Tire Minder TPMS Booster

[rkresge]

Getting ready to install my new Tire Minder TPMS and signal booster on my 2016 Jay Feather 23RLSW. The instructions want the booster to be located near the front of the trailer, but it requires 12v dc, and obviously there's no easily-accessible 12v dc there. Any suggestions? My preference would be to install it in the front storage bin, but again it would need a 'live' 12v dc connection. It has no plug, just open wire. My other thought is to tap into one of the bedroom reading lights.

Thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

Roger

[Ela1948]

Don't you have your battery boxes on the front?? You certainly have 12 volt power to feed your electric brake cable. The booster is a very low power draw. I installed it on our 5th wheel back in 2011. In my case, I tapped into the junction harness that fed power back from the truck and grounded it to the frame. It's been powered for the last 5 years.

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by Ela1948

Don't you have your battery boxes on the front?? You certainly have 12 volt power to feed your electric brake cable. The booster is a very low power draw. I installed it on our 5th wheel back in 2011. In my case, I tapped into the junction harness that fed power back from the truck and grounded it to the frame. It's been powered for the last 5 years.

That's an option, I guess, but I would like to install it inside, without running new wire to the outside. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Ela1948]

I wouldn't complicate the obvious. The booster is water proof and could strap right on the frame with zip ties. It is designed to be between the wheel senders and the windshield monitor. The front of the trailer is in the middle!!!

[RVhiker]

When I installed my TST 507 system, I installed the booster under my truck's rear bumper, and powered it from the charging wire that goes to the trailer for charging the trailer batteries. I have a Surepower disconnect on the charging wire so that the charging wire is only hot when the truck is running. The antenna is behind a piece of plastic trim, so there's no interference with the signals caused by the metal part of the bumper.

[RedHorse1]

I installed my booster in the basement near a light. Getting behind the wall I tapped into the + leading to the light switch and a lead to a nearby ground. While "weather proof", I felt better mounting it inside. Our first combination is below and I did not have a booster at first. Discovered that I needed one (false readings) and bought one but traded TV and bought the 5er before I could install. It migrated to the new rig and I'll never be without one. It's alerted me to 2 tire failures before any damage to the wheel wells. TPMS and EMS, everybody should have both.
Good luck with your install!

[ODH]

Have you tried the TPMS without the booster. I have plenty of signal strength from my X21M TT to the front window of my long bed F250 TV. You may not need the booster.

[norty1]

Same here, My TSP RV510 works fine w/o a booster.

[RAurand]

Mounted my booster on the bottom of the A-Frame of my 28BHBE. That way the booster can easily see the tires. Power coming off the battery with a quick disconnect positive wire that way I can disconnect it easily when in storage or parked for a long time.
Works great.

[Ela1948]

Originally Posted by ODH

Have you tried the TPMS without the booster. I have plenty of signal strength from my X21M TT to the front window of my long bed F250 TV. You may not need the booster.

I had both a 28Ft. trailer and a 34 ft. fifth wheel. In both cases, the right rear tire would be slow to update data. It wouldn't show a loss or fault but could be a long time between data changes. As you know, as soon as you drive a few miles the temperature and tire pressure will increase. It became apparent to me that there was a long lag, sometimes as much as an hour without any change in that right rear sender. Changed senders first, thinking that it might be faulty. No difference. Finally bought the booster, end of slow data!!!

[rkresge]

Thanks to all for your responses and good ideas. For the moment, I think I'm going to tap the booster into the 12v DC circuit to one of the reading lights in the bedroom, and put it on the shelf above the bed. That places it right inside the front wall of the camper, which is fiberglass rather than aluminum. Since I keep the TT connected to shore power almost all the time, I'm also thinking about a small switch or simple connector so it's not on 24/7/365.

Any reason not to use that power source?

Thanks,

Roger

[rkresge]

Kind of a P.S. to this thread. The booster is installed, and the system is completely set up, just for fun. Interesting results when I fired it up on the TT without checking tire pressure first: 3 tires are at 50.2 PSI, and the fourth is at 49.1. Looks like it hardly lost any air pressure during the winter.

We're still not going anywhere with it for about another 5 weeks, but that's one more task out of the way.

Thanks again to all for your valued input.

Roger

[ChristopherW]

I used the "Add a Circuit" fuse taps (from Amazon) to get 12v power from our class c bedroom fuse panel. It works great connecting to the towed boat TPMS sensors from Truck System Technologies.

[geezerbob]

Did you get the TM 55-C
bOB

[ChristopherW]

I do not have the Tow Master. I have the TST (Truck System Technology) 507 with (14) non-flow through sensors; (6) on the Class C RV and (4) on the boat trailer, (2) on the tow dolly and another (2) on the rear wheels of the Camry being towed (not all at the same time).
I have (2) different monitors for this setup depending on what I am towing, (Boat or Car). I could have avoided buying the second set-up by re-programming the sensors as I moved them from the boat to the tow dolly or car and back. But I did not want the hassle each time and another thing to do when I want to leave town. Labeling/engraving all the sensors and my below diagrams help me keep them all straight.
This system works great and I am very happy with the product and support from TST.

[rkresge]

Originally Posted by geezerbob

Did you get the TM 55-C
bOB

Guessing you were asking me that question. The answer is yes, and it has worked very well for us. We're now nearly through our second season with it. I also got the signal repeater, and did wire it into the 12 supply to one of the reading lights over our bed. The repeater sits on that shelf. I also put an RCA jack into the circuit so I can plug it in only when I'm using it.

Roger