Doran=Disappointing

[Ag&Au]

Have either of you ever seen this?

Dilbert, the "Knack" - YouTube

Ken

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by w7ts

Have either of you ever seen this?

Ken

Sad, but true.....except the engineering books, and calculus bored me (or didn't make sense). It's hard to concentrated when...."squirrel!!!!".....CRAP, there I go again!

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Sad, but true.....except the engineering books, and calculus bored me (or didn't make sense). It's hard to concentrated when...."squirrel!!!!".....CRAP, there I go again!

I don't know what I would do if I had it to do over. I spent my first two years in college as an electrical engineering major. Some how it didn't feel right. I wanted to learn about something that did not seem to me so predefined. I still wanted a technical subject. So I thought what science seems to still have a lot of lack of understanding? So I ended up with a degree in meteorology. As it turned out, other than being very good to know for both my 5 years in naval aviation and my career of Air traffic control, I never used it professionally.

Ken

[Gene]

Originally Posted by w7ts

I spent my first two years in college as an electrical engineering major.

I made it for 2 months. While I liked taking things apart and fixing things, engineering school seemed to have nothing to do with that, the teaching was awful, and it interfered with a newly discovered interest in beer. You have to like what you are studying (or pretending to study). The social sciences were far more interesting.

I still like fixing things, but after many years I found that what I was best at was retirement.

So, are the Doran sensor being sealed a good solution to a problem? If you want to make absolutely sure no water gets in, probably. But the solution as I see it was to make a removable cap with a seal that keeps water and dirt out. They either didn't think of that, or it cost more for them, or they couldn't solve the problem.

This appears to be the wrong approach from the standpoint of selling the things. They are getting bad reviews on a number of threads about short battery life and the cost of replacements. Other brands are also getting some bad reviews, but they seem to get fewer bad ones. None of the complaints about competitors' products seemed to be about leaking sensors. Doran also has higher prices. When I first looked at this 4 years ago, Doran was competitive and I selected it because it had better mounting systems than Pressure Pro.

I don't think Doran identified the problem properly. Engineers have to be problem solvers, but you have to identify the problem properly, and you have to see beyond your narrow field. Then you find there are many problems to solve and limits to solutions and economic issues to consider. But we don't know who made the decisions; it may not have been engineers.

Gene

[purman]

Gene, and Ken, I have the tire minder and have had it out on 3500 miles now and never a problem. I haven't put the locks on the sensors yet but will one day, so they don't walk. Never a lost signal even worked from my garage which is a good 30 ft from the trailer have to turn the unit of manually because it stays on and receive from the sensors when I'm parked

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by purman

..................................

have to turn the unit of manually because it stays on and receive from the sensors when I'm parked

That is different from the Hawks head. The control unit and the sensors will go to sleep mode after a certain period of time of no motion. Are you sure they are staying on. The Hawks head control head turns back on if you open the truck door. No, I don't know how it knows.

Ken

[dkottum]

I bought the Doran unit with two sensors four years ago. A few false warnings to pull me off the road now and then and I had enough. Just something retired (or any) people shouldn't have to hassle with. Quit using it.

Reconsidered with new trailer which meant buying two more sensors and probably replacing the two older ones, $200.

Instead spent the money on 16" wheels and Michelin tires and will let the insurance company worry about collateral damage if we blow a tire and don't feel/hear it. So far I heard of no Michelin 16" XL blowouts on the upgraded Airstreams, that leaves some concern to rest as well.

doug k

[purman]

Originally Posted by w7ts

That is different from the Hawks head. The control unit and the sensors will go to sleep mode after a certain period of time of no motion. Are you sure they are staying on. The Hawks head control head turns back on if you open the truck door. No, I don't know how it knows.

Ken

Not sure all the time, but the other day when I was cleaning the car a pulled it out of the center glove box it was on! I looked at it and sure enough it was giving me psi readings. I turn it off when I get to camp as it seems to stay on for ever. Guess I'm impatient and can't wait for it to turn off, if it does??

[purman]

Originally Posted by dkottum

I bought the Doran unit with two sensors four years ago. A few false warnings to pull me off the road now and then and I had enough. Just something retired (or any) people shouldn't have to hassle with. Quit using it.

Reconsidered with new trailer which meant buying two more sensors and probably replacing the two older ones, $200.

Instead spent the money on 16" wheels and Michelin tires and will let the insurance company worry about collateral damage if we blow a tire and don't feel/hear it. So far I heard of no Michelin 16" XL blowouts on the upgraded Airstreams, that leaves some concern to rest as well.

doug k

On my madden trip with mine. No problems and no high temps running at 75 mph in Utah desert. Plus the new rims and tires look so much cooler than my old ones and of course we all now it's about the looks. !!

[Gene]

How about removing the sensors when the trailer is not traveling? I have done that with the Doran sensors figuring if they are not connected they may not be sending a signal and the batteries should last longer. I haven't seen anything in the Doran instructions directly confirming that, but it seems to make sense. Since when disconnected the Doran monitor alarm goes off and says the sensor not sending, I think that infers the sensor is turned off.

I wonder if other brands' sensors shut down when disconnected? I also wonder how much the TireMinder or Hawkhead batteries cost?

The Doran monitor in our truck is attached to a timed 12 v. receptacle, so it turns off in an hour or so. I have no idea if the Doran monitor is turning off before the receptacle circuit turns off.

I've looked at the Tire Minder monitor photos on the internet, but I cant read what the buttons say. Shouldn't one of them be on/off? Seems easy to do. Since it appears to be battery powered instead of attached to the truck's 12 v. system, a timed off function doesn't make sense to me; an off button does.

One of the things I find strange about the Doran is the delays in getting readings for each tire. It takes up to 6 minutes for the monitor to pick up each sensor, but if there is a sudden loss of pressure, you get an immediate alarm. So it appears the capability to get all the readings when you need them—such as in the morning when you want to see whether all the tires are properly inflated—is there, but the software isn't programmed for that. Also as time has passed the plug for the 12 v. receptacle is making poor contact and can easily jiggle loose when driving. I won't miss the wire snaking from the monitor across the dashboard and down in front of the radio and other controls. Truck manufacturers should put some 12 v. receptacles on top of the dashboard since more and more electronic things are on the dash or windshield.

Doug, I see what you mean—spend the money on better tires. Even a Michelin can leak or blow out from nails, glass, screws or monstrous potholes. It is a risk assessment and different answers can all make sense.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Making the assumption the HH and TM are essentially the same, I do not believe On/off is a problem, You can turn it off by pressing the center button and holding it long enough, but I only do that if it is annoying me. I put the whole system in a box last winter for at least 3 months, with the batteries still in the sensors. When I got it out, everything still worked fine. the control unit still had a charge.
Ken

[azflycaster]

Tire Pressure Pro recommends that you remove the sensors if you are going to be stationary for an extended time. They stated that this will shut the sensor off.

[purman]

I shut mine off manually. And Gene, Tire Minder will send you new batteries if you send them your old ones... Great deal in my book, plus I got an extra set with them...

[Silver Otter]

Oh So True! I'm an old woodworker, having grown up next to my Dad on the bench. I fuss and tinker. That **could be** why an Airstream is So.Much.Fun!?

[Gene]

Tire Minder came today. I looked through the manual and found out the monitor turns itself off in 15 minutes if there's no movement in the truck. It didn't say, but it must have a motion sensor.

The charger says not to charge for more than 8 hours, so it doesn't have a timer like other chargers. It could be charged in place in the truck, but another wire is not what I need. It said it comes pre-charged partly, so I am charging it some more in the trailer.

It also said it checks tires every 20 minutes for normal pressure, but responds immediately to big changes. Maybe this means I can't check pressure right away in the morning, but I'll find out. The manual indicates they think that no one will remove the sensors from the wheels between trips. Since there are no numbers on the sensors to know which are for what wheel, I'll have to mark them for wheel position so I can remove them.

They suggest only using the wheel locks in high crime areas. I find it hard to believe anyone with another Tire Minder will sneak around RV parks looking for sensors to steal though I'm sure it can happen someday somewhere. My concern is if the sensors can unwind themselves and fly off.

Later I'll install the thing.

Gene

[dznf0g]

I have found the locks are a joke and just in the way.....at least on all of them I've looked. My Granddaughter could twist them off when locked.