Having timely information about tyre pressures is vital, especially when towing, so we check out Oricom’s TPS10 Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.
A reliable tyre pressure monitoring system is one of the top accessories for caravanning, especially on long distances on outback roads, where a flat tyre can have drastic consequences.
It doesn’t take much to see a tyre start to deflate. Most of the flat tyres I have had have come from screws embedding themselves in the tyre, and even new ones with deep tread can pick up something sharp and small. A leak can be slow, but inevitably, if unattended, the tyre will deflate to the stage where it can start to fall apart or blow out. Such a situation can be dangerous, but it is also time-consuming and physically demanding to fix and expensive to replace.
A tyre pressure monitor gives real-time information on pressure and temperature as you drive. We tried the Oricom TPS10 Tyre Pressure Monitoring System on our 25,000km tour to Western Australia (including a trip along the Gibb River Road), and it prewarned me of trouble twice with two screws puncturing the tyres and reducing pressures overnight, which we were able to fix quickly.
The Oricom TPS10 sender screws onto the tyre valve
Oricom tyre pressure monitors work by creating a wi-fi network between a solar-powered receiver with a screen and screw-on sensors on the tyre. The TPS10 can report on up to 10 tyres by scrolling through the display four at a time, so four are for the tow vehicle, four are for the van and there are two for any spares. When we first installed the system, the screen wouldn’t reliably pick up the signal from the rear caravan tyres, so I chased down Oricom’s Signal Repeater, designed for larger vans. With the booster installed under the Trakmaster, the system was ready to set up. The TPS10 came with enough sensors for a van or vehicle with two left for the spare tyres; to complete the set I got another set of four so I could cover both the van and tow vehicle.
The Oricom TPS10 receiver has a solar panel on the top
Signal Repeater for the Oricom TPS10 Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
The setup of the Toyota’s tyres was straightforward and quick. The van tyres took some time, but eventually, we were set. Because monitoring is done in sequence with the car, van and then the spares showing on the screen, I deleted the spare tyres as I found them unnecessary.
The system display is in either metric or imperial across pressure and temperature. Being old school, I chose psi (pounds per square inch) but Celsius over Fahrenheit.
Although the senders looked like they might be vulnerable to flying stones or passing shrubbery, I had no issue over many rough kilometres.
Mounting the Oricom Signal Repeater under the van
High and low pressure and temperature are set, and there’s an audible alarm for recordings that are out of the chosen range. Watching the pressure and temperature rise as we got up to speed was interesting. An old adage says the tyre’s operating temperature shouldn’t be more than 4psi higher than the cold reading. Otherwise, you should add pressure. So, I kept an eye on that over our travels.
One thing about the system that I didn’t like was that I couldn’t see the screen with Polaroid sunglasses. I would sneak a peek occasionally to check, but the audible alarm is there as a backup.
The Oricom TPS10 Tyre Pressure Monitoring System with six sensors costs $299 and extra monitors are $99 a pair. Bigger vans will probably need the $99 Signal Repeater. It’s a worthwhile investment and will pay for itself the first time it saves buying a new tyre. Check them out on the A247 online store and use the code ADVENTURES24 to save on your total purchase.
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