TST 507 REPEATER REGUIREMENT

[kirbybear]

Just had a blowout on the 5th. I installed the TST 507 in June of 2011. During the blowout the 507 reported all tire pressures were A OK even when I was standing looking at the tire remains.

Mike at TST indicated the problem is when the 5th is over 33 feet and after driving over one and a half hours the tire pressure signal may not be received by the monitor if a repeater is not installed. If signal interrupt occurs the monitor will beep and a red lite occurs.

I do not have a repeater and in 4 years and 30,000 miles, I have never had a beep or red lite occur while underway.

Mike is sending me a repeater to resolve the issue. Mike suggested that after 1 1/2 hour to stop and remove a sensor to simulate a blowout.

I will verify after I receive the repeater but it will be a few months.

[GMandJM]

scroller95969 wrote:
Is there any reason not to have a repeater even with a short rv? Seems like for the extra $40 or $50 to have the system work as good as it possibly can would be worth the money so I don't have to worry about it.

Better to have it and not need it...than to need it and not have it, eh?

Things other than distance can interfere with the signals your sensors send to your monitor. Nav systems, other electronics, even glass according to the MinderResearch VP I talked with recently.

Personal choice, but I tend to agree with you: I really want my safety equipment to work as well as it possibly can.

Seems like that shouldn't cost $50 extra. Again, that's jmho.

[Dutch___Di]

There is no reason to not buy a repeater but a lot of people including me don't care to buy something we may not need. Since it can be purchased later, most seem to want to try the system without it 1st. With our 96 dodge and same 5th wheel, we did not need a repeater but with our 2015, it didn't take long to see we did need one so be bought one then. Hugs, Di

scroller95969 wrote:
Is there any reason not to have a repeater even with a short rv? Seems like for the extra $40 or $50 to have the system work as good as it possibly can would be worth the money so I don't have to worry about it.

[scroller95969]

Is there any reason not to have a repeater even with a short rv? Seems like for the extra $40 or $50 to have the system work as good as it possibly can would be worth the money so I don't have to worry about it.

[GMandJM]

Looks like we'll have to agree that we disagree on that, as well.

[Dutch___Di]

I don't mind agreeing to disagree but I do take exception to your assumption that because I don't agree with you, I am misunderstanding you. If you feel only mymy questioning your statements on the posts here is belaboring the subject, I don't need to go further with your posts. Di

GMandJM wrote:
There seems to be some misunderstanding on your part, Di.

So as to not belabor the subject, we'll just respectfully agree that we disagree.

[GMandJM]

Thanks, stripit.

That would explain why there was no alarm/alert. Things were plenty heated up around the back wheel even at 136f or so. I wasn't babysitting the monitor so I don't know what it got up to at highest.

I haven't checked yet to see if mine is still set at factory default. Will consider resetting high temp to lower than 157f. (EDIT: It was still set at 157f, which is apparently as low as it goes.)

But dealing with a seized slide on the caliper was enough joy for one morning. 😉

[stripit]

Default high temp warning was 157 degrees before the high alarm, plenty of time to stop and find the source of the problem in most cases.

GMandJM wrote:
Glad to read all is well with you and your system, KirbyBear.

I'm pretty sure that the system is supposed to respond to an instant/massive pressure loss. This is what we simulate when we take a sensor off a tire. The monitor gets a reading from the sensor that the pressure is suddenly gone and we should get an alert.

In a strange coincidence: We got home from running errands in the Exploder today and noticed a horrible something's-burning-type smell. We traced it to our back, passenger side wheel. IR showed 136f after sitting about 10 minutes. After rebooting the TPMS monitor (which we shut off when we parked) it showed a similar temp after the sensor sync'd up.

No alarm though. I'll look into the settings on that monitor when I have more time.

Does anyone know what the default is supposed to be temp-wise?

[7ofus]

We now have 2 repeaters (one near the rear axle and one near the front) on our 33' MH and don't seem to be losing communication as much any more. We have the TST internal system. The monitor is 19' from the rear axle.

My biggest disappointment was that I paid decent money for the system. And then paid to have the internal sensors installed. And then I had to figure out on my own that I would not get a loss of signal warning for an hour. Then buy a repeater. Then get another repeater. I now have a functional system, but it was WAY more trouble than it should have been.

I do love the internal temperature reading. I believe it is worth the extra work to have the internal sensors.

[GMandJM]

Glad to read all is well with you and your system, KirbyBear.

I'm pretty sure that the system is supposed to respond to an instant/massive pressure loss. This is what we simulate when we take a sensor off a tire. The monitor gets a reading from the sensor that the pressure is suddenly gone and we should get an alert.

In a strange coincidence: We got home from running errands in the Exploder today and noticed a horrible something's-burning-type smell. We traced it to our back, passenger side wheel. IR showed 136f after sitting about 10 minutes. After rebooting the TPMS monitor (which we shut off when we parked) it showed a similar temp after the sensor sync'd up.

No alarm though. I'll look into the settings on that monitor when I have more time.

Does anyone know what the default is supposed to be temp-wise?

[kirbybear]

Not to add more confusion to this topic, but I ran a few tests without a repeater.
I placed the monitor two foot from the left rear tire on the 5th wheel ( the tire that blew ), monitor at ash tray in the truck with GPS running and not running ( GPS six inches from monitor ) , after two hours on the highway and removed the left rear sensor in each test After one to two seconds, the monitor beep and flashed a red led, just like it was supposed to do !

I also hooked an air pressure pump up to the sensor and repeatedly varied the pressure from zero to 80 psi with perfect corellation to pressures and beep/led response.

I ran a sepate test for initial start up for sensor response. Without a repeater the sensors (four) appeared from 1:30 to 3:30 minutes. With the repeater installed in the front cargo bay the sensors appeared from :30 to 2:30 minutes.

I have to conclude that ether the stars alinged to not report the loss of pressure or the system does not respond to a instant/massive loss of air pressure.

Now that I have a repeater installed, short of going out and blowing a tire ?

[GMandJM]

We put our booster on a 12v plug also. Previously we had it plugged into the jump box in the tow'd (not my idea) but we're going to put it mid-coach from now on, as suggested by Chuck at Minder Research. There just happens to be a 12v outlet there anyway.

Just for the record, I LIKE our TST system. It seems like some people around here think I'm denigrating TST or making derogatory comments about their product. That is incorrect.

What I don't like about TPMS systems (and apparently this is not a brand-specific issue) is that when there's a dropped signal from a sensor, it can take up to an hour for that information to show up on a monitor.

Yes, the repeated/booster SHOULD help with or resolve this. I'm just concerned about people who don't know they need one. They could have readings on their monitors that are an hour old. Look at what happened to the OP.

As said before, the systems aren't perfect and a TPMS doesn't make us bullet-proof, but I still feel safer traveling with one than without one.

We just have to be aware of the limitations of our systems.

[GMandJM]

There seems to be some misunderstanding on your part, Di.

So as to not belabor the subject, we'll just respectfully agree that we disagree.

And in the interest of full disclosure, it appears Dutch & Di are TST vendors/resellers.

[Dutch___Di]

My TST has a low battery icon and alert. It will show up in the lower left hand bottom corner on your screen. If you change batteries before they get low, you are right, the icon will not show nor will it alert. If you look I think in the front page or two of your manual, it will show all the icons so you know what to look for. Also when you 1st turn on your monitor, the icons will come up for a very short period of time just to show they are there. Hugs, Di

GMandJM wrote:

wyoming3310 wrote:

GMandJM wrote:
...Was looking at the Tire Minder manual earlier and it looks like they now have the lock-on sensors. That's new since last time I looked at them. They also have a low battery icon and alert, which my TST doesn't.

My TST system reports low battery, and I prefer the TST anti theft wrenches over the Minder screw.

You're right, I think. I've never gotten a low battery alert with my TST system. Maybe because I change the batteries and o-rings every year - whether they need it or not.

I'll confirm that on my system and correct my post if needed. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Dutch___Di]

I don't worry about driving away from the camper as I know that will take quite awhile for the signals to go away but to me that is different than driving down the road with no signal. It is easier to just put the RV to sleep while we're out exploring and turn it back on when we are ready to hook up.
I don't need to look further into a sensor on the monitor dropping off as I have already determined that there was interference from all of the electronics in our new truck which adding the repeater took care of.
I was not speaking of any comments directed to me but re-read some of the earlier posts, like "1st time poster" & "from GA" & others. To me that is uncalled for but that is just my opinion. I'm just trying to say, unsuccessfully, that we can agree, disagree or meet in the middle without uncalled for comments.
And yes, I am very happy with all the things we have put on our truck and Carriage to help make us safer and make life easier. Hugs, Di

GMandJM wrote:
Nice that you're happy with your TPMS, Di. That's mostly what matters.

You might want to look a bit further into why your monitor has gone blank and what that really means.

Heck, for the fun of it, you could just do our test outlined above where you drive away from your camper and see how long your monitor gives you readings on your obviously-out-of-range sensors and how long it takes beofre your monitor blanks out.

I hadn't noticed any snide or rude comments, but I understand why you would rather track the "fun" discussions than a more serious one like this.

Happy trails and safe travels.