Wheel pressure sensor. Purpose and principle of operation of tire pressure sensors. Why are pressure sensors needed

Many drivers modern cars may face a problem - the tire pressure sensor is on. What should be done in this case? How to acquire such a device if it is not provided in the factory configuration? We will tell about all this below.

Tire pressure sensor - why is it?

The same pressure in each of the four wheels is a guarantee of comfortable and safe driving ... If you don't want to check this parameter manually, you can entrust it to electronics. Basically, this equipment is battery powered, and the instrument panel, in the event of any malfunction, when the pressure drops below the allowable value, turns on control lamp... In order for the readings to be as accurate as possible, four devices are needed, with each tire pressure monitoring sensor having its own separate battery and transmitting data to the control module.

Key features of direct monitoring: Very accurate pressure measurement at 1 or 2 psi. It informs about the temperature of the tire. Real-time information, warning of overloaded or overloaded pneumatics even in slow or parked vehicle... The sensors have an approximate lifespan of 5 to 7 years or 000 km. Complex and time-consuming installation of tires on rims equipped with sensors.

This system does not use pressure sensors, but works by evaluating the rotational speed of individual tires. This system cannot display a specific tire, the driver must check the whole car. Key features of indirect monitoring: The indirect measurement system is not very accurate. Tire intensity, tire position change or tire change requires calibration. The driver can recalibrate the system without first inflating the correct pressure on all tires. It is not possible to determine the problem if the vehicle is at rest.

This module, in turn, records all information from the sensors and compares the actual pressure with the required one. If the values \u200b\u200bdo not match, then it sends a corresponding signal to the instrument panel, and an indicator lights up on it, notifying the driver of a malfunction. Then either a hand pump should be used and the situation in the wheels should be corrected, because this is fraught not only with the possibility of an accident, especially in winter time or in the rain.

It cannot display the temperature of the tire. It is important to periodically check and change individual valve parts to ensure proper functionality and service life. The quality of the rubber grommet degrades over time, and so does the rubber valve. Along with replacing the rubber bushing, it is good to replace other valve parts. The metal or aluminum sealing washers, which provide a good seal to the valve when reassembling the transmitter, often deform.

The outer nut of the aluminum valve causes oxidation, especially in winter. With such negligent maintenance, it is often only possible to cut off the entire valve. For aluminum valves, only nickel plated cores should be used. A rubber seal cover helps keep the sensor free from dirt or liquids that could negatively affect it smooth operation and service life.

Internal and external tire pressure sensors - what's the difference?

Today there are two types of such devices: external tire pressure sensors and internal ones. If you have several cars, or you are fond of "off-road" on your favorite SUV, then the first option will be more suitable for you, since external devices are attached directly to the nipple, and they can be easily rearranged from one rubber to another. Internal ones, which belong to the new generation, are attached to the disc of the car instead of the mouthpiece. Such a tire pressure gauge is lightweight, so there can be no problems with its installation, and if you wish, you can do it yourself.

Maintaining the correct tire pressure significantly affects fuel consumption and improves tire performance. Underinflation of tires can increase fuel consumption by 4% and shorten tire life by 45%. Tires can lose 3-6% of pressure per month, and the driver may not notice it. Compressed tires are also a common cause of road accidents.

Principle: sensor connected to electronic unit, fits on the rim of each wheel. Communication is carried out via radio waves. The device processes, analyzes and transmits in real time on the display in the cockpit. Thus, the driver is informed of the possible danger as soon as possible. This safety feature is no longer the privilege of only the highest class vehicles.

The battery located inside the sensor itself is designed for at least seven years of uninterrupted operation.

The installation of tire pressure sensors will take very little time, but, thus, it will be possible to fully control the situation, because, as you know, the pressure difference of only a few tenths of a bar cannot be visually determined. But research shows that the difference is only 0.4 bar for the front and 0.6 for rear wheels is critical, which means that your car is completely out of your control and can behave quite unpredictably, especially in an emergency.

In early November, a regulation on a mandatory tire pressure monitoring system came into force. For drivers who have vehicles with these sensors, this means a longer and more expensive tire change process. Sensor data, which is most often located on the valve, is transmitted using radio waves and presented on the screen of the on-board monitor or dashboard car. This allows precise and precise control of the pressure on each wheel.

The tire pressure level is calculated based on the vibration or wheel speed. This is a cheaper system, but it should be borne in mind that the driver is only informed of the pressure drop when the difference is 20% compared to the initial state.

Longer and more expensive tire changes

Too low tire pressure increases combustion, impairs vehicle traction and leads to faster tire wear. When we only want to replace the tires, the tire changer doesn’t have to do anything extra, taking extra care when disassembling so as not to damage the sensor mechanically. However, it is necessary to diagnose the sensors before proceeding to dismantle the tires using a specialized device.

In addition, the service completion time will be slightly longer. Once again, a dedicated device will be needed, which currently has less than 20% tires. The largest maintenance cost for pressure transducers will be incurred when replacing one transducer. Regardless of whether it stopped working due to mechanical damage or a discharged battery, the driver must prepare to spend about PLN 300 for a new sensor plus installation and activation costs.


Tire pressure indicator - faults

The main reason why universal pressure sensors fail is a low battery charge (it sits down). In addition, external factors also affect the correct operation, quite often motorists may encounter a problem when, after a tire puncture and its restoration, pressure control devices do not work correctly enough, for example, they can show every time that it is necessary to increase the pressure, etc. In this case, you need to familiarize yourself with the information on how to reset the tire pressure sensor, if this method did not give results, then you should contact the service center for help.

Check if it's worth investing in them. Next video. And the quality of tires depends not only on the safety of travelers, but also on the condition environment and the finances of each driver. Natural: This is the result of air penetration through the walls of tires and valves as a result mechanical damage: this is more dangerous. This is a sudden loss of pressure at the moment, for example, hitting a curb or hitting a sharp object. In both cases, to avoid misfortune, we must be promptly informed of the loss of tire pressure.

However, the resolution does not indicate which of the existing technological solutions on the market will be implemented. This will be adopted by the Economic Commission for Europe in the coming days. These systems work by using pressure sensors located in each wheel and solutions that transfer information from the inside of the tire to the vehicle's data collection node.

Mechanical damage is also quite common, such as a broken nipple, most often, this is due to a far from ideal road surface... However, sometimes a similar breakdown can occur through the fault of the owner, for example, if he inaccurately unscrews the tire pressure indicator caps, etc. Naturally, it is quite easy to notice such malfunctions, just a visual inspection is enough.

In short: the valves mounted on the wheels transmit information via radio waves to the vehicle's on-board computer. The valve installed in the wheel consists of pressure, temperature, battery and an electronic system sensor. Difference between separate models depend on the location and method of placing the measuring sensors. The sensor can be installed directly behind air valve or, for example, attached to a rim. These first valves are marked with colors, and the position of the wheel in the car is unchanged.

Changing the position of the wheels will result in erroneous information on the display. With sensors attached to the rim, the computer recognizes the position of the wheel in the vehicle. Measurement results are shown on the vehicle dashboard or screen on-board computer.

They claim that the system provides highly accurate and precise pressure control on each wheel. It shows us in real time the current pressure in each wheel, so this. Safe, economical, ecological. ... The disadvantages of this system include functional problems. When changing tires, the vulcanizer must be informed about the presence of wheel pressure sensors, as these sensors are most often damaged when they are taken apart in sections. New baseline conditions must also be loaded every time the tires are changed.

Tire Pressure Sensor Repair - Little Secrets

What to do if the tire pressure sensor lights up, while the pressure is at the desired level? As mentioned above, the device must be zeroed, for this you should turn off the engine, then, turning on the ignition, but without starting the engine, hold down the SET button and hold until sound signal ... Now you can safely start the engine and continue on your way. In case of mechanical damage, it is necessary to replace the broken element; it is quite easy to find them on the shelves of specialized stores.

It is important to remember that drives should always be installed exactly where they were before. Its main advantage is that it is cheap to implement. This is due to the fact that wheel speed sensors are used for its operation, which work in the wheel lock prevention system and in electronic system stabilization.

This is due to the fact that a tire with a lower pressure has a smaller diameter, therefore, overcoming the same path, it performs more revolutions... In addition to vibration, these systems also examine the effect of load changes during acceleration, braking or cornering.

As for the batteries, even though the manufacturer claims that they cannot be replaced, it is quite possible to do this. To do this, you need to remove the device and scrape off the mastic from the side of the board. To get to the batteries, you should cut the case; this is done quite simply, since the material is very plastic. Then we take out the old battery and replace it with a new one, having previously soldered the electrode to it. Then we fill everything with sealant and leave for a day. The device and repair of the tire pressure sensor is quite simple, therefore, most often, you can do it yourself.

The biggest drawback is manual reset and the introduction of new tire calibration. The reset setting system is used every time we replace tires with new ones or inflate the air. The assumption of the creators of this system was to use the calibration when the same pressure was achieved in each of the wheels.

But what is the certainty that the pressure we just applied on the wheels is correct? The starting point of this system is not the right pressure for our wheels, but only the moment we feel that we already have the right pressure. The system will not give us any information about the pressure already on the wheels, it will only take our decision to calibrate. Most drivers do not have a compressor of their own, so they will rely on worn out and inaccurate utilities.

A car compressor for a modern car enthusiast is a necessary thing that should always be at hand on the road, especially if it is planned long trip... Why is it better to use an automobile compressor than a bad ordinary pump? True, you can use the old old-fashioned way and inflate a flat tire with an ordinary pump, but this method is convenient only on a fine, dry summer day. And if it's damp or cold outside, it's much more pleasant to use an autocompressor. Therefore, hand and foot pumps are already part of history. The compressor is especially often used in autumn and spring, when tires need to be changed and they have to be pumped up every now and then.

And that means they will be based on the wrong pressure. The system will only tell us if the pressure drops by 20% from what we considered the base. Another problem we face when replacing tires or tires. This system is ideal for the stiffness of the tires on which he left the factory. This means that if we want the system to tell us about a 20% pressure loss, we have to fit the exact same tire model as the ones for which it was adapted. And this, for the average user, means additional costs, because the tires from the first equipment are more expensive.

What should you pay attention to when choosing an automobile compressor?

  • How long the compressor can run continuously. The longer the better, of course.
  • What pressure can he create in the tire. Again, the higher the better.
  • What is the length of its wire as well as the hose. A long hose and wire will come in handy if you decide to help a friend who also has a flat tire. And also on the road, there are cases when you have to connect the compressor not from your car.
  • What is the compressor capacity. This characteristic means the volume of the tire that he can inflate.
  • Pressure gauge accuracy (tire pressure gauge). It must be accurate and legible.
  • Will it fit this device to your car brand.

Also, autocompressors are of two types: diaphragm and piston. The first one is suitable for work in warm weather, but it cannot be used at negative temperatures, as this can lead to its breakdown. These compressors are now practically not used. The second one tolerates our domestic frosts well, and can be used in any weather.
How does an automobile compressor work?
The compressor is connected to the battery most often through the cigarette lighter, but sometimes (especially on trucks) directly using the terminals. Then he connects to the wheel and does his job - that is, pumps it up. Autocompressors of almost any model are very compact and do not take up much space.
And further. Despite the fact that they are called automobile compressors, you can pump not only car tires... Such devices perfectly "inflate" your boat, mattress and even a ball. And you can use them almost everywhere: on the street, outside the city, in the garage and other places.

According to a study by the US Department of Transportation, a driver who detects a loss of pressure on one of the wheels should, on average, take about 10 minutes to get to safe place... Therefore, we need a few minutes. Ultimately, this system, comparing the parameters of the wheel with each other, will not notice a case when all four wheels gradually lose pressure. Because he loses his point of reference.

The indicated pressure level for your vehicle can be found, for example, on the damper fuel tank... If our machine is not equipped with any of the above systems, we can make the purchase ourselves. Remember, unless you have reinforced wall tires, every time you break a tire, the probe will most likely be destroyed. If we can afford to buy this system, this is a convenient solution.