Quote:
Originally Posted by blubuckaroo
All that's fine, but why wouldn't the manufacturer just start using sensors that are inside the tire?
That's the normal method in the industry.
All I've got back, about this, is conjecture.
Maybe somebody can help with real knowledge on the subject.
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To the best of my knowledge, there is no factory representative (of any type, vehicle, trailer, TPMS) that is a member of this forum. As far as I can determine, there has NEVER been a member of any factory that has identified himself as a representative of any manufacturer..... We do have one RV dealership manager (currently inactive) and one RV salesman who periodically posts on the forum. There are no other known "insiders" that are members...
So, finding someone with "real knowledge on the subject" is something you likely will not achieve on this forum. If you want "real knowledge" you'll need to contact Keystone RV, the vehicle manufacturer of your tow vehicle and/or the manufacturer of the TPMS system you're interested in.
Since Keystone does not install any TPMS system in any of their models, it's a "moot point" to postulate why they use external rather than internal sensors. Simply put, they don't use ANY sensors.
That said, in order to save battery power and prevent having to break down the tire to replace the battery, ALL the internal TPMS systems that I've seen will "turn themself off" after sitting stationary for a specific time period. That means you can't check tire pressure until after the TPMS sensor "wakes up". Most "wake up" with a specific "G-force applied with rotation". So you'll need to overcome that "limitation" by either checking tire pressure with a gauge or tow (negating cold pressure reading) to activate the sensors.
That limitation is one of the primary reasons most manufacturers and buyers opt for external sensors. They can be "active 24/7" allowing for cold pressure checks before towing and also allow for "owner/operator battery change" when the batteries need to be replaced.
Sometimes, the "latest technology" is not the "best technology" for every application. I assuredly do not want to have to pay to break down my trailer tires and then pay to rebalance them just to change a battery in an internal sensor while also having to "give up cold pressure monitoring capability to boot.... YMMV