Both kinds read the pressure and temperature of each tyre and send it to the screen on your dash. The difference is where they sit, who fits them and how you look after them.
External sensors
External sensors replace your valve caps. You screw one onto each valve stem. The Aura A-Series adds an anti-theft locking nut.
- Fit them yourself in minutes. No tyre shop, no wheel off.
- Swap the battery yourself when it runs down.
- Move them if you change vehicles.
- Sit outside the tyre, so they can be knocked on rough tracks, and you take the sensor off to add air.
Internal sensors
Internal sensors sit inside the tyre, usually held on the valve. A tyre shop fits them with the tyre off the rim.
- Protected from knocks, mud and light fingers.
- Nothing on the valve, so you add air the usual way.
- Require professional balancing after they're fitted, because the sensor adds weight inside the wheel.
- The battery is not replaceable. When it runs down, the whole sensor is replaced, which means another trip to the tyre shop.
Will sensors put my wheels out of balance?
An external sensor is small and light, so it shouldn't cause a noticeable wobble in normal driving.
An internal sensor is heavier and sits inside the wheel. Have your tyre shop balance the wheel after fitting it.
What about water crossings?
No sensor is built to sit under water for long. Screw an external sensor down firmly, so its seal sits right.
The Aura A-Series is rated IP67 on all sensors.
Which should you choose?
- Choose external if you want to fit it yourself today, swap batteries yourself, or move the kit between vehicles.
- Choose internal if the sensors would get knocked about outside the tyre, and a tyre shop visit is no bother. flatMATE kits use external sensors, so for internal ones get a quote.
The Sentinel TPMS, the Guardian TPMS and the Aura A-Series all use external sensors. Compare them on every TPMS kit. Need internal sensors? Get a quote.
Not sure what your rig needs? Email us your rig: info@flatmate-tpms.com
