I love traveling and when I’m going cross country, I make it a point to keep my tires in check as I don’t want to run into any problems along the way. But, I obviously can’t keep stopping every few miles to check on the tires, so I decided to pick up a Chinese car tire pressure monitor.
These nifty devices will provide you with real-time stats about your tires and inform you when any of the tires are running out of air or have any abnormality. I’ve been using the SuDeLi TPMS for a little over a year and have had absolutely no problems with the device till date. It’s easy to use, available with both internal and external sensors and doesn’t put a dent in your bank balance making it the ideal companion for your road trips.
I also picked up a bunch of other TPMS consoles from AliExpress and found these 6 to be worth every penny. They’re durable, deliver accurate data and you can get your hands on one for between $15-$50.
Read on to find out which Chinese car tire pressure monitor you should buy today and also take a look at the little guide I created on how to install your new Chinese car tire pressure monitoring system.
What is the best Car Tyre Pressure Monitor from China?
Let’s Go!
- SuDeLi Car TPMS with External Sensors
- Acceo Smart TPMS
- Okcatzone Tire Pressure Gauge
- Develuck Solar Powered TPMS
- Deelife Solar TPMS
- SinoTrack Universal TPMS
What to consider when buying a car tire pressure monitoring system?
There are a few things you need to consider when choosing a car tire pressure monitoring system. These include the type of vehicle you’re driving, your budget, and the features that are important to you.
Some good features to look for include automatic or manual inflation alerts, ability to track multiple tires at once, and compatibility with your smartphone.
Another thing to keep in mind is whether or not the system will be suitable for your case. You may want something that is portable so that you can take it with you on road trips or vacations and there’s no other better TPMS than the ones listed above, or something that is stationary so that it’s easy to monitor while parked out at home, such as the ones you find at your local mechanic.
Another important factor to consider is whether the TPMS is accurate and delivers precise measurements. If you’re spending around $10-$15 on a TPMS then don’t expect very accurate results, especially if the TPMS you buy has external sensors. Instead opt for a handheld digital gauge to get accurate readings.
Finally, choose a TPMS that’s easy to install as most internal sensors would require you to access the inside of your wheels and tires, so you’d have to consult a professional before installing the TPMS and this can be an additional cost.
Chinese Car Tire Pressure Monitors
SuDeLi Car TPMS with External Sensors
I personally found the SuDeLi car tire pressure monitoring system to be a bang for the buck. It’s affordable, easy to install, and you get to choose whether you’d like to install internal or external sensors to monitor your tires pressure.
The tire pressure monitoring caps are equipped with Infineon sensors that transmit real-time data to the main console and since it’s solar powered there’s no need to connect the TPMS to your car battery, instead, it comes with an internal cell that lasts for up to 3 years.
What I truly admire about this TPMS is that the readings are quite accurate and not only did it show me the current car tire pressure reading on the console, but even the battery life, and temperature of each tire apart from some other useful information including warnings and error messages when the pressure levels are low.
Acceo Smart TPMS
Another TPMS that I guarantee will relay accurate information pertaining to the health, pressure levels and temperature of your car tires is the Acceo K07 smart TPMs. It is priced around the same ballpark as SuDeLi’s TPMS and both units look quite similar. However, the Acceo tends to carry a few more features and for an extra $2 making it an awesome buy.
I found the Acceo to be quite easy to install and it has a durable body that can withstand being left out in the scorching heat throughout the day. The main console shows the tire pressure data as well as the temperature of the tires, if there’s any abnormality or if the tires are wearing out.
Unlike the SuDeLi, this TPMS can be remote charged via a USB cable and the display features a day/night mode that will automatically adjust the brightness and contrast settings depending on the time of day.
Okcatzone Tire Pressure Gauge
Now if you’re someone on a tight budget, and if you don’t mind manually checking your car tires, then you can invest roughly $5 for this handheld tire pressure gauge. This TPMG from Okcatzone on AliExpress is lightweight, available in a number of fancy designs and has a LCD display that shows the tire pressure level in kg/cm.
Thanks to its small size, you can carry it around anywhere and even store it in any bag. The nozzle seals the valve stem and records accurate measurements. In fact it’s much more accurate at measuring tire pressure than those old-school manual tire gauges.
Though the Okcatzone TPMG does not provide real-time data, it’s cheap and affordable, so pretty much anyone can buy one to carry on their trips. One advantage of this gauge is that it comes with a small clickable button that controls the unit and allows you to change the metrics from kg/cm to lb/cm.
Develuck Solar Powered TPMS
The only problem with most of the new TPMs available is that they’re all designed the same, with exactly the same features. The Develuck is a good copy of the SuDeLi and the Acceo TPMS and I would have definitely pushed this one as one of the best, but it’s a tad more expensive than the others and there’s nothing new or different here.
The Develuck TPMS can be positioned on the center console, dashboard or the windscreen and it’s solar powered, meaning there’s a small solar panel at the back of the main console that sticks to the windscreen and charges the console while on the move.
I enjoyed using this TPMS, but the layout of the display and metrics captured were similar to the Acceo TPMS which made it a bit boring to use. However, the one reason why it’s a part of this list is because it comes equipped with a vibration sensor as well that turns on and shuts down the TPMS depending on whether the car is moving or is stationary.
Deelife Solar TPMS
Now the Deelife TPMS looks and feels quite like an alarm clock but is actually a compact dash TPMS that you can buy for your car. This Chinese tire pressure monitor works in all weather conditions and you get two sets of sensors, one designed for the summer and one to accurately record pressure data in the winter.
The solar panel is situated at the back of the main console and is protected by an anti-scratch matte surface that can improve solar conversion efficiency by up to 20%. I liked the fact that the Deelife solar TPMS has a USB magnetic charging port and that it lights up bright red when there’s low pressure or if the wheels are off balance.
Each set comes with 4 sensors, two external and two internal that run on batteries with a 3 year lifespan. One added benefit is that the design of the Deelife TPMs lets you fasten it to your windshield with the help of a suction swivel arm that improves the console’s stability while driving on uneven or rough roads.
SinoTrack Universal TPMS
Finally, we have the SinoTrack Universal TPMS, a wireless solar powered universal tire pressure monitoring system that comes with a built-in 400mAh battery and a RF transmission frequency of 433.92MHz. It’s currently the cheapest TPMs available on AliExpress and is probably one of the few fully loaded, budget friendly Chinese car tire pressure monitoring systems out there.
On the console you will be able to keep a track of the tire pressure, tire temperature, battery life and there’s a clock as well at the center of the screen. It’s a pretty well made kit and considering the cost, you get internal and external sensors, a USB cable, screws, a spanner, user manual, the console and the solar panel mount.
From what I managed to check, the data transmitted from the tires to the console is pretty accurate and thanks to the built-in motion sensor, you wouldn’t have to worry about figuring out how to turn on or turn off the system. It truly exceeded my expectations and is definitely worth the $16.50 on AliExpress.
How to install a tire pressure sensor on your car?
Installing sensors to monitor your car tire pressure is a fairly easy job if you choose a TPMS with external sensors. These external sensors are designed to resemble the valve stem caps of your car. They’re the easiest way to track your tire pressure without having to take apart your car.
- Remove the external sensor caps from the packaging
- Notice the marking on the pressure sensors and position them accordingly on the correct tire.
- RL – Rear Left
- RR – Rear Right
- FL – Front Left
- FR – Front Right
- Once the caps are in place, calibrate the console and record the pressure for the first time.
Remember to fix the caps tightly to the valve as it might not provide accurate readings otherwise.
If you’ve opted to use the internal sensors because you fear someone might steal the caps, then you can follow these steps.
- You will have to start by removing the tires from all four wheels
- If you have internal sensors that double as valve stems then you will have to remove the existing valve stems and replace them with the sensors.
However, if you don’t have sensors that double up as valve stems, you will have to either take the tires to the mechanic and have the sensors installed as the process requires you to make a few changes to the structure of the wheel and the mechanic will need to get under the tire to install the sensor on the rim.
Benefits of owning a car tire pressure monitoring system
The following are some of the benefits of owning a car TPMS
- They are portable and deliver real-time readings, so you wouldn’t have to worry about making a pit stop to manually check your tire pressure.
- The TPMS mentioned throughout this article are universal and fit nearly every car manufactured till date, including tubeless tires just as long as you’re using the external sensors.
- You will save a load of time using one of these automatic TPMS units than having to use a manual pressure gauge
- There are no special tools required to install the sensors and most of the companies provide you with the necessary tools to get the job done at home.
FAQ’s
Do solar powered tire pressure monitors work at night?
Solar powered TPMS do work at night and you wouldn’t need a secondary power source to charge the system. These types of TPMS charges its battery throughout the day so you wouldn’t have to worry about them not functioning while driving at night.
Does a TPMS detect tire over-inflation?
Yes the TPMS consoles listed above provide alerts when the tire is either low on pressure or if there’s too much pressure. These alerts can be programmed via the main console that sits on your dash or windshield.
How does the TPMS know which tire is which?
The sensors won’t know which tire is which, but are configured in a way that each cap/sensor has been set for a particular tire and the exact position of where each sensor goes is mentioned on the sensors.
If you happen to change the caps or sensors and put the FL in the FR spot or the RL in the RR spot, the console will read the pressure levels of the particular tire that sensor is sittin on and relay that back to the console as the tire that’s mentioned on the sensor.
Ultimately, you will see the FL cap/sensor on the FR tire as FL and not FR. So make sure to put the right sensor on the correct tire for the best results.
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