieD]

Blueblood

As long as Doug confirmed your procedure, I would go along with it.

 

[Tom]

I did purchase the remote antenna kit as an owner of an exact duplicate model as mine had problems with his toad reception. However, I did NOT install antenna and it works very well. In fact, I have seperated toad from motorhome and moved back several feet and the signal was still good.

Is this discepancy in reception understood? Why would there be such a difference in results? Does anyone know if PP implemented a change to fix this problem?

 

[BernieD]

Is this discepancy in reception understood? Why would there be such a difference in results? Does anyone know if PP implemented a change to fix this problem?

Tom

Answering your last question first, the current PP monitors and sensors are much better than the original models in communicating with each other. There have been a number of upgrades since the first model came out.

As you are aware, there are issues in over the air transmissions; distance from signal source, signal strength, signal blockage, signal power, etc. My coach is 40.5' long and I am able to have my monitor and sensors communicate when the toad is hooked up behind the coach. With the previous model I was not able to maintain communications and began using the cable tethered antenna. This placed the antenna 25' back in the coach and closer to the toad which resolved the reception problem. When I switched to the latest version with the new sensors and monopole antenna I was able to receive the sensor signal with just the monopole. Most of the people to whom I have sold the PressurePro system are successful (they all have the latest model available) with just the monopole antenna. Some others, for various reasons including monitor location, length of coach, frame material of coach blocking the signal, etc. have better success with the antenna extension.

 

[John From Detroit]

One issue on motion detection,,, It's fairly easy to detect motion when you have a device sitting off center on a tire and it's always pointed in more or less the same direction (out or flat, to be honest it matters not)

you rig a simple switch or two.. Both are ring/spring switches (that is a tiny weight on the end of a spring wire is surrounded by a weight.  No contact between at least ONE of those springs and rings for five minutes means POWER OFF

Going down the road at any speed over the minimum (which could be as low as 1 mph depending on tire size spring tension and placement of the sensor) and centrifical force would force the weight to contact the ring completing the circuit and activating the sensor

Total cost of materials.. Under 1 cent in quanity

 

[Tom]

Thanks for clarification Bernie. I missed the fact that PP came out with a newer version(s), eliminating most of the reception issues.

OTOH Blueblood specifically referenced "an exact duplicate model" to his having reception issues. Were both of these older versions of the PP?

Just trying to get the facts straight and understand.

 

[BernieD]

OTOH Blueblood specifically referenced "an exact duplicate model" to his having reception issues. Were both of these older versions of the PP?

Just trying to get the facts straight and understand.

I didn't sell Blueblood or his friend with the "exact duplicate model" so I can't say which versions they have. While version 1 is easy to identify, it has a dipole antenna coming out the sides of the monitor, versions 2 and 3 both use the monopole antenna mounted on the top of the monitor. The difference is in the electronics in the sensors and monitor. There is a significant difference in sensitivity between the two.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Bernie. It sure would clarify things if we knew one or both had the "old" version.

 

[blueblood]

OTOH Blueblood specifically referenced "an exact duplicate model" to his having reception issues. Were both of these older versions of the PP?

Just trying to get the facts straight and understand.

I didn't sell Blueblood or his friend with the "exact duplicate model" so I can't say which versions they have. While version 1 is easy to identify, it has a dipole antenna coming out the sides of the monitor, versions 2 and 3 both use the monopole antenna mounted on the top of the monitor. The difference is in the electronics in the sensors and monitor. There is a significant difference in sensitivity between the two.

We both have the monopole but if there are two new monopole models then I don't know if exact duplicates.

On another note - Doug has e-mailed me back and said they are going to go ahead and release the procedure I posted. Seems they have all ways had it available but didn't post for fear of confusing people. My comments have "inspired" them to publish. Here I thought I had an original idea. Dang!  :

 

[Tom]

Bernie

I assume that each PP sensor/transmitter operates at a different frequency (?). Does that frequency/identity get inputted to the receiver at the time of installation? What I'm really trying to understand is if, for example, I bought 6 sensors (for the coach) and a receiver, could I merely add another 4 sensors (for the toad) at a later date?

I'm still struggling with the issue of the OEM sensors installed on our Suburban. I'd prefer not to disable or remove the OEM equipment, and I don't think Chris will want to move the receiver from the coach to the toad or, for that matter, to have the receiver visible in the toad.

Does anyone know of a way I could receive the signals from the OEM sensors on the toad while driving the coach?

 

[Karl]

Tom,

Most, if not all, low-power consumer rf transmitters/receivers operate in the 400MHz region. It is not necessary to have different frequencies because each transmitter sends out an encoded bitstream which identifies it to the receiver. That's why you can't just arbitrarily switch units from one wheel to another. A receiver can be constructed quite easily to pick up an OEM signal, but you would have to know the base frequency and the encoding used. If you can supply the type/model/mfg, etc., I can do some research to find out if it is feasible. They all have to be registered with the FCC and each carries it's own registration number which must be clearly displayed. That would help quite a bit. It should be on a label somewhere.