Kevcules
Site Supporter
Not true. The user, ME, has nothing to do with the accuracy of the simple tool.
Digital gauges perform reliably and provide consistent readings. This is what I find also.
Tire Gauge, Mine is off 10% which one should I get
- Thread starter tnman
- Start date
Digital gauges perform reliably and provide consistent readings. This is what I find also.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
I should clarify that I was referring to the guage readout, the part where the results are read by the user, and is what I thought that you meant when you wrote digital. The fact that the gauge has a digital face versus an analog face does not make it more or less accurate, what is inside doing the work determines the accuracy.
If what you meant by digital is a gauge where the pressure is determined by an electronic sensor of some kind versus a mechanical one, that is a different comparison. In that case you may well be correct. I really don't know much about a true electronic gauge so can't say.
You saved me some typing
I've had both mechanically controlled devices and electronically controlled devices ... we always hope the electronically controlled devices are more accurate and consistent, but they go wonky too !
TPMS constant monitoring + roughly monthly check with plastic pencil gauge (Milton I believe) to confirm readings. So far nothing larger that a +/- 1 psi deviation.
Then it must be a Milton Pencil gauge
There is still the release of a bit of air with each check. A small amount if you're careful, but still some.
woodybelle
Site Supporter
I got one of these several years ago when they were recommended in Rider magazine. No air is lost when checking.
slime.com
Elite Digital Tire Gauge (5-150 psi)
Slime's new Elite Digital Tire Gauge takes air pressure innovation to the next level! Slime’s advanced Pressure Airlock Technology (P.A.T.) locks in the air, so there is ZERO air loss when checking your air pressure. Plus, the Elite Digital Tire Gauge makes it easy to see your tire pressure...
slime.com
The electronics in a digital gauge allow tricks that are not possible with an analog gauge, like full range calibration for instance, meaning it can have different calibration factors at different pressure levels. Typically, an analog gauge will be calibrated mid-range and this is where it is going to be most accurate and will be less accurate at lower or higher pressures, whereas a 100 psi digital gauge will have the same accuracy for a 5 psi ATV tire or a 70 psi bicycle tire (there are of course junky ones that may not!)
And then there are nifty advantages like large backlit displays etc.
I've reverted to analog because of the batteries in digital always letting me down at the wrong time.
I see JACO now has a digital gauge (Jaco Elite digital) with easily replaceable AAA (vs the hard to replace wafer ones) and battery life indicator. Might give that a try.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Got fed up with the flaws of the digital gauges (when the battery voltage goes down the values are off; heat, banging and vibrations on the motorcycle lead to an early demise of the PCB inside within weeks...), pencil style types are not avail around here (never been a fan of PSI anyway ), got me a simple, compact mechanical one...
for topping up I've this nice screw-on adapter:
and the XIAOMI pressure transducer works highly accurate:
cheers
), got me a simple, compact mechanical one...for topping up I've this nice screw-on adapter:
and the XIAOMI pressure transducer works highly accurate:
cheers
How does the lay person know if a gauge is accurate or check it for accuracy. Most don't and never will. You rely in a reputation of a manufacturer or a review of same from a trusted (?) source. I had a great VDO gauge — compact and had a button to hold the reading bleed air and return the needle to zero. The o-ring rotted and the face plate fell off. Maybe it was accurate and maybe it remained consistent if not accurate for its 2-3yr life. I have no idea.
We're going to buy what we want and that will be "accurate" as far as we'll ever know. Maybe somebody somewhere knows of a lab-quality measuring device that can test the accuracy of a tire pressure gauge and make The Ultimate Purchase. Barring near catastrophic failure I'll never know if my TPMS is constant or even accurate. I think that's true of a lot of riders though they may loudly declare otherwise.
Not having access to a reference standard makes much of this discussion moot arbitrary incompetent irrelevant immaterial blah blah. Until there is there's some Olan Soule type with a complicated lab-grade testing device telling me what's The Best I'll just go with the TPMS I got and maybe a cheap Milton* in case at battery or sensor dies.
*Because WebBikeWorld or somebody said they're good.
We're going to buy what we want and that will be "accurate" as far as we'll ever know. Maybe somebody somewhere knows of a lab-quality measuring device that can test the accuracy of a tire pressure gauge and make The Ultimate Purchase. Barring near catastrophic failure I'll never know if my TPMS is constant or even accurate. I think that's true of a lot of riders though they may loudly declare otherwise.
Not having access to a reference standard makes much of this discussion moot arbitrary incompetent irrelevant immaterial blah blah. Until there is there's some Olan Soule type with a complicated lab-grade testing device telling me what's The Best I'll just go with the TPMS I got and maybe a cheap Milton* in case at battery or sensor dies.
*Because WebBikeWorld or somebody said they're good.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
That is what I did mostly for the fun of it and reported on earlier. I tested several gauges using a certified calibrated master gauge.
Calibration services are all over the place and would be happy to test a tire pressure gauge if anyone was inclined to do so, for a price.
ST1100Y
Site Supporter
Well, the tire fillers at our gas stations have to go through mandatory annual inspection by a "bureau of weight and measures" (just like the gas pumps, grocery scales, manufacturing kits, etc...)
By occasional cross checking one can verify the accuracy of his own kits... which is how I discovered the flaws of the electronic pressure gauges due to battery issues...
I figure if I can trust my TPMS while I'm riding, I can trust it when I'm starting out or topping up.
Years ago, was also able to compare against calibrated gauges at work.
The local Discount Tire here is pretty reliable with their inflate pressure and have used them to compare new gauges.
drrod
Site Supporter
I use a few different gauges depending on when/where I am checking and find that all of them are usually within 5% of each other. I do not rely on my TPMS for the actual reading although it seems to correspond pretty close to the gauges. I think the TPMS' best use is to monitor change, especially loss of pressure. Mine has saved me a couple of time when I have picked up a puncture. I was able to detect and fix before there was too much air loss which prevented handling issues and damage to the tire.
5% between gauges is about right for gauges like Accugauge that claims +/- 2.5% ("almost" a B grade gauge per below).
I second this suggestion. I bought one for about $60 and it definitely gives me peace of mind.