Thread: Custom USB tyre pressure monitoring interface

Originally Posted by bes51659

I just got my kit from Brandon and are reading thru this thread to learn more.

I am concerned about the sensor battery. If it lasts for 5 years as the manual say I will most definitely need new tires before that happens. I would like to make sure that the sensor batteries are full when changing tires and replace them if they are below say 67%.

Seems like a waste to get new sensors because the battery is flat, and what if there's no sensors on the market any more?

Has anyone opened a sensor and tried to replace the battery?

I would suggest replacing sensors rather than replacing the battery. As Lyhtspd, bobby and the others know the sensors are really not too expensive and I would think it cheaper to buy new ones then go thru the hassel of trying to open them and put them back together (not to mention the safety risk, you are messing with your tires, a sensor that breaks apart may cause a leak or even worse!)

Originally Posted by bes51659

HiJack and LYTHSPD.

Even if I deflate the tires when not used (which I beleive might deform the tires) the batteries will eventually loose its juice. And that is independend on if I know that it will happen in advance with the battery indicator. In fact I'd prefer not to know rather to see "the ticking bomb".

Is this the way OEM systems work too? I have browsed thru http://www.realoem.com/bmw but did not find replacement sensors.

Have you got a good contact to ask about this, LTHSPD? PM me and I will ask. (I need to ask about how to exchange my four sensor 5's anyway)

HAHA! I snuck away some free time to post a reply!

I have worked with a few OEM manufactures of TPM sensors. (I work for a company that builds the machines that builds the sensors). Nearly every OEM uses a very similar (internally) sensor that uses a 5 year battery. I have seen a few use a 7 year battery, but not many. I am sure they have their reasons.

The 5 year limit is for the sensor being constantly inflated. Like I mentioned before, if it goes below a certain pressure, it will go into a low power mode which should lengthen the life of the battery considerably. You should be able to deflate and store the tires horizontally without any problems.

Originally Posted by Lok

I would suggest replacing sensors rather than replacing the battery. As Lyhtspd, bobby and the others know the sensors are really not too expensive and I would think it cheaper to buy new ones then go thru the hassel of trying to open them and put them back together (not to mention the safety risk, you are messing with your tires, a sensor that breaks apart may cause a leak or even worse!)

So what happens when this kit is eventually discontinued and there is no way to get replacement sensors?

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

So what happens when this kit is eventually discontinued and there is no way to get replacement sensors?

5 years from now they should have tires that re-inflate themselves so I would think you won't need them anymore .

So its because of the low power mode in low pressure I don't get data with TPMS doctor with the kit on my desk? (doctor version 1.2, connection is green)

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

So what happens when this kit is eventually discontinued and there is no way to get replacement sensors?

Either we can try and make another type of sensor work with the unit or we throw away the TPMS PIC/Receiver board away..

Or

Like some of these guys say, after 5 yrs or so we will have our little flying cars and we wont need tires j/k

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

So what happens when this kit is eventually discontinued and there is no way to get replacement sensors?

In five years we'll all be driving electrically powered flying cars.

Originally Posted by bes51659

So its because of the low power mode in low pressure I don't get data with TPMS doctor with the kit on my desk? (doctor version 1.2, connection is green)

I know now that sensors have unique id's (explained in message format description in ..hrm.. post 1) and that id 1-5 labeled sensors can be used in any combination without getting a conflict. The id tag is only a way of remembering which wheel goes where.

LTHDPS quote "If you use the TPMS Doctor, you should be able to see what the sensor IDs are after you teach them."

Q1) So the sensor id 1-5 is stored in the sensor? I did not see the ID in the message description. When is it sent? So the teaching process involves writing to EEProm in sensor? And it does not envolve saving info in PC register or similar? Learning is sensor only and PC is stupid as ever?

Q2) Since I have not seen or preformed the learning process yet I just want to get confirmation that learning is not a pairing of ID 1-5 and wheel position. It is pairing of unique serialno and wheel position. The wheel position is what gets stored in the sensor. Correct?

Q3) I got contact with one sensor (id1) on TMPS doctor 1.2. Why did I get sensor data from one sensor in ambient pressure and not the others?

Q4) I will use RR but I am currently just testing the hardware. Is there a standalone app/skin that will work and look as the RR skin?

***********

PS. Should maybe a thread be started in the "own inventions" subforum or a sticky? I am sure everything has been asked more than once. But finding it is like searching for a needle in a hairstack.

Robby,

This is the TMS skin.

It was working for awhile, but now the Spare is not displaying.

RoadRunner Skin
RRScreen "TMS"
TMS_OFF.jpg,TMS_OFF.jpg,TMS_ON.jpg,TMS_DOWN.jpg
I01,204,327,115,153,"TMS_ALERT_FL:B"
I02,73,269,98,138,"TMS_ALERT_FR:B"
I03,497,273,63,99,"TMS_ALERT_RL:B"
I04,363,236,56,89,"TMS_ALERT_RR:B"

"TMS_ALERT_ST:B"
I05,644,28,138,161,"TMS_ALERT"
I06,694,514,25,15,"TMS_SILENT:B"
B01,630,507,97,86,"TMS_SILENT",""
B02,727,507,67,86,"EXIT",""
L01,433,37,173,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_PRESSURE_RR","LEFT"
L02,430,80,123,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_TEMPERATURE_RR","LEFT"
L03,30,37,173,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_PRESSURE_FR","LEFT"
L04,30,80,123,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_TEMPERATURE_FR","LEFT"
L05,433,491,173,29,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_PRESSURE_RL","LEFT"
L06,433,535,123,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_TEMPERATURE_RL","LEFT"
L07,30,491,173,29,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_PRESSURE_FL","LEFT"
L08,30,535,123,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_TEMPERATURE_FL","LEFT"
L09,623,251,173,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_PRESSURE_ST","Spare"
L010,626,289,117,28,255,120,0,28,"BMW-E36","TMS_TEMPERATURE_ST","SPARE"

"TMS_ TEMPERATURE_ST"
Y01,"SLIDER_BATTERY\SLIDER_*.gif"
S01,559,77,47,34,559,77,47,34,H,01,"",0,"TMS_BATTE RY_RR",""
S02,156,77,47,34,156,77,47,34,H,01,"",0,"TMS_BATTE RY_FR",""
S03,559,532,47,34,559,532,47,34,H,01,"",0,"TMS_BAT TERY_RL",""
S04,156,532,47,34,156,532,47,34,H,01,"",0,"TMS_BAT TERY_FL",""
S05,748,289,47,34,559,77,47,34,H,01,"",0,"TMS_BATT ERY_ST",""

"TMS_BATTERY_ST",""

END